Microsoft Support Lifecycle

policy provides consistent and predictable guidelines for product support availability when a product releases and throughout that product’s life. By understanding the product support available, customers are better able to maximize the management of their IT investments and strategically plan for a successful IT future.

What does it mean if my version of Windows is no longer supported?

An unsupported version of Windows will no longer receive software updates from Windows Update. This includes security updates that are designed to protect your PC from harmful viruses, spyware, and other malicious software. These can steal any personal information that is kept on your computer. Windows Update also installs the latest software updates to improve the reliability of Windows, this includes new drivers for your hardware, other Microsoft products plus many more.

You should always install the latest service packs for Windows. You can download and install these through Windows Update.

• For information about using Windows Update in Windows XP, see Stay up to date automatically.

• For information about using Windows Update in Windows Vista, see Install Windows updates.

• For information about using Windows Update in Windows 7, see Install Windows updates.

   

Support end dates Windows XP and Vista

Here are the dates when support will end for PCs running Windows XP and Windows Vista without the latest service packs:

• Support for Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) ended on July 12, 2011. To continue support, make sure you've installed Windows Vista Service Pack 2 (SP2).

• Support for Windows Vista without any service packs ended on April 13, 2010. To continue support, make sure you've installed Windows Vista SP2.

• Support for Windows XP SP2 ended on July 13, 2010. To continue support, make sure you've installed Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3). For more information, see Learn how to install Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3).

Note

There's no SP3 for the 64-bit version of Windows XP. If you're running the 64-bit version of Windows XP with SP2, you have the latest service pack and will continue to be eligible for support and receive updates until April 8, 2014. To find out what version you're running, see Is my PC running the 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows?

 

All this information can be found on the Microsoft websites,  http://support.microsoft.com or http://technet.microsoft.com

Have you ever thought that the Desktop icons on your Windows 7 PC were a little bit too small or even thought they could be a bit smaller?

Here is a nifty little trick to get the Desktop Icons and Shortcuts just the size you want them

• Close/Minimise all windows so that you are looking at your computers Desktop
• While holding the "Control"(Ctrl) Key use the scroll wheel on your mouse to either increase or decrease the icon sizes depending on which way you scroll!