What to do without Windows 7 or above?

[smp]

Hello all,

I am now on my second week with my HP Prime (2015 version).

I do not have any up-to-date Windows computers in my household, as we are a Macintosh family. I do run Windows XP on an old laptop computer that I normally use as a terminal for some of my vintage computer systems, and I do run Parallels on my MacBook Pro, again with Windows XP.

So, now that I see an update available with my HP Connectivity Kit, and I did the download. I have now been informed that I cannot load the update to the HP Connectivity Kit, because Windows XP is no longer supported. I also cannot load the new software for my Prime, because I do not have the updated HP Connectivity Kit.

What am I supposed to do now? I see on eBay that I might be able to purchase one of the variety of available Windows 7 versions (32 bit, 64 bit, Home, Premium, Ultimate...) for something like $75 to $100. I could then create another virtual machine under Parallels with Windows 7 and only the new HP Connectivity Kit.

Am I totally stuck here? Does everyone else use new versions of Windows? Am I the only holdout? What other alternatives are there for me?

Thanks, in advance, for your patience and advice.

smp