Connecting to the internet in 2020 with Windows XP.

Decryptor009 · May 4, 2020

Besides the obvious with dodgy websites to avoid, is using things such as GOG on Windows XP safe?
Also i would like to know what web browser if any is the safest to use, this is for my retro gaming computer, although it will not be used for internet, it will be beneficial to be able to connect to the internet.

Fouquin · May 4, 2020

I've been using an older version of Sea Monkey as a browser for XP since it basically runs on everything down to a Pentium III. https://www.seamonkey-project.org/releases/2.4

It's out of date now but you can still load things like YouTube. Not sure how much longer that's going to last though.

Melvis · May 4, 2020

It should still be able to connect to the internet without any issues, browser wise well my XP machines last I had on them was Firefox version.....ummmm 52/54? by memory I could be wrong and that was the last update firefox gave to XP.

If there is some other browser that is still support on XP fully even id like to know lol

stinger608 · May 4, 2020

I found that
(1) Install a good anti-virus such as Avast free, which still supports XP.

(2) Install a good web browser that supports XP such as Baidu Spark Browser (very similar to Google Chrome browser as it's built on the Chromium engine).

(3) And this one is very important; once you load and start Avast it will ask you to download a Microsoft Windows XP fix that is needed to help protect XP from attacks.

thesmokingman · May 4, 2020

stinger608 said:
I found that
(1) Install a good anti-virus such as Avast free, which still supports XP.

(2) Install a good web browser that supports XP such as Baidu Spark Browser (very similar to Google Chrome browser as it's built on the Chromium engine).

(3) And this one is very important; once you load and start Avast it will ask you to download a Microsoft Windows XP fix that is needed to help protect XP from attacks.

Also regarding Avast, make sure ya go into settings and disable tracking and sharing.

hat · May 4, 2020

Mind if I ask why you want to connect this machine to the internet? If you just want to download the odd file here and there, there are ways to connect your computer to your network, but not the internet. You can download what you want on an up-to-date system, and drop those files into a shared folder. It's not the most convenient, but it's the safest way short of not connecting it to the internet at all and running a USB stick back and forth...

Bill_Bright · May 4, 2020

It should be noted that according to Avast Antivirus - FAQ,

While you may be able to install and get it to run, the important part of that statement is that the program is not supported. But the primary take-away is that XP cannot be properly secured. Period. And the problem there is not that you put yourself at risk if you connect to a network that has Internet access, but that you knowingly put others at risk. And that of course, if just not cool.

If you insist on pursuing this task, I would urge you disable (and remove if not integrated) all network adapters, disconnect the system from all networks and use it as a stand-alone system only. If you want the challenge of making this system functional and safe to use on the Internet, format the drives and install Linux on it.

stinger608 · May 4, 2020

Look again @Bill_Bright

Antivirus for Windows XP | Free Download Here | Avast

www.avast.com

Decryptor009 · May 4, 2020

Thank you everyone for your excellent help.

Bill_Bright · May 4, 2020

stinger608 said:
Look again @Bill_Bright

I saw that. But "look again @stinger608". The link I provided is an official link too. I view your link as a sales pitch - in other words, "marketing hype". I view the FAQ page as the fine print. And the fine print says Avast is not supported on the 19 year old XP. And note your marketing page does not dispute that.

We also know that Microsoft stopped supporting XP years ago too. That means there are vulnerabilities that have not been fixed or patched and the only supposed protection is from an "unsupported" security program.

Therefore, the facts remain. As do my recommendations - keep it disconnected from any network that has Internet access, or format and install Linux on it. The latter is, by far, the best and safest way to extend the life and usefulness of that computer, and keep it out of landfills.

As hardware tech since 1972, I sure appreciate the desire and challenge to keep legacy hardware running, and productive. But as someone who has been supporting "secure" IS/IT systems for almost as long, I also appreciate the need to keep that hardware secure - if not for us, then for those around us.

XL-R8R · May 4, 2020

Running this version of Win XP will solve most of your issues with this outdated OS:

ERROR 404 - Oops! That page can’t be found.

Free interesting content from across the Internet (Articles, News, Videos, Music, Images, Programs, and a lot more).

www.zone62.com

Included is nvme support (as noted above) along with a whole hog of other drivers and random stuff; give it a look. :toast:

System Name	BloodRage
Processor	R5 2600X PBO enabled
Motherboard	Gigabyte Aorus B450 Elite
Cooling	Arctic Esports Duo
Memory	16GB Corsair Vengeance 3000
Video Card(s)	MSI VENTUS OC 2060 Super
Storage	120GB PNY SATA + 1TB WD Blue M.2
Display(s)	Samsung CRG5 144hz QD
Case	CiT cheap chassis
Audio Device(s)	Creative Audigy FX
Power Supply	Superflower Leadex III Gold 650w
Mouse	Razer Basilisk
Keyboard	Red Dragon Kumara
Software	Win 10

System Name	Night Rider \| Mini LAN PC \| Workhorse
Processor	AMD R7 5800X3D \| Ryzen 1600X \| i7 970
Motherboard	MSi AM4 Pro Carbon \| GA- \| Gigabyte EX58-UD5
Cooling	Noctua U9S Twin Fan\| Stock Cooler, Copper Core)\| Big shairkan B
Memory	2x8GB DDR4 G.Skill Ripjaws 3600MHz\| 2x8GB Corsair 3000 \| 6x2GB DDR3 1300 Corsair
Video Card(s)	MSI AMD 6750XT \| 6500XT \| MSI RX 580 8GB
Storage	1TB WD Black NVME / 250GB SSD /2TB WD Black \| 500GB SSD WD, 2x1TB, 1x750 \| WD 500 SSD/Seagate 320
Display(s)	LG 27" 1440P\| Samsung 20" S20C300L/DELL 15" \| 22" DELL/19"DELL
Case	LIAN LI PC-18 \| Mini ATX Case (custom) \| Atrix C4 9001
Audio Device(s)	Onboard \| Onbaord \| Onboard
Power Supply	Silverstone 850 \| Silverstone Mini 450W \| Corsair CX-750
Mouse	Coolermaster Pro \| Rapoo V900 \| Gigabyte 6850X
Keyboard	MAX Keyboard Nighthawk X8 \| Creative Fatal1ty eluminx \| Some POS Logitech
Software	Windows 10 Pro 64 \| Windows 10 Pro 64 \| Windows 7 Pro 64/Windows 10 Home

System Name	Dean Machine/2020 Ryzenfall
Processor	Intel 4790K/AMD Ryzen 3700X
Motherboard	MSI 1150 Gaming mATX/Gigabyte AORUS ELITE B550
Cooling	Cooler Master Hyper 212 LED/SilverStone AH240 AIO
Memory	16 gigs Crucial Ballistix Tactical Tracer/16 gigs G.Skill TridentZ NEO DDR4
Video Card(s)	Gigabyte 1660 Super/Gigabyte GTX 1660
Storage	Crucial SSD 256 and 2TB spinner/Dual Samsung 980 Pro M2 NVME 4.0
Display(s)	Overlord 27" 2560 x 1440
Case	Corsair Air 540
Audio Device(s)	On board
Power Supply	Seasonic modular 850 watt Platinum/EVGA T2-850 Titanium
Software	Windows 10 Pro/Windows 10 Pro

Processor	AMD 5900x
Motherboard	Asus x570 Strix-E
Cooling	Hardware Labs
Memory	G.Skill 4000c17 2x16gb
Video Card(s)	RTX 3090
Storage	Sabrent
Display(s)	Samsung G9
Case	Phanteks 719
Audio Device(s)	Fiio K5 Pro
Power Supply	EVGA 1000 P2
Mouse	Logitech G600
Keyboard	Corsair K95

System Name	Starlifter :: Dragonfly
Processor	i7 2600k 4.4GHz :: i5 10400
Motherboard	ASUS P8P67 Pro :: ASUS Prime H570-Plus
Cooling	Cryorig M9 :: Stock
Memory	4x4GB DDR3 2133 :: 2x8GB DDR4 2400
Video Card(s)	PNY GTX1070 :: Integrated UHD 630
Storage	Crucial MX500 1TB, 2x1TB Seagate RAID 0 :: Mushkin Enhanced 60GB SSD, 3x4TB Seagate HDD RAID5
Display(s)	Onn 165hz 1080p :: Acer 1080p
Case	Antec SOHO 1030B :: Old White Full Tower
Audio Device(s)	Creative X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Pro - Bose Companion 2 Series III :: None
Power Supply	FSP Hydro GE 550w :: EVGA Supernova 550
Software	Windows 10 Pro - Plex Server on Dragonfly
Benchmark Scores	>9000

Connecting to the internet in 2020 with Windows XP.

Decryptor009

Fouquin

Staff

Melvis

stinger608

Dedicated TPU Cruncher & Folder

thesmokingman

hat

Enthusiast

Bill_Bright