I have WindowsXP,Firefox,Malwarebytes,
and Spybot,which i run every week,can anyone advise me,is it safe to run XP as long as i dont do my banking on it.
Cheers

Here is some extra protection you could use .I think the word relatively is the operative one - from what Ive read, you do all you can, be vigilant over attachments and emails and hope you're lucky.

http://download.cnet.com/8301-2007_4-57620758-12/5-tips-for-running-windows-xp-relatively-safely/

There is already a big hole in Internet Explorer 6 - 11 which is patched on > Xp So that's the first one.

WIth that one you have to visit a per say web site and then there is a possibility that they can take control of your profile.

As above.
Use it as a tool to surf the internet with. But remove any sensitive information on there. There was talke of a chinese company continuing with the XP security fixes as 50% of china is on xp so dont feel your the only one on XP.

Go into many establishments and there still on XP.

For total peace of mind its about £80 - £100 for a Win 7 Disc.
Worries are now gone

Mark
I do have to wonder how long before Win 7 goes the same way as XP ie support withdrawn?

Mrs has an XP machine (mundane web searches, Word, Skype, Email - and banking, so I am also considering whether to (sadly) let XP "go" and upgrade her to Win 7. The machine she uses was inherited from her son after he used it for Uni over 4 years ie is likely messed full of c**p and badly needs a wipe and operating system re-install but I am inclined to stay with XP. In all the years of use we have never had any virus or similar problem.

Snod

Windows lifecycle fact sheet

When I used to do computer repairs I'd often find that the user never ran Windows Update and it was missing hundreds of patches and vulnerability fixes.

https://blog.avast.com/tag/windows-xp/

[quote=Snodvan]Mark
I do have to wonder how long before Win 7 goes the same way as XP ie support withdrawn?

Snod, I read Win 7 will be supported until 2020.

Right on the button there Gibbo. My brother hardly ever does it and I have to sort it out now and again when I go there. When the computer gets too slow he just gets another one because he thinks it's goosed, it only needs a good clean out. Funny thing is that you can't change people who don't do their housekeeping.

You could install linux. Generally less security issues, especially those targeting microsoft.

Most things will run on linux, except office - but openoffice is normally good enough for most people in general domestic use.

Not an expert by any means, but seems a safer (free) way of alleviating your fears over e-security on an unsupported XP (or at least until the chinese do something about it).

Good luck