Time to Move On: You Can Trade in That Windows XP Machine for $100 Toward a New Computer

We’ve already given you XP holdouts seven tips for braving this whole discontinuation of Microsoft support thing (which takes effect after Tuesday, by the way). In the event that you’ve been officially scared off all together, consider this tip number eight:

Trade in your XP machine for money toward a new PC.

As reported by ZDNet, Best Buy is the latest retailer to offer a “cash for old XP machines” offer, and it’s not bad. Though it stipulates the trade-in must be a laptop, you’ll get “a minimum of $100” that can be put toward any other computer, including a Mac or a Chromebook. The deal runs until April 19.

The Microsoft Store will also give you $100 for trading in your old XP relic, desktop or laptop, though this money can be put only toward a Windows computer, of course. This would include a Surface (original model), in the event that you’re feeling frisky and want to try the switch to a more mobile Windows 8 device. The offer is good until June 15.

Even though a quick eBay search will show that there is a fair-sized niche market for powerful Windows XP computers — with some selling for well over a few hundred bucks — it’s not likely that yours is capable of being a commercial server machine (sorry). So, unfortunately, the couple of trade-in options mentioned above are your only real chances to get a head start on buying a shiny new device.

So good luck, and don’t worry about that lack of a Start menu with Windows 8. Word on the street is that it’s coming back real soon.

Have questions, comments, or just want to tell me something funny? Email me at danbean@yahoo-inc.com.