It's rare that I now visit this forum, and even rarer that I post any more.
However, this subject sees me logging in to post this:
The bottom line, for anyone who is determined to use Windows XP post-April 2014 is that you must NEVER EVER connect it to the internet following that date unless you've paid the $Xm to Microsoft for ongoing corporate support (nobody here i'd wager).
IT guys are not renowned for their interpersonal skills, but the 2 individuals on this thread who's technical opinions I can respect are Mixture and Saab, and when you get both of them and me in consensus on this issue the people who don't consider themselves IT experts should take that for the message that it is.
Mike.