How to get new Windows XP updates for free until 2019 with a Registry hack

[Angelus]

Support might be over for the home user, but with a simple Registry hack XP users can get the downloads destined for the embedded version
With the end of Windows XP, we showed you how to protect your computer with the best tools and advice of the time. However, it since turns out that support isn't quite as over as we'd thought.

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.


System Restore will back up important system files and the Windows Registry

You can restore them by restoring the Restore Point you created either in the normal Windows version of System Restore or by starting your computer in Safe Mode if it won't boot into normal Windows. To start in Safe Mode restart your computer and hit F8 during the initial Power On Self Test (POST) screens. Select Safe Mode from the menu and your computer will boot into a cut-down version of the OS. Select your username from the boot screen and you'll boot into Windows, where you can run System Restore from the Start Menu as normal. With that done you're ready to install the Registry hack and get installing the new updates.


If you can't boot into regular Windows, you can run System Restore using Safe Mode

Step 1: Create registry file
To enable the hack you need to create a Registry file. These are special files that, when you double-click them, create Registry entries. To create the file, you'll need to be able to view file extensions, so open Windows Explorer (the file browser) click Tools, Folder Options. Click the View tab and remove the tick from the 'Hide extensions for known file types' box.

Next, right-click the Desktop and select New, Text Document. Enter the name of the file as xp.reg. If you've got the right file extension, the icon image will change from one of a document to one with a blue cube.


Make sure you've got the right icon type (right) for .reg files

Step 2: Enter information into the file
Next, right-click xp.reg and select Edit. This will open the blank file up in Notepad. Enter or copy and paste the following information:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMWPAPosReady]
"Installed"=dword:00000001

Save the file and shut down Notepad.


A .reg file is just a text file that contains instructions on how to modify the Registry

Step 3: Integrate file into the Registry
Double-click xp.reg and click Yes when you're asked if you want to include this information in the Registry. Click OK when you get the confirmation message and you're done. Now run Windows Update from the Start Menu and you'll see that you've got extra, new updates to download and install.


Once you've integrated the hack into the Registry, you'll get access to new update