Percy, if you want to keep XP I would complete all of the XP updates then do a complete backup of your computer. I suggest using Acronis for that however there are other backup programs available.

Although MS is stopping support for XP they will be still offering their XP anti-virus program MS Essentials for another year. You should check if Avast will support XP after April.

I have read in CNET that over 30% of the computers in use still use XP with a large percentage of those being in industry. They reported that not only does industry not want to pay for a new OS but all of their current programs run on XP thus they may have to purchase all new programs, something they do not want to do. Thus I think XP will be around for a little while longer after April.

Having said that I believe your best option is to upgrade. If you have XP programs that you still want to run I suggest that you get Win 7 Pro as your OS. It has a XP emulation mode and in fact I have an old but still useful Win 95 Corel PhotoPaint program that I am using on Win 7. Every XP program that I have tried including MS Office 97 is running on Win 7, however I have not tried any games on it.

I feel your pain as although I have one Win 7 computer it is my offline music and photography computer. My wife, son and my Internet computers are all XP. I am planning on upgrading my wife and my systems if money is available after our April Florida vacation.

Good luck.

Life is short so make sure you spend as much time as possible on the Internet arguing with strangers.

64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware