FastTrack XP Support

Last updated 04/09/2014

For those who are running FT4Web and FastRube
(Roy Ashworh's product and a few other 3rd party products)

Microsoft is discontinuing XP Support as of April 2014. That doesn't mean that your XP machine will come
to a screeching halt. It just means that if you call Microsoft about XP, they will likely say "Huh?" and refer you to an paid support group.

This is also likely true for Virtual XP running under Windows 7 and Windows 8 . . . but we don't know for sure.

Why are you using Virtual XP?

1. FastTrack products run just fine under any Windows operating system released after (and not including) Windows 2000.
   You do not have to run under the newer Windows.
2. Some older nonFastTrack products do require XP/Vista. The most popular is FastRube.
3. You must install FastTrack under the same Virtual XP that runs your older programs.
    This isn't a FastTrack issue, it is something required by your older nonFastTrack products.
4. Virtual XP runs much slower than a real CP machine.

XP, Service Pack 3, and .NET

To be able to continue FastTrack into 2014 using XP/Virtual XP, you must upgrade your XP . . . Preferably before April 2014 so that you can deal with Microsoft on some reasonable level.

This is what is required, if needed:

1. You must install XP Service Pack 3 released April 2008.
2. You must install Internet Explorer 8 released March 2009
3. You must install .Net 4.0 released April 2010
4. You must install FTComm WPF (as the final step, not the first step) .

Microsoft Download Manager (not required) was used in this illustration to show the Microsoft upgrade files needed.
You can get these files through Windows Upgrade. Upgrading can be difficult an time consuming.

What FT Technical Support Will NOT DO for free?

1. Teach you how to run/install Virtual XP.
2. Upgrade your XP/Virtual XP. This is a very time-consuming process.
3. Speed up your Virtual XP

What FastTrack Technical Support will do to Help

• We do support running/installing/updating FT4Web under a properly updated XP/Virtual XP.
•  We will also provide modest support to get 3rd party products that you installed to read the FT Databases correctly.
  Ultimately, however, we may refer to the 3rd party for this support.
• We will, for a flat charge of $250, attempt to upgrade your XP/Virtual XP. This must be scheduled overnight and done by remote control of  your PC.
  You must be available to reboot or power cycle if necessary. Actually, it is our preference that you do your upgrades yourself or pay a local computer shop. Please, consider our  $250 offer as the  last alternative.