https://windowsreport.com/best-browser-for-windows-xp/

sample quote

Internet Explorer is the default browser on Windows XP, but one that is badly outdated and poses security risks.
The best browsers for Windows XP and other old operating systems must be light on PC resource usage.
Another must-have feature is high security and privacy against the prying eyes on the internet.
...snip...

Top 3

Opera – Opera remains one of the most preferred options in Windows XP and even later iterations. It offers advanced features and employs the latest security protocols.
SlimJet – SlimJet is another popular option in Windows XP and is used by many for its high speed and dedicated download manager.
UC Browser – With a built-in ad blocker and the ability to detect and eliminate viruses, UC Browser is a popular choice for Windows XP users.

7 other choices

end quote

A Windows XP computer should NOT be on the internet. Period. End of discussion.

The best thing you can do is to load some flavor of Linux on it.

Not what the OP wants to hear, but it's the truth.

My garage laptop is an XP machine. I use it mostly for reading PDF's in the garage and occasionally a YouTube how to video, but I have no personal info on it.

If you have read my past posts I am a big fan of linux, live linux cd’s and even worked briefly for Red Hat in the 1990s.

I even made the whopper mistake of not buying Bitcoin for $1 per Bitcoin at a TRILUG ( Triangle Linux Users Group) meeting.

A second question is:
“what are modern techniques available to protect no longer supported operating systems like XP, older Apple products, older Android versions, etc from malware where they connect to the internet?

But I am no longer at the top of the game, it seems.

I was not a member of the Discord server in OG’s chat room.

Yep! Typing this on an old Dell Vista laptop running Linux Mint. Works fantastic!!

Well it really depends what it will be used for, doesn't it.
Of course not for the ONLY PC you have, where you perform/store financial/personal info.
But fine as a Secondary, for just say using this forum.

FWIW: I prefer opera and am on windows 10

Uhh...this forum is an ad monster! If you're surfing here on an ancient/unprotected machine, you AND the network you are connected to are vulnerable. Not a good idea. Linux is your friend for old machines surfing the net.

Listen to this! Absolutely 100% true. I work in I.T. and the malware uptick in the last year has been insane. Think you’re not vulnerable because you don’t do any financial stuff on that dinosaur computer? Think again. There are plenty of back doors that hackers can use on an old computer to gain access to everything on your network.

11 is better, been using it for months now. My work laptop was still on 10 and every time I needed to use it, it had to do 20 mins worth of updates and restarts. 11 manages the updates way better!

Dummy here, how to get 11 for an 8 laptop that’s basically new (never used)

Probably can't do it, it probably doesn't meet the hardware requirements.

Biggest stumbling block: TPM: Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0. Almost no computers built before 2016, and some later, have v 2.0

Windows 8 release date: October 26, 2012

Windows 10 release date: July 29, 2015

Support for Windows 8 ended on January 12, 2016, and support for Windows 8.1 has ended on January 10, 2023.

Eligible Windows 10 devices must be on version 2004 or later, and have installed the September 14, 2021 security update or later, to upgrade directly to Windows 11.

I have sevral Win10 machines, when support ends in 2025, they'll all become Linux boxes, Zorin OS or Linuxmint, if I elect to keep them around.

As several have already said, get rid of XP (and all Microsoft products that you can) and run Linux. There is a learning curve but it's worth it.

Typing this on a Dell Studio laptop (dual-boot with Win 7 and Linux), on Linux Mint 21.1 (Vera) XFCE and it feels a lot like Windows, but better and faster
I've also got an old 32-bit HP laptop running Linux Mint (19.3 XFCE I think, that's the last 32-bit version) and it also works well.

The only "network" any of my laptops are connected to is the electrical grid. Any security vulnerabilities there? Windows 7 and 10.

Kevin

Only the electrical grid? Do you surf the internet on those laptops?

W7 is ok, but no longer gets security updates. W10 is great, just keep it updated.

You do realize that XP came out 22 years ago? Time for a newer computer. They are cheaper now.

So what if it's a "stand-alone" PC? Not connected via a router nor wifi, but internet cable directly to pc?

Newer versions of Windows sux. They changed the UI and it was not an improvement.

My work computer is W10, I hate it.

My personal laptop is W7, garage laptop is XP.

Stand alone means no connection to the internet at all. If you are connected via a cable to the internet, it’s not really stand alone. If you have nothing of value on the computer, I guess it’s ok, but I wouldn’t do it.

It takes getting used to, but actually W10 is really good once you get used to it. It actually takes less energy to learn it than it does to resist it.

I have to agree with Sniper. I have the same setups! My employer changed to Win10 a few years ago and I detest it too, but had no choice.

I use Win7 on my laptop but only to remote-work, otherwise it's Linux all the way. The old ("garage") laptop is XP because I needed the 9-pin serial port for my OBD-II cable and it won't run anything more "advanced"

I do not need an OS that makes me relearn how to use it. Been using Windows since the 90's and I am accustomed to that UI. I do not want the crap they have as a UI now. I do not want it to try to guess where I want to save a file it never picks the right spot and it is one more PITA step to deal with doing my job.

It's like all the office updates that appear to just move around where the functions are located, just to piss you off.

Let's rename functions because we can and it'll piss off the customers. Then some IT jerk starts talking gibberish to "explain" to you how to sort out whatever the latest CF Microsoft has foisted off on us.

I’m all ears on these post, mine is a Sony so I have to put up with their junk plus win 8. I’d like to erase the whole hard drive and install something like what mw on my I phone, but to me that’s like building a space ship, ‘Lost in Space’

Why not? What's the problem then?

I really don't like the live tiles MS introduced in the Win8 start menu, probably irrationally since I DESPISE Win8 and refused to use it, or even look at Win8.1 after trying the Win8 developer preview version.

I install one of the retro start menus, start10, start11, Open Shell (did nothing on the last Win11 machine I tried it on) or my current favorite, startallback. Costs about $5.00 for one PC.

I updated the wife's Win7 machine to Win10 a few years ago, used Open Shell so it'd look like Win7. I was careful to replace the Open Shell start button with the Win7 orb. She never noticed a difference in how it works, nor did she notice she no longer had Win7. I currently have a new Win11 machine prepared for her (the old computer is not eligible for a Win11 upgrade) with a similar treatment, I doubt she'll notice this one either except for it being a physically different machine.

My little sister ran into a vulnerability with Win10 version 1909, a rogue piece of software and a registry entry were nagging her near constantly to download the full payload, fortunately she didn't fall for that. I spent several hours looking into it for her, finally Malwarebytes discovered it and quarantined it, then I deleted the damned things. Keep your computer updated, IMHO, had she been running a current Win10 version, she'd never have been compromised.

JMHO, don't even try to run an old version of Windows, when your Windows version support ends, back up your files to an external drive, format the hard drive, install Linux, put your personal files back and enjoy the improved security. Again, IMHO, Linuxmint and Zorin OS are best for Windows refugees with the shallowest learning curve.

Hackers can't gain access to anything on MY network because I don't have one. I have 3 computers, no network.

If I did have them networked then yes a hacker could possibly gain access to all my top secret data on Computer 3 through Computer 1 if it was running XP.

Kevin

Linux is just an adaption of the very old UNIX operating system early mainframe computers used.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Linux

There are now many “flavors” of Linux, like flavors of ice cream

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Linux_distributions

Ubuntu has a charitable Foundation’s money backing its ongoing existence and update issuing

Debian is one of the oldest with some French government money

Knoppix is based on Debian,
and was one of the earliest live CD/DVD
and has many pre-loaded useful programs

Tiny Core Linux can run on very old, limited RAM, computers, and there are 8 others nearly as “lightweight”

https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/linux-distro-space/

Apple OS “guts” is based on BSD, a cousin of Linux

Android “guts” is also based on Linux

Most network/WiFi routers run Linux.
Many routers now have built in Malware scanning/blocking, plus ad blocking.
Recently some routers have now added VPN (Virtual Private Network) that protects internet traffic passing through to connected computers.

Put a highly effective,
frequently updated,
Malware blocking
VPN capable
router in front of your network

Despite all this,
there are computer programers working in Israel
that can break into your newest and freshly updated computers and cell phones
at least every other month or so.

I used my XP desktop until October 2021, when it started spontaneously rebooting without warning.
By 2021, the only browser I could run other than IE was Chrome. My licensed MalwareBytes kept it safe right up to the end.

The really evil malware creators use their skills to bring in money,
and now there are so few remaining XP computers in use
to generate much criminal cash flow.

Crime has to pay.

Microsoft should release to the public all the XP software security fixes they were paid with US Tax payer money to keep writing
after “free” security updates for the general public ended
in order for the US Navy Submarine XP systems to keep running.

I would not bet against the assertion
that the best knowledge base of unpatched XP flaws
is in Israel.

I am not typically a post hijacker, but it seems there are some minds in here more brilliant than my own.

Is it possible to load, and play old DOSS prompt loading games on a modern machine? I have some old games from the early 2000s that use that format, and it would be kinda neat to get them to work again.

Yes, it's call DOS box, it emulates the old operating system kn a newer machine

Damn, I think it's time I dusted off my copy of Wing Commander 3 and the Tex Murphy series. Used to use Dosbox to get old ass CNC controller software running.

Not so bad hijack.

The first computer program that I witnessed save “real money”
was an “optimum blend” DOS program that could predict how to blend
up to 20 different ores,
each ore having 5 unique characteristics
into the “lowest price” acceptable blend of ore to sell.

This $100 program saved $1,000,000 in less than 2 years.

I should use DOSBOX emulator to be able to run it.

I have never, ever, been accused of hijacking a moparts post.....