Thursday, August 7, 2014

Still using Windows XP? Upgrade to Xubuntu for free


If you're still using Windows XP, I'm sure you're already aware by now that support for Windows XP ended on April 8, 2014. What that means is that you're not going to get any more updates for your computer. While that might not sound like a big deal, it means you're more likely to get viruses and spyware, because you're not going to get any more security updates.

Unfortunately there isn't a fix for this besides upgrading your operating system to something else. You could buy Windows 8 for $120 or try to find a place that still sells Windows 7. Unfortunately, if your computer is running Windows XP, it's probably an older computer, which means it may not be fast enough to run Windows 7 or 8.

But there's a solution. Xubuntu (pronounced zoobOOntoo) is designed to run on older or slower computers. The best part: it's completely free! Here's how to upgrade to Xubuntu:

  1. Back up all of your documents, pictures, music, and videos. If you have a lot of them, the easiest thing to do is buy a portable USB hard drive and copy your files to it. If you don't have a lot, you can back your files up online for free. A couple services I like are:
  2. Download the latest Xubuntu image:
    1. Go here:
      http://xubuntu.org/getxubuntu/

    2. If you see the option to download an LTS version, you want that, because it means that it will be supported for a long time. Under Mirror downloads, click the location that's closest to you.

    3. Look for the file that looks like this, and click on it to start downloading it:
      xubuntu-XX.XX-desktop-i386.iso
      (XX.XX will be a number, like 14.04)

  3. Now you either need to burn the image to a DVD (if your computer has a DVD drive), or put it on a USB stick, if you have an extra USB stick (note that these instructions are for Ubuntu, which is for newer and faster computers, but they're the same for Xubuntu):
  4. Almost there! Now you just need to install it, which you can do by following the steps here:
    http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop/install-ubuntu-desktop

  5. Once it's installed, all you have to do is copy all of your documents that you backed up. Then you're done!
One of the many great parts about Xubuntu (and Ubuntu) is its amazing community, so if you have any questions about the upgrade or after the upgrade, go here and you'll find the help you need:

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