Dumb Registry Hack to get XP Updates.

[Geek-9pm]

This does NOT work
How to get new Windows XP updates for free until 2019 with a Registry hack
This same 'hack' has been repeated by many rags last year.
Sorry.  It does not work today.

In fact, Microsoft is still continuing to develop updates, although not strictly for Windows XP. Rather, Microsoft is continuing to support Windows Embedded Industry for another five years until April 2019. Previously called Windows Embedded POSReady, this OS is a special version of Windows XP designed for use in industrial systems, such as cash registers and ATMs.
The beauty of the two systems being so interlinked is that updates designed for one system should work on the other. As discovered on BetaNews, tricking your home edition of XP into thinking its Windows Embedded POSReady means you get updates for the next five years.

The term 'POS' meas point of sale. That suggests Windows XP embedded into a cash register.  Other  automated machines also use a form of embedded XP.

So, my question is: Will this work for me?

I don't really need it.
I as I also have Windrows 7 and Windows 10 on this old box.

[SuperDave]

I don't get any more updates and my XP and it is as safe as it was when updates were still being received.

[Salmon Trout]

I enabled the POS hack on a laptop about 6 months after XP end of life, and I immediately got offered dozens of updates. I continued getting them for about another 3 months then they dried up. I presumed that Microsoft had worked out a way of telling which machines were genuine POS systems. As soon as Windows 10 Insider Previews became available I went for that and am very happy to consign XP to the dustbin of history.

[Geek-9pm]

Salmon Trout,
After awhile I understood how to manually enable the POS thing. The script given was no good, so I had to do it by hand. Attached a screen of what I saw today.
As can bee seen, it did give both POS updates and other stuff.


[attachment deleted by admin to conserve space]

[Salmon Trout]

Attached a screen of what I saw today.

I wonder why mine gave up? No matter, all my PCs are now in the modern era.

[Geek-9pm]

Just curious. What registry key did you use?
Maybe they changed it is some way.
Or maybe all the POS things were old?
How can I tell if the recent updates are new items?

[Salmon Trout]

The widely known reg file that was everywhere on the web in May 2014

Code: [Select]

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\WPA\PosReady]

"Installed"=dword:00000001

[patio]

And BTW ...it does work...
You must have typed something wrong Geek...

[Salmon Trout]

It worked on my XP laptop for a time, but it seemed to stop, by which I mean that at intervals of one or two months, I would check for updates and would be told that none were available. From time to time it would say a new version of Microsoft Malware Removal Tool was available. I guess it could simply have been that there weren't any other updates. When the Windows 10 insider programs was clearly going to continue after July 29, I did a full install. i still have the Dell restore disk for XP SP3 if I ever want to go back, which I very much doubt will ever happen.

[patio]

My XP rig runs 24/7...it gets updates albeit not as frequent...it has yet to be attacked and or infected in the last 4 years...

Just sayin...

[DaveLembke]

My XP rig runs 24/7...it gets updates albeit not as frequent...it has yet to be attacked and or infected in the last 4 years...

My Netbook with Intel Atom processor came with XP Home and I have it fully patched to last official MS patch for those who didnt do any update hack. No problems with any hacking or malware as well. But its probably also because I dont subject it to high risk computing by downloading and running or installing on it and just use whats already installed on it, and I test software in a sandbox in a virtual machine before rolling it out to real machines.

I created a XP Home and XP Pro SP3 slipstream that contains all the official updates so I can perform a clean XP Home SP3 or XP Pro SP3 install and no other updates really required unless you do this registry hack to get others etc.

All but 2 computers I have are on a newer version other than XP. Netbook with Intel Atom is a waste to spend $ to buy a new OS for, so it will remain at XP. I tried to put Linux Mint 17.1 on it a month ago and found out that Linux doesnt see the Intel Atom CPU as a x86 or x64 CPU which was weird so the Kernel Crashed on boot. So its probably going to remain on XP.

[Geek-9pm]

And BTW ...it does work...
You must have typed something wrong Geek...

Yes. I had a typo.
Did a cut and paste and it was read by the registry editor.
It has the same values I put in mt hand.
So, I was wrong. It does work.

[Geek-9pm]

POST MORTEM.
It does work.
But it may prevent updates or new installs of some items
I can not install IE8 or Flash 19
I am going to turn off the POS key and see.

EDIT:  Meanwhile, there is a dire warning:
http://www.tripwire.com/state-of-security/latest-security-news/microsoft-issues-warning-about-windows-xp-support-hack/