Windows XP registry hack keeps security updates rolling for the dead operating system

Jared Newman@onejarednewman

• May 30, 2014 7:36 AM
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Microsoft stopped supporting Windows XP in April, but a simple registry hack lets users continue to get security updates.

The hack, as reported by ZDNet, fools Microsoft into thinking the system is running Windows Embedded POSReady 2009, a variant of XP that's used by ATMs and cash registers. Those systems will keep getting security updates until 2019.

All XP users need to do is create a text file with the following contents:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\WPA\PosReady]

"Installed"=dword:00000001

Then, change the file extension from “.txt” to “.reg,” and run the file in Windows Explorer. Opening Windows Update at this point should reveal several new security updates.

On the downside, the hack only works on 32-bit systems. There's a workaround for 64-bit machines, but it involves manually downloading update files

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