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I searched on the forum and I couldn't find anything, so I thought of posting something useful for Windows XP users wanting to get support updates untill mid-2019.

This is a registry hack, to let Windows XP think it is in fact Windows Embedded POSReady 2009, which gets supports for 5 more years than the standard Professional Edition.

I hope this isn't against any forum rules (I think it doesn't, I've seen this hack in other forums with similar rules). If it does, I apolygise, so please delete it.
For it to happen, there's a catch, though, as I stumbled upon it. You have to never have made any updates to Windows prior applying this hack, because if it has already contacted Microsoft, it won't "CHANGE" into Embedded, it is ignored. However, I then installed a "FRESH" copy of Windows with Internet disconnected, and applying the hack PRIOR to ever contacted the internet, and it works, you can use Windows as before, with full support.

So, without further ado, this is it, just create a file, i.e. with Notepad, with this in it: Save it with .reg (Registration Entries type of file) and import it by double-clicking on it.

After this, and successful import, reboot the machine and connect to the internet and apply any updates you find suitable. Note that some of the updates will have descriptive names that mention either Windows Embedded, or POSReady - they're fine, it's supposed to be like this.

Hope it helps someone!

There is a safer way - install CachemanXP. http://www.outertech.com/en/cachemanxp-changelog

Well, safer I can assure you it isn't, since you don't know how it is implemented in that program.

Plus, you have to buy it...

In the hack I provided, you can SEE what it does, and it is as simple as to import a simple reg file.

Well, at least that's how I see it, I may be wrong. It wouldn't be the first time

I do have a legal copy of POSReady 2009, for me it's actually very the same as XP SP3, however as this machine is very old and many new hardware have no XP driver anymore.

If you have BizSpark or DreamSpark you can legally get Windows Embedded 2009 which is also supported till 2019.

Much depends (If you already have CachemanXP then it's a no-brainer). If you allow Windows Updates to be auto-installed, then the registry hack might cause an issue at sometime by installing an unsuitable update, but if you make a point of picking and choosing the updates, all should be fine.

Windows® Embedded POSReady?
Reads almost like a brand of laxative.
POS = Piece of $hit <---
I'm still running a licensed, XP Pro (OEM PowerSpec) installation about 10% of the time.
Until I read this thread I could in all honesty say it was "fully patched".
Now I'm not as sure, and I do wonder what sort of POS updates I've misssed.

Thanks.

XP Pro hasn't have (and won't have) any updates since April this year: http://www.pcworld.com/article/2033606/ ... ws-xp.html

Don't use this "hack". With this key, windows thinks, that it is a "Windows Embedded POSReady"-Version. But you have a Win XP Pro/Home-Version. So it is possible, that some updates will crash your System or create new Security-Problems.

WinXp is dead. Use Win7 or Win8 instead (or Linux).

And most important tip: Don't use any Registry-Changes without knowing what this will do and which negative effect it will have.

> it is possible, that some updates will crash your System
> or create new Security-Problems

Exactly. The updates and support for XP POS will not be
compatible with regular XP because the underlying kernel
and OS is totally different. This is not a good idea at all.

It's like hacking XP to pretend it's Windows 7, and then
applying Windows 7 patches and fixes to it. Won't work.

PB wrote:Exactly. The updates and support for XP POS will not be
compatible with regular XP because the underlying kernel
and OS is totally different.

Wikipedia wrote:Based on Windows XP Service Pack 3

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Em ... y#Versions

WinXp is dead.

That may or may not be true in the Home, but it's alive and well in the Office environment.

I've done a binary compare and POSReady is almost identical with XP Pro SP3 except some command tools and minor components.

However XP is literally dead due to decreasing new hardware support, however, it's still widely used on embedded systems, like POS/ATM etc.

Joakim Christiansen wrote:

PB wrote:Exactly. The updates and support for XP POS will not be
compatible with regular XP because the underlying kernel
and OS is totally different.

Wikipedia wrote:Based on Windows XP Service Pack 3

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Em ... y#Versions

It is based - but this does not mean, that it is identical. For example a update can disable a function of XP, because it is disabled in the POS-Version.

> useful for Windows XP users wanting to get support updates untill mid-2019

Again, what will these "updates" be, though? They're updates for the POS
version, not the Home/Pro versions. In other words, you're likely not going
to get security and/or bug fixes that apply to Home/Pro, because Update
thinks you're running POS and will ignore all other important fixes. Risky.

[Edit] Just found this:

Microsoft wrote:We recently became aware of a hack that purportedly aims to provide security updates to Windows XP customers. The security updates that could be installed are intended for Windows Embedded and Windows Server 2003 customers and do not fully protect Windows XP customers. Windows XP customers also run a significant risk of functionality issues with their machines if they install these updates, as they are not tested against Windows XP.

So, what I said. Apply this hack at your own risk.

Well in fact, whatever OS you have, an update is a risk - just ask the recent iOS8 updaters!

When an update is available for any OS, these are the things to do:
1) Do not install it.
2) Read the notes about the update thoroughly and decide if it is
I) Applicable to your system
II) Applicable to you
3) Do not install it.
4) Wait for the big players (companies with a huge amount of PCs in use) to report their findings.
5) If there is news of problems caused by the update, do not install it.
6) Make sure you know how to uninstall an OS update, should something unexpected happen.
7) If there is no news of problems and (2) applies, install the update.