As I write this post, it is August 26, 2013. That’s more than twelve years after Windows XP was released to computer manufacturers! Yes, it was August 24, 2001 when XP first was sent to the computer folks.

A more important date for you all to know right now is April 8, 2014. That is exactly 224 days from today and it is the day when Microsoft ends support for Windows XP. It is imperative that any computer connected to the Internet be upgraded to Windows Vista, Windows 7 or Windows 8 by that date!

Why must you upgrade? When Microsoft ends support, there will be no more updates to fix security holes in Windows XP. The spammers, hackers and other criminal of the world are licking their chops and waiting for that day. As soon as they find an exploit, they will do their best to infect your computer.

I know the upgrade won’t be fun and those of you with a number of computers will need extra time. That’s why I’m warning you now so you can get a plan in place. Don’t make a plan to upgrade on April 7, 2014. Pick a date well in advance of the end of support so that you won’t be sweating it at the last minute.

Choose your preferred method to update. It could be getting a new computer or simply installing a new operating system on your existing computer. Either way, you’ll need to back up your data in advance and make sure you have files needed to re-install your software. If you need special drivers to use with your hardware on the new operating system, download them now and save them with rest of your backup.

If you make an excuse now and delay the upgrade, you’ll have no legitimate excuse after you get hacked. Look at this as a chance for a fresh start with a new operating system. All the junk that has built up over the years can be removed. It is quite possible your computer will run faster after the upgrade simply because that extra junk is no longer around. Start making your plan today and you’ll have plenty of time to make the update as easy as possible.