Support for Windows XP is ending soon

I'm not sure about the rebates, as I moved from XP years ago. If you get an answer, post it here to help others out!

However, upgrading from 8 to 8.1 is free.

Make sure your system is fully updated - go to Control Panel -> Windows Updates, or Settings -> Update and Recovery on the Modern side and apply any critical or important updates. It may take a few rounds to get them all.

Once your system is fully updated, go to the Windows Store. The big "Featured Item" panel should show the Windows 8.1 upgrade. Click it and start the download. It'll take a while, as it's a full OS upgrade.

Once the process is started, you can do other things while it's downloading. Your computer will tell you when it's ready to to the upgrade.

It's a good idea to back up your documents and other files before doing the upgrade, just as a precaution.

I'm not to sure if this is the right place for this or not but here goes.

I have a good computer that runs great and uses XP. Microsoft emailed me stating that they were no longer supporting XP.

Since computer is older I cannot upgrade to Windows 8 or 8.1.

So I went out and recently purchased a new computer that has Windows 8 on it.

I bought it at Office Depot and then picked up a HP monitor at Best Buy.

While at Best Buy the attendant told me that Microsoft put out some information that $100.00 rebates would be available for consumers that had to purchase new computers.

However, when you go to the Microsoft webpage they only offer rebates on certain computers.

I feel that this is unfair. I spent over $800.00 on anew upgraded system.

Microsoft was able to email me and tell me about not supporting XP but I never got an email about any rebates be offered.

Is there a way for me to be eligible for a rebate?

I still have my receipts

I purchased a HP Envy  700-056/700-216 Desktop Computer with AMD A10 Quad Core Processors.

It came with Windows 8 and not 8.1.

Is there also a way to upgrade to 8.1 with making another purchase?

Any information would be helpful, thanks

Bryan

Why do you think that what you have said scares me? I have never even replied to you before this reply.

For your reference, I take the latest whenever it becomes available because it is my profession. If you had bothered to read my profile you would understand this. If I cannot be bothered to upgrade to the latest whatever when it becomes available, how am I going to be able to support my customers who do? Do you want that I should turn business away just because you think I should dwell in the past? Dream on if you do, I've got bills to pay and I won't be earning enough to pay them just from XP (or earlier) customers.

As for my old kit, one of two things happens. It either gets retained so that I can continue to support, for example, XP users that are both my customers and frequenters of this forum. Alternatively it gets sold on as second hand kit to those that cannot afford brand new.

Why are you so angry at me specifically? You state your opinions, I am entitled to express mine. This thread is after all a discussion.

Tricky

EDIT: BTW I have been familiar with IT since 1971 at school. I have a degree in Chemistry and Computer Studies and have been making a living out of IT since 1975. I am most definitely not an amateur.

Hi Tricky300,

It is NOT my intention to scare anyone. What I am doing is somewhat: "WASTE NOT, WANT NOT!"  If you want to throw the good stuff out for something better, that is your business, NOT MINE! YOUR trash might be my TREASURE! I have gotten a lot of used equipment, because they either did not need it, or did not know how to use it, and I do. It may be obsolete to you and the rest of the world. It is not my intension to sell my USED equipment, I want something I can use better for myself. Also, it is a matter of knowledge in how you use yours, verus how I use mine, and that is not for the same reasons. I am presenting this from my experience as my point of view. Like my brother has got me started in the NEW PCs instead of the OLD PCs, because he coud not understand how to use it and I told him and showed him I could, like the HP 5370C Scanner that is worth that $2,000, to him and did not know how to use the transparency adaptor and its software to print up his color negatives and I did? That is his loss, not yours or mine. IT is my gain... It would be yours when you trade up and I find that your OLD PC works good as new plus a few new parts! THEN it is a HA-HA to you!!! I was in the business of resale twenty years ago, and my wife and her father was the owners of the store, and they got in a USED Commodore SX-64 somewhat portable PC, and told me that IF I got it working it would be mine! Sure enough I did and kept it for ten years. And my Dad gave me the rest with the Commodore 128! I knew how to get working also because I was also in the business selling the NEW stuff thirty years ago and it pride myself being THAT MUCH of a tech savvy guy because I got my EE Degree in record time. I studied in electctronics since 10th grade and from my Dad who was a master of the masters in fixing airplanes and won the bronze star during WWII as one of my teachers, and my mother being one for the LA County School district for over thirty years, and learning my four 'Rs before I was four year old is proof enough I ended up first in the school when I graduated High school in 1966. I think you do not have all the facts as you say I have. Let me put it another way more positively, YES, I AM DAMM Lucky, I see an opportunity when the rest do not by tossing out the good items because they lack the knowledge how to fix it. I got a 20-inch floor fan worth $40, because that person did not know how to trim off the five blades so it does not hit the sides of the case. And that was five years ago. I got three coffeemakers because I got the parts that were worn out and cleaned them up and they work for me! I have a long line of successes to back me up and recently with the modern PCs... THEIR LOSS and MY GAIN! You go right ahead and upgrade to Windows 9, whatever. You are not grateful to what you already have, THAT is your loss as a fool and his money soon parts! That is also the nature in business, and I want NO part in it!

One last quote: " A PC is like a golf club, in the hands of an amatuer, it is worthless, in the hands of a pro, like myself, it does wonders!"

From Ed theHardware and software Engineer

Why are people so defensive when all I do is present them with facts?

Fact: Microsoft MVPs have no ties and usually no loyalty to Microsoft.  Just peers of yours that volunteer their knowledge to others.  In my case, I do this for several OSes and could care less what you or anyone else rubs on their computer - but that does not stop me from presenting facts, eh?

Fact: the final free Windows XP desktop OS updayes from Microsoft come out on April 8,2014; that is ALL that is happening.  Anything else is conjecture - even if it is educated and informed - still just conjecture.

Fact: you are the one that brought up "scare" and I was the one that questioned why you would say that.  Why did you bring it up when all anyone here is doing is giving you facts about the reality of what is going on?

I did/do not care what you have or do when it comes to your computer as long as it doesn't affect me directly or indirectly.  You running XP doesn't bother me in the least, nor does it interest me.  The topic does and why you decided that people were attempting to scare you does...  but only in the very slightest way.

So your assumptions about me are wrong (fact.)  Good luck - but if you actually want advice, just ask.  Unless you are just here to believe people are 'out to get you...'