Support for Windows XP with Service Pack 2 will end soon

Support for Windows XP with Service Pack 2 (SP2) will end on July 13, 2010.

Support is ending for some versions of Windows

•Support for Windows Vista without any service packs ended on April 13, 2010.
•Support for Windows XP with Service Pack 2 (SP2) will end on July 13, 2010.*

If you're running one of these versions after support ends, you won't get security updates for Windows.

Which version and service pack am I running or

Which version of the Windows operating system am I running?

Finding out which version of Windows you're running can help you determine which features are available on your computer. Here's how to check.

•Click the Start button , type winver in the search box, and then press Enter.

Note

If the steps above don't work on your computer, you might be running a previous version of Windows. To check, click Start, click Run, type winver, and then press Enter

The About Windows window showing Windows XP Professional edition with Service Pack 3

This window displays the version and edition of Windows you're running. Each version of Windows comes in different editions with different features. This window also displays a service pack number if your version of Windows has been upgraded with a service pack.

 The About Windows window showing Windows Vista Ultimate edition with Service Pack 1

What does end of support mean?

 Each version and edition of Windows also comes in a 32-bit or 64-bit version. To find out what version you're running, see Is my PC running the 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows?

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. These include security updates that can help protect your PC from harmful viruses, spyware, and other malicious software, which can steal your personal information. Windows Update also installs the latest software updates to improve the reliability of Windows—new drivers for your hardware and more.

You should always install the latest service packs from Microsoft for your version of Windows. You can download and install these through Windows Update.

Support end dates

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 without any service packs ended on April 13, 2010. To continue support, make sure you've installed Windows Vista SP2.
•Support for Windows XP with Service Pack 2 (SP2) will end on July 13, 2010. To continue support, make sure you've installed Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3).