Windows XP

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Windows XP
Part of the Microsoft Windows family

Screenshot of Windows XP
Developer
Microsoft Corporation
Website microsoft.com/windows-xp
Releases
Release to manufacturing August 24, 2001 (2001-08-24) [info]
General
availability		 October 25, 2001 (2001-10-25) [info]
Latest stable
release		 5.1 (Build 2600: Service Pack 3) (April 21, 2008 (2008-04-21)) [info]
Source model Closed source, Shared source[1]
License Proprietary commercial software
Kernel type Hybrid
Update method Windows Update
Windows Server Update Services (WSUS)
System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM)
Platform support IA-32, x86-64 and Itanium
Preceded by Windows 2000 (2000)
Windows ME (2000)
Succeeded by Windows Vista (2007)
Support status
Mainstream support Ended on April 14, 2009[2]
Extended support Extended Support until April 8, 2014 for Windows XP with Service Pack 3[3] and Windows XP x64 Edition with Service Pack 2. Extended support for Windows XP Embedded ends on January 12, 2016.[2]
Downgrade support Available until end of Windows 7 lifecycle[4]
Part of a series on
Windows XP

Windows XP is an operating system produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops and media centers. First released to computer manufacturers on August 24, 2001,[5] it is the second most popular version of Windows, based on installed user base as of 2011.[6] The name "XP" is short for "eXPerience",[7] highlighting the enhanced user experience.[8]

Windows XP, the successor to Windows 2000 and Windows ME, was the first consumer-oriented operating system produced by Microsoft to be built on the Windows NT kernel. Windows XP was released worldwide for retail sale on October 25, 2001, and over 400 million copies were in use in January 2006.[9] It was succeeded by Windows Vista in January 2007. Direct OEM and retail sales of Windows XP ceased on June 30, 2008. Microsoft continued to sell Windows XP through their System Builders (smaller OEMs who sell assembled computers) program until January 31, 2009.[10][11] On April 10, 2012, Microsoft reaffirmed that extended support for Windows XP and Office 2003 would end on April 8, 2014 and suggested that administrators begin preparing to migrate to a newer OS.[12][13][14] But on January 17, 2014 Microsoft confirmed that Monthly Microsoft's Malicious Software Removal Tool (MSRT) which aligned with Microsoft's anti-malware engines and signature still available until July 14, 2015. XP users can download the software from its website manually.[15]

The NT-based versions of Windows, which are programmed in C, C++, and assembly,[16] are known for their improved stability and efficiency over the 9x versions of Microsoft Windows.[17][18] Windows XP presented a significantly redesigned graphical user interface, a change Microsoft promoted as more user-friendly than previous versions of Windows. In an attempt to further ameliorate the "DLL hell" that plagued the past versions of Windows, improved side-by-side assembly technology in Windows XP allows side-by-side installation, registration and servicing of multiple versions of globally shared software components in full isolation.[19][20] It is also the first version of Windows to use product activation in an effort to reduce software piracy.[21]

During Windows XP's development, the project was codenamed "Whistler", after Whistler, British Columbia, as many Microsoft employees skied at the Whistler-Blackcomb ski resort.[22]

According to web analytics data generated by Net Applications, Windows XP was the most widely used operating system until August 2012, when Windows 7 overtook it.[23] As of February 2014, Windows XP market share is at 29.23%,[24] having decreased almost every month since November 2007 until February 2014, the first month for which statistics are publicly available from Net Applications.[25]

Development

As "Neptune"

In the late 1990s, initial development of what would become Windows XP was focused on two individual products; Odyssey, which was reportedly intended to succeed Windows 2000, and Neptune, which was intended to succeed the MS-DOS-based Windows 98 with a Windows NT-based product designed for consumers. Based off 2000's NT 5.0 kernel, Neptune primarily focused on offering a simplified, task-based interface based around a concept known internally as "activity centers". A number of "activity centers" were planned, serving as hubs for communications (i.e. email), playing music, managing or viewing photos, searching the internet, and viewing recently used content. A single build of Neptune, 5111 (which was otherwise based on, and still carried the branding of Windows 2000 in places), revealed early work on the activity center concept, with an updated user account interface and graphical login screen, common functions (such as recently used programs) being accessible from a customizable "Starting Places" page (which could be used as either a separate window, or a full-screen desktop replacement).[26][27][28]

However, the project, at its current state, proved to be too ambitious. The company shelved Bill Gates' 1998 promise that Windows 98 would be the final DOS-based version of Windows by releasing Windows 98 Second Edition, and at the WinHEC conference on April 7, 1999, Steve Ballmer announced Windows Millennium (Windows ME). Microsoft also planned to push back Neptune in favor of an interim, but consumer-oriented NT-based OS codenamed "Asteroid". Concepts introduced by Neptune would influence both the final product and future Windows versions; in Windows ME, the activity center concept was used for System Restore and Help and Support (which both combined Win32 code with an interface rendered using Internet Explorer's layout engine), the hub concept would be expanded on Windows Phone, and Windows 8 would similarly use a simplified user interface running atop the existing Windows shell.[29][30]

As "Whistler"

In January 2000, shortly after the release of Windows 2000, technology writer Paul Thurrott reported that Microsoft had shelved both Neptune and Odyssey in favor of a new product codenamed Whistler, which planned to unify both the consumer and business-oriented Windows lines under a single, Windows NT platform, further stating that "Neptune became a black hole when all the features that were cut from [Windows ME] were simply re-tagged as Neptune features. And since Neptune and Odyssey would be based on the same code-base anyway, it made sense to combine them into a single project". At WinHEC in April 2000, Microsoft officially announced and presented an early build of Whistler, focusing on a new modularized architecture, built-in CD burning, fast user switching, and updated versions of the digital media features introduced by ME. Windows general manager Carl Stork stated that Whistler would be released in both consumer- and business-oriented versions built atop the same architecture, and that there were plans to update the Windows interface to make it "warmer and more friendly".[26][28]

In June 2000, Microsoft began the technical beta testing process; Whistler was expected to be made available in "Personal", "Professional", "Server", "Advanced Server", and "Datacenter" editions. At PDC on July 13, 2000, Microsoft announced that Whistler would be released during the second half of 2001, and also released the first preview build, 2250. The build notably introduced an early version of a new visual styles system along with an interim theme known as "Professional" (later renamed "Watercolor"), and contained a hidden "Start page" (a full-screen page similar to Neptune's "Starting Places"), and a hidden, early version of a two-column Start menu design.[31] Build 2257 featured further refinements to the Watercolor theme, along with the official introduction of the two-column Start menu, and the addition of an early version of Windows Firewall.[28]

Beta releases

Microsoft released Whistler Beta 1, build 2296, on October 31, 2000. Build 2410 in January 2001 introduced Internet Explorer 6.0 (previously branded as 5.6) and the Windows Product Activation system. Bill Gates dedicated a portion of his keynote at Consumer Electronics Show to discuss Whistler, explaining that the OS would bring "[the] dependability of our highest end corporate desktop, and total dependability, to the home", but also "move it in the direction of making it very consumer-oriented. Making it very friendly for the home user to use." Alongside Beta 1, it was also announced that Microsoft would prioritize the release of the consumer-oriented versions of Whistler over the server-oriented versions in order to gauge reaction, but that they would be both generally available during the second half of 2001 (Whistler Server would ultimately be delayed into 2003).[32] Builds 2416 and 2419 added the File and Transfer Settings Wizard and began to introduce elements of the operating system's final appearance (such as its near-final Windows Setup design, and the addition of new default wallpapers, such as Bliss).[33]

On February 5, 2001, Microsoft officially announced that Whistler would be known as Windows XP, short for "experience". As a compliment, the next version of Microsoft Office was also announced as Office XP. Microsoft stated that the name "[symbolizes] the rich and extended user experiences Windows and Office can offer by embracing Web services that span a broad range of devices." In a press event at EMP Museum in Seattle on February 13, 2001. Microsoft publicly unveiled the new "Luna" user interface of Windows XP. Windows XP Beta 2, build 2462a (which among other improvements, introduced the Luna style), was launched at WinHEC on March 25, 2001.[34][35]

In April 2001, Microsoft controversially announced that XP would not integrate support for Bluetooth or USB 2.0 on launch, requiring the use of third-party drivers. Critics felt that in the case of the latter, Microsoft's decision had delivered a potential blow to the adoption of USB 2.0, as XP was to provide support for the competing, Apple-developed FireWire standard instead. A representative stated that the company had "[recognized] the importance of USB 2.0 as a newly emerging standard and is evaluating the best mechanism for making it available to Windows XP users after the initial release." [36] The builds prior to and following Release Candidate 1 (build 2505), released on July 5, 2001, and Release Candidate 2 (build 2526, released on July 27, 2001), focused on fixing bugs, acknowledging user feedback, and other final tweaks before the RTM build.[35]

RTM and release

On August 24, 2001, Windows XP, build 2600, was released to manufacturing. During a ceremonial media event at Microsoft Redmond Campus, copies of the RTM build were given to representatives of several major PC manufacturers in briefcases, who then flew off on XP-branded helicopters. While PC manufacturers would be able to release devices running XP beginning on September 24, 2001, XP was expected to reach general, retail availability on October 25, 2001. On the same day, Microsoft also announced the final retail pricing of XP's two main editions, "Home" and "Professional".[35][37]

In June 2001, Microsoft indicated that it was planning to, in conjunction with Intel and other PC makers, spend at least US$1 billion on marketing and promoting Windows XP.[38]

New and updated features

Main article: Features new to Windows XP

User interface

User interface elements
Default theme Classic user interface
Updated start menu, now featuring two columns "Royale" theme of Media Center edition
The "task grouping" feature introduced in Windows XP showing both grouped and individual items

While retaining some similarities to previous versions, Windows XP's interface was overhauled with a new visual appearance, with an increased use of alpha compositing effects, drop shadows, and "visual styles", which completely change the appearance of the operating system. The amount of effects enabled are determined by the operating system by the computer's processing power, and can be enabled or disabled on a case-by-case basis. XP also added ClearType, a new subpixel rendering system designed to improve the appearance of fonts on LCD displays.[39] A new set of system icons were also introduced.[40][41] The default wallpaper, Bliss, is a photo of a landscape in the Napa Valley outside Napa, California, with rolling green hills and a blue sky with stratocumulus and cirrus clouds.[42]

The Start menu received its first major overhaul on XP, switching to a two-column layout with the ability to list pin and display frequently used applications, recently opened documents, and the traditional cascading "All Programs" menu. The taskbar can now group windows opened by a single application into one taskbar button, with a popup menu listing the individual windows. The notification area also hides "inactive" icons by default. The taskbar can also be "locked" to prevent accidental moving or other changes. A "common tasks" list was added Windows Explorer's sidebar was updated to use a new task-based designs with lists of common actions; the tasks displayed are contextually relevant to the type of content in a folder (i.e. a folder with music displays offers to play all the files in the folder, or burn them to a CD).

System

A new system known as fast user switching was added, which allows users in non-domain environments to save the current state and open applications of their desktop and allows another user to log on without losing that information[43] In an effort to prevent software piracy, XP also introduced Windows Product Activation, which requires that each Windows license be "activated" and tied to a unique ID generated using information from the system's hardware.

A number of enhancements were made to the Windows NT kernel to improve its performance and reliability, which include a more prominent use of prefetching functions to improve start-up and application launch times, and improvements to memory management among other internal changes.[44][45] Additionally, it also became possible to rollback the installation of an updated device driver, should one not produce desirable results.[46]

Numerous improvements were also made to system administration tools such as Windows Installer, Windows Script Host, Disk Defragmenter, Windows Task Manager, Group Policy, CHKDSK, NTBackup, Microsoft Management Console, Shadow Copy, Registry Editor, Sysprep and WMI[47]

Networking and internet functionality

Windows XP was originally bundled with Internet Explorer 6, Outlook Express 6, Windows Messenger, and MSN Explorer. New networking features were also added to XP, including Internet Connection Firewall, Internet Connection Sharing integration with UPnP, NAT traversal APIs, Quality of Service features, IPv6 and Teredo tunneling, Background Intelligent Transfer Service, extended fax features, network bridging, peer to peer networking, support for most DSL modems, IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi) connections with auto configuration and roaming, TAPI 3.1, and networking over FireWire.[48] Remote Assistance and Remote Desktop were also added, which allow users to connect to a computer running Windows XP from across a network or the Internet and access their applications, files, printers, and devices or request help.[49] Improvements were also made to IntelliMirror features such as Offline Files, Roaming user profiles and Folder redirection.

Other features

  • DirectX 8.1 upgradeable to DirectX 9.0c
  • A number of new features in Windows Explorer including task panes, tiles and filmstrip views, improved sorting and grouping, searching by document categories, customizable infotips, built-in CD burning, AutoPlay, Simple File Sharing and WebDAV mini-redirector.
  • Improved imaging features such as Windows Picture and Fax Viewer, improved image handling and thumbnail caching in Explorer
  • A number of kernel enhancements and power management improvements
  • Faster start-up, (due to improved Prefetch functions) logon, logoff, hibernation and application launch sequences.[44]
  • Numerous improvements to increase the system reliability such as improved System Restore, Automated System Recovery, Windows Error Reporting and driver reliability.
  • Hardware support improvements such as USB 2.0, FireWire 800, Windows Image Acquisition, Media Transfer Protocol, DualView for multi-monitors and audio improvements.
  • Fast user switching,
  • The ClearType font rendering mechanism, which is designed to improve text readability on liquid crystal display (LCD) and similar monitors, especially laptops.[39][50]
  • Side-by-side assemblies and registration-free COM
  • Improved media features in Windows Media format runtime, Windows Media Player, Windows Movie Maker, TV/video capture and playback technologies, Windows Media Encoder and introduction of Windows Media Center
  • General improvements to international support such as more locales, languages and scripts, MUI support in Terminal Services, improved IMEs and National Language Support, Text Services Framework
  • Improved application compatibility and shims compared to Windows 2000
  • Updated accessories and games.

Users in British schools observed the improved ease of use and advanced capabilities – comparing the former to RISC OS and Mac OS, and the latter to Unix.[51]

Removed features

Main article: List of features removed in Windows XP

Some of the programs and features that were part of the previous versions of Windows did not make it to Windows XP. CD Player, DVD Player and Imaging for Windows are removed as Windows Picture and Fax Viewer, Windows Media Player and Windows shell take over their duties. NetBEUI and NetDDE are deprecated and are not installed by default. DLC and AppleTalk network protocols are removed. Plug-and-play–incompatible communication devices (like modems and network interface cards) are no longer supported.

Service Pack 2 and Service Pack 3 also remove features from Windows XP but to a less noticeable extent. For instance, Program Manager and support for TCP half-open connections are removed in Service Pack 2. Energy Star logo and the address bar on taskbar are removed in Service Pack 3.

Editions

Main article: Windows XP editions
Diagram representing the main editions of Windows XP. It is based on the category of the edition (grey) and codebase (black arrow).

Windows XP was released in two major editions on launch; Home Edition, and Professional. Both editions were made available at retail as pre-loaded software on new computers, and in boxed copies. Boxed copies were sold as "Upgrade" or "Full" licenses; the "Upgrade" versions were slightly cheaper, but require an existing version of Windows to install. The "Full" version could be installed on systems without an operating system or existing version of Windows.[38] Both versions of XP were aimed towards different markets; Home Edition is explicitly intended for consumer use and disables or removes certain advanced and enterprise-oriented features present on Professional, such as the ability to join a Windows domain, Internet Information Services, and Multilingual User Interface. Additionally, users could not directly upgrade to XP Home Edition from Windows NT 4.0 or 2000, although users could upgrade to either variant of XP from Windows 98 or ME.[52] Windows' software license agreement for pre-loaded licenses allows the software to be "returned" to the OEM for a refund if the user does not wish to use it.[53] Despite the refusal of some manufacturers to honor the entitlement, it has been enforced by courts in some countries.[54][55]

Two specialized variants of XP were introduced in 2002 for certain types of hardware, exclusively through OEM channels as pre-loaded software. Windows XP Media Center Edition was initially designed for high-end home theater PCs with TV tuners (marketed under the term "Media Center PC"), offering expanded multimedia functionality, an electronic program guide, and digital video recorder (DVR) support through the Windows Media Center application.[56] Microsoft also unveiled Windows XP Tablet PC Edition, which contains additional pen input features, and is optimized for mobile devices meeting its Tablet PC specifications.[57] Two different 64-bit editions of XP were made available; the first, Windows XP 64-Bit Edition, was intended for IA-64 (Itanium) systems; as IA-64 usage declined on workstations in favor of AMD's x86-64 architecture (which was supported by the later Windows XP Professional x64 Edition), the Itanium version was discontinued in 2005.[58]

Microsoft also targeted emerging markets with the 2004 introduction of Windows XP Starter Edition, a special variant of Home Edition intended for low-cost PC's. The OS is primarily aimed at first-time computer owners (particularly in developing countries); containing heavy localization (including wallpapers and screen savers incorporating images of local landmarks), and a "My Support" area which contains video tutorials on basic computing tasks. It also removes certain "complex" features, and does not allow users to run more than three applications at a time. After a pilot program in India and Thailand, Starter was released in other emerging markets throughout 2005.[59] In 2006, Microsoft also unveiled the FlexGo initiative, which would also target emerging markets with subsidized PCs on a pre-paid, subscription basis.[60]

As the result of unfair competition lawsuits in Europe and South Korea, which both alleged that Microsoft had improperly leveraged its status in the PC market to favor its own software, Microsoft was forced to release special versions of XP in these markets that excluded certain applications. In March 2004, after the European Commission fined Microsoft €497 million (US$603 million), Microsoft was forced to release "N" versions of XP that excluded Windows Media Player, encouraging users to pick and download their own media player software. As it is sold at the same price as the version with Windows Media Player included, certain OEMs (such as Dell, who offered it for a short period, along with Hewlett-Packard, Lenovo and Fujitsu Siemens) chose not to offer it. Consumer interest has been low, with roughly 1,500 units shipped to OEMs, and no reported sales to consumers.[61][62][63][64] In December 2005, the Korean Fair Trade Commission ordered Microsoft to make available editions of Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 that do not contain Windows Media Player or Windows Messenger.[65] The "K" and "KN" editions of Windows XP were released in August 2006, and are only available in English and Korean, and also contain links to third-party instant messenger and media player software.[66]

Service packs

Three service packs were released for Windows XP, containing various bug fixes and the addition of certain features. Each service pack is a superset of all previous service packs and patches so that only the latest service pack needs to be installed, and also includes new revisions.[67]

Service Pack 1

Set Program Access and Defaults was added in Service Pack 1.

Service Pack 1 (SP1) for Windows XP was released on September 9, 2002. It contained over 300 minor, post-RTM bug fixes, along with all security patches released since the original release of XP. SP1 also added USB 2.0 support, Microsoft Java Virtual Machine, .NET Framework support, and support for technologies used by the then-upcoming Media Center and Tablet PC editions of XP. The most significant change on SP1 was the addition of Set Program Access and Defaults, a settings page which allows users and OEMs to set default programs for certain types of activities (such as media players or web browsers) and disable access to bundled, Microsoft programs (such as Internet Explorer or Windows Media Player). This was added as part of the company's settlement in United States v. Microsoft Corp., which stated that Microsoft would allow users to "enable or remove access to each Microsoft Middleware Product or Non-Microsoft Middleware Product by displaying or removing icons, shortcuts, or menu entries on the desktop or Start menu, or anywhere else in a Windows Operating System Product where a list of icons, shortcuts, or menu entries for applications are generally displayed."[68][69][70]

On February 3, 2003, Microsoft released Service Pack 1a (SP1a). This release removed Microsoft Java Virtual Machine as a result of a lawsuit with Sun Microsystems.[71]

Service Pack 2

Windows Security Center was added in Service Pack 2.

Service Pack 2 (SP2) was released on August 25, 2004,[72] with an emphasis on security. Unlike the previous service pack, SP2 added new functionality to Windows XP, such as WPA encryption compatibility and improved Wi-Fi support (with a wizard utility), a pop-up ad blocker for Internet Explorer 6, and partial Bluetooth support.

Service Pack 2 also added new security enhancements (codenamed "Springboard"),[73] which included a major revision to the included firewall that was renamed to Windows Firewall and became enabled by default, Data Execution Prevention gained hardware support in the NX bit that can stop some forms of buffer overflow attacks. Also raw socket support is removed (which supposedly limits the damage done by zombie machines). Additionally, security-related improvements were made to e-mail and web browsing. Service Pack 2 also added Security Center, an interface which provides a general overview of the system's security status, including the state of the firewall and automatic updates. Third-party firewall and antivirus software can also be monitored from Security Center.[74]

In August 2006, Microsoft released updated installation media for Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 SP2 (SP2b) to contain a patch that requires ActiveX controls to require manual activation in accordance with a patent held by Eolas.[75][76] Microsoft has since licensed the patent, and released a patch reverting the change in April 2008.[77] In September 2007, another minor revision known as SP2c was released for XP Professional, extending the number of available product keys for the operating system to "support the continued availability of Windows XP Professional through the scheduled system builder channel end-of-life (EOL) date of January 31, 2009."[78]

Service Pack 3

Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) was released to manufacturing on April 21, 2008, and to the public via both the Microsoft Download Center and Windows Update on May 6, 2008.[79][80][81][82]

It began being automatically pushed out to Automatic Update users on July 10, 2008.[83] A feature set overview which details new features available separately as stand-alone updates to Windows XP, as well as backported features from Windows Vista, has been posted by Microsoft.[84] A total of 1,174 fixes have been included in SP3.[85] Service Pack 3 can be installed on systems with Internet Explorer versions 6, 7, or 8.[86] Internet Explorer 7 and 8 are not included as part of SP3.[87] Service Pack 3 is not available for the 64 bit version of Windows XP.

New features in Service Pack 3

Previously released updates

Service Pack 3 also incorporated several previously released key updates for Windows XP, which were not included up to SP2, including:

Service Pack 3 contains updates to the operating system components of Windows XP Media Center Edition (MCE) and Windows XP Tablet PC Edition, and security updates for .NET Framework version 1.0, which is included in these editions. However, it does not include update rollups for the Windows Media Center application in Windows XP MCE 2005.[95] SP3 also omits security updates for Windows Media Player 10, although the player is included in Windows XP MCE 2005.[95] The Address Bar DeskBand on the Taskbar is no longer included due to legal restrictions.[96]

System requirements

System requirements for Windows XP Home Edition and Professional are as follows:[97][98]

Minimum Recommended
Processor 233 MHz At least 300 MHz
Memory 64 MB of RAM At least 128 MB of RAM
Video adapter and monitor Super VGA (800 x 600) or higher resolution
Hard drive disk free space[99][100] 1.5 GB or higher
additional 661 MB for Service Pack 1 and 1a[101]
additional 1.8 GB for Service Pack 2[102]
and additional 900 MB for Service Pack 3[103][104]
Optical drive CD-ROM drive[105] (Only to install from CD-ROM media)
Input devices Keyboard, Microsoft Mouse or a compatible pointing device
Sound Sound card and Speakers or headphones
  • ^1 Even though this is Microsoft's stated minimum processor speed for Windows XP, it is possible to install and run the operating system on early IA-32 processors such as a P5 Pentium without MMX instructions. Windows XP is not compatible with processors older than Pentium (such as 486) because it requires CMPXCHG8B instructions.[106]
  • ^2 A Microsoft TechNet paper from Summer 2001 (before Windows XP's actual release), states that: "A computer with 64 MB of RAM will have sufficient resources to run Windows XP and a few applications with moderate memory requirements." (Emphasis added.) These were said to be office productivity applications, e-mail programs, and web browsers (of the time). With such a configuration, user interface enhancements and fast user switching are turned off by default.
    For comparable workloads, 64 MB of RAM was then regarded as providing an equal or better user experience on Windows XP with similar settings than it would with Windows ME on the same hardware. In a later section of the paper, superior performance over Windows ME was noted with 128 MB of RAM or more, and with computers that exceed the minimum hardware requirements.[107]

System requirements for Windows XP Professional x64 Edition are as follows:[108]

  • Processor: x86-64 processor;
  • Memory: At least 256 MB of RAM;
  • Video adapter and monitor: Super VGA (800 x 600) or higher resolution;
  • Hard drive disk free space: At least 1.5 GB;[99]
  • Optical drive: CD-ROM drive;[105]
  • Input devices: Keyboard; Microsoft Mouse or compatible pointing device;
  • Sound: Sound card; Speakers or headphones;

System requirements for Windows XP 64-Bit Edition are as follows:[109][110]

  • Processor: Intel Itanium 733 MHz (Recommended: Intel Itanium 800 MHz or better);
  • Memory: At least 1 GB of RAM;
  • Video adapter and monitor: Super VGA (800 x 600) or higher resolution;
  • Hard drive disk free space: At least 6 GB;
  • Optical drive: CD-ROM drive;[105]
  • Input devices: Keyboard; Microsoft Mouse or compatible pointing device;
  • Sound: Sound card; Speakers or headphones;

Physical memory limits

Maximum limits on physical memory (RAM) that Windows XP can address vary depending on both the Windows version and between 32-bit and 64-bit versions.[111][112] The following table specifies the maximum physical memory limits supported:

Physical memory limits in each Windows XP edition [111][112]
Windows XP edition Maximum RAM supported
Starter 512 MB
Home 4 GB
Media Center
Tablet PC
Professional
Professional x64 128 GB[113]
Professional 64-bit (Itanium)

Processor limits

The maximum total number of logical processors[114] in a PC that Windows XP supports is: 32 for 32-bit;[115][116] 64 for 64-bit.[117][118]

The maximum number of physical processors in a PC that Windows XP supports is: 2 for Professional;[119] and 1 for the Home Edition.[120]

Support lifecycle

Support for Windows XP Home edition and Professional edition without a service pack ended on September 30, 2005.[2] Windows XP Service Pack 1 and 1a were retired on October 10, 2006[2] and Windows XP Service Pack 2 reached end of support on July 13, 2010, almost six years after its general availability.[2]

The company stopped general licensing of Windows XP to OEMs and terminated retail sales of the operating system on June 30, 2008, 17 months after the release of Windows Vista.[121][122] However, an exception was announced on April 3, 2008, for OEMs installing to ultra low-cost PCs (ULCPCs) until one year after the availability of Windows 7 (that is, until October 22, 2010).[123][124][125]

On April 14, 2009, Windows XP and its family of operating systems reached the end of their mainstream support period and entered the extended support phase as it marks the progression of the legacy operating system through the Microsoft Support Lifecycle Policy. During the extended support phase, Microsoft continues to provide security updates every month for Windows XP; however, free technical support, warranty claims, and design changes are no longer being offered. Extended support will end on April 8, 2014—after which no more security patches or new support information will be provided for free. However, according to Gregg Keizer from Computerworld, "critical patches" will still be created, and made available only to customers subscribing to a paid "Custom Support".[126] While many organizations did not upgrade from XP due to the poor reception of Vista, Microsoft has since recommended that they migrate to newer versions of Windows due to the impending end of support.[2][127] Normally Microsoft products have a support life cycle of 10 years.[128]

As the end of extended support approached, Microsoft began to warn users and organizations of the risks of remaining on XP and not migrating to newer versions such as Windows 7 or 8, suggesting that attackers could reverse engineer security patches for newer versions of Windows and use them to target XP vulnerabilities, considering them to be "permanent zero-day exploits".[129] In January 2014, it was estimated that more than 95% of the 3 million automated teller machines in the world were still running Windows XP. Plans were being made by several ATM vendors and their customers to migrate to Windows 7-based systems over the course of 2014.[130]

Downgrade rights

Customers licensed for use of Windows 8 Enterprise are generally licensed for Windows 8 Pro, which may be downgraded to Windows XP Professional. End users of licenses of Windows 7 acquired through OEM or volume licensing may downgrade to the equivalent edition of Windows XP.[131] End users of licenses of Windows Vista Business or Ultimate acquired through OEM have rights to downgrade to Windows XP Professional.[132] Customers licensed for use of Windows Vista Enterprise are licensed for Windows Vista Business and Windows Vista Business can be downgraded to Windows XP Professional.[133]

Market share

According to web analytics data generated by Net Applications, Windows XP is currently the second most-used OS with a market share of 28.98%.[23] It has held the number two spot since July 2012.

According to web analytics data generated by StatOwl, Windows XP has a 27.82% market share as of November 2012, having dropped to second place in October 2011.[134]

According to web analytics data generated by W3Schools, from September 2003 to July 2011, Windows XP was the most widely used operating system for accessing the w3schools website, which they claim is consistent with statistics from other websites. As of September 2013, Windows XP market share is at 13.5% after having peaked at 76.1% in January 2007.[6]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Windows Licensing Programs". Microsoft. Retrieved September 21, 2008. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 "Microsoft Product Lifecycle Search: Windows XP". Microsoft Support. Microsoft. Retrieved October 13, 2012. 
  3. ↑ "Support is ending for Windows XP – Microsoft Windows Help". Windows.microsoft.com. Retrieved July 12, 2013. 
  4. ↑ Fried, Ina (July 1, 2010). "Microsoft extends Windows XP downgrade rights". news.cnet.com. Retrieved March 6, 2012. 
  5. ↑ "Windows XP to Take the PC to New Heights". Microsoft News Center. Microsoft Corporation. August 24, 2001. Retrieved August 8, 2011. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "OS Platform Statistics". w3schools. Retrieved October 9, 2013. 
  7. ↑ "Microsoft Announces Windows XP and Office XP". Microsoft PressPass. Microsoft. February 5, 2001. Retrieved September 17, 2009. "The XP name is short for "experience"" 
  8. ↑ "Bill Gates Unveils Microsoft Windows XP – The New Windows". News Center. Microsoft. February 13, 2001. Retrieved January 20, 2013. 
  9. ↑ Kirk, Jeremy (January 18, 2006). "Analyst: No effect from tardy XP service pack". ITworld.com. Archived from the original on March 17, 2007. Retrieved October 5, 2011. 
  10. ↑ System Builders Can Buy Windows XP Until January '09.
  11. ↑ Larsen, Brad (May 2, 2008). "Windows XP® End-of-Sales" (PDF). Microsoft. Retrieved May 2, 2012. 
  12. ↑ Voss, Pete (April 10, 2012). "Windows XP and Office 2003 countdown to end of support, and the April 2012 bulletins". Microsoft Security Response Center. Retrieved April 10, 2012. 
  13. ↑ Rose, Stephen L. "800 Days Until Windows XP End of Support". The Springboard Series Blog. The Windows Blog. Retrieved April 10, 2012. 
  14. ↑ Chernyak, Stella (April 9, 2012). "Upgrade Today: Two-Year Countdown to End of Support for Windows XP and Office 2003". Windows for Your Business Blog. Microsoft. Retrieved April 10, 2012. 
  15. ↑ Gregg Keizer (January 19, 2014). "Microsoft will furnish malware assassin to XP users until mid-2015". 
  16. ↑ "Microsoft Windows System Overview". Microsoft.com. Retrieved August 26, 2010. 
  17. ↑ David Coursey (October 25, 2001). "The 10 top things you MUST know about Win XP". CNet.com. Retrieved July 22, 2008. 
  18. ↑ "A Brief History and Introduction to Windows". Princeton University. July 22, 2004. Retrieved July 22, 2008. 
  19. ↑ "How To Build and Service Isolated Applications and Side-by-Side Assemblies for Windows XP". Microsoft Developer Network. Microsoft. August 24, 2001. Archived from the original on March 12, 2010. 
  20. ↑ "Simplifying Deployment and Solving DLL Hell with the .NET Framework". Microsoft Developer Network. Microsoft. November 2001. Retrieved July 21, 2008. 
  21. ↑ "Protect Your Customers from Piracy". Microsoft. Retrieved January 17, 2014. 
  22. ↑ "Windows "Longhorn" FAQ". Paul Thurrott's SuperSite for Windows. June 22, 2005. Retrieved April 4, 2008.  (see Q: What's up with the name Longhorn?)
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 "Desktop Top Operating System Share Trend". Net Applications. Retrieved January 5, 2014. 
  24. ↑ http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-57618211-75/oops-windows-xp-gains-in-january-but-so-does-windows-8.1/
  25. ↑ "Windows XP Market Share on Desktop". Net Applications. Retrieved January 5, 2014. 
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 "Microsoft consolidates Windows development efforts". CNET. Retrieved 23 January 2014. 
  27. ↑ "SuperSite Flashback: Neptune". Paul Thurrott's Supersite for Windows. Retrieved 23 January 2014. 
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 28.2 "The Road to Gold: The development of Windows XP Reviewed". Paul Thurrott's Supersite for Windows. Retrieved 23 January 2014. 
  29. ↑ "Activity Centers: A Windows Me Technology Showcase". Paul Thurrott's Supersite for Windows. Retrieved 25 January 2014. 
  30. ↑ Paul Thurrot (5 July 2000). "The Road to Gold: The development of Windows Me". Paul Thurrott's SuperSite for Windows. Retrieved 2007-09-21. 
  31. ↑ "EXCLUSIVE: Whistler technical beta begins". Windows IT Pro. Retrieved 23 January 2014. 
  32. ↑ "Windows Server's identity crisis". CNET News. CBS Interactive. 9 January 2003. Retrieved 1 April 2013. 
  33. ↑ "The Road to Gold (Part Two)". Supersite for Windows. Retrieved 23 January 2014. 
  34. ↑ "Microsoft to christen Windows, Office with new name". CNET. Retrieved 23 January 2014. 
  35. ↑ 35.0 35.1 35.2 "The Road to Gold (Part Three)". Paul Thurrott's Supersite for Windows. Retrieved 23 January 2014. 
  36. ↑ "Windows XP won't support USB 2.0". CNET. Retrieved 23 January 2014. 
  37. ↑ "Microsoft stirs it up with Windows XP bash". CNET. Retrieved 23 January 2014. 
  38. ↑ 38.0 38.1 "Windows XP marketing tab to hit $1 billion". CNET. Retrieved 23 January 2014. 
  39. ↑ 39.0 39.1 "HOW TO: Use ClearType to Enhance Screen Fonts in Windows XP". Microsoft Support. Microsoft Corporation. October 27, 2002. Retrieved August 8, 2011. 
  40. ↑ "New Graphical Interface: Enhance Your Programs with New Windows XP Shell Features". MSDN. Microsoft. November 2001. Retrieved August 8, 2011. 
  41. ↑ "Computer Slows When You Click Multiple Icons in Windows XP". Microsoft. January 15, 2006. 
  42. ↑ Turner, Paul (February 22, 2004). "No view of Palouse from Windows". The Spokesman-Review (Spokane). Archived from the original on November 16, 2009. Retrieved September 19, 2012. 
  43. ↑ "How To Use the Fast User Switching Feature in Windows XP (Revision 1.5)". Microsoft Support. Microsoft Corporation. March 27, 2007. Retrieved August 8, 2011. 
  44. ↑ 44.0 44.1 "Kernel Enhancements for Windows XP". Windows Hardware Developer Center (WHDC). Microsoft. January 13, 2003. Retrieved August 8, 2011. 
  45. ↑ "Windows XP: Kernel Improvements Create a More Robust, Powerful, and Scalable OS". MSDN Magazine. 
  46. ↑ "HOW TO: Use the Driver Roll Back Feature to Restore a Previous Version of a Device Driver in Windows XP". Microsoft. 
  47. ↑ Yegulalp, Serdar (August 19, 2003). "Windows XP's built-in administration tools". TechTarget. Retrieved August 8, 2011. 
  48. ↑ "Windows XP Networking Features and Enhancements". Microsoft TechNet. Microsoft. August 8, 2001. Retrieved August 8, 2011. 
  49. ↑ "Frequently Asked Questions About Remote Desktop". Microsoft. 
  50. ↑ "ClearType information". Microsoft Typography. Microsoft Corporation. Retrieved August 8, 2011. 
  51. ↑ Schofield, Jack (November 13, 2001). "A very good job...?". The Guardian (London: Guardian Media Group). Retrieved June 30, 2011. "The consensus feeling seems to be that XP provides the ease of use of Acorn and Apple systems, plus the solidity and advanced capabilities of Unix, while retaining most of the compatibility of Windows 95/98 and Me." 
  52. ↑ "Differences with Windows XP Home Edition". TechNet. Microsoft. Retrieved 26 January 2014. 
  53. ↑ Don Marti (November 6, 2006). "Dell customer gets Windows refund". Linuxworld. Retrieved September 13, 2008. 
  54. ↑ "HP must reimburse Italian PC buyer the amount paid for Microsoft software". Heise online. October 29, 2007. Retrieved September 13, 2008. 
  55. ↑ "Ruling: Acer must refund purchase price of preinstalled software that is not being used". Cebit. September 26, 2007. Retrieved March 1, 2010. 
  56. ↑ "Microsoft reveals media XP details". CNET. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 26 January 2014. 
  57. ↑ "Microsoft launches tablet PC drive". CNET. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 26 January 2014. 
  58. ↑ "Microsoft nixes Windows XP for Itanium". Computerworld. IDG. Retrieved 26 January 2014. 
  59. ↑ Paul Thurrott (January 3, 2005). "Windows XP Starter Edition". Paul Thurrott's SuperSite for Windows. Penton Media. Retrieved April 12, 2008. 
  60. ↑ "Microsoft pitches pay-as-you-go PCs". CNET. CNET Networks. Retrieved 26 January 2014. 
  61. ↑ "Windows XP-lite 'not value for money'". Silicon.com. June 28, 2005. 
  62. ↑ Bishop, Todd (December 24, 2004). "Europe gets 'reduced' Windows". Seattle Pi. 
  63. ↑ "European Windows Called 'Windows XP Home Edition N'". Redmondmag.com. March 28, 2005. 
  64. ↑ "Microsoft and EU reach agreement". BBC. March 28, 2005. 
  65. ↑ Nate Anderson (December 7, 2005). "South Korea fines Microsoft for antitrust abuses". Ars Technica. Retrieved April 12, 2008. 
  66. ↑ "Changes to Windows XP Home Edition K and Windows XP Professional K from earlier versions of Windows XP (MSKB 922474)". Microsoft Support. Microsoft. 15 September 2006. Retrieved 26 January 2014. 
  67. ↑ "Windows XP Service Pack 2 Overview". Microsoft. August 4, 2004. Retrieved October 31, 2007. 
  68. ↑ "Windows XP SP1 Irons out the Wrinkles". PC Magazine. Retrieved 26 January 2014. 
  69. ↑ "Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 1 review". CNET. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 26 January 2014. 
  70. ↑ "Windows XP Service Pack 1 preview". Paul Thurrott's Supersite for Windows. Penton Media. September 9, 2002. Archived from the original on 6 February 2007. Retrieved 21 September 2007. 
  71. ↑ "Differences Between Windows XP SP1 and Windows XP SP1a". February 3, 2003. Retrieved September 21, 2007. 
  72. ↑ "How to obtain the latest Windows XP service pack". March 26, 2007. Archived from the original on March 13, 2011. Retrieved September 21, 2007. 
  73. ↑ Thurrott, Paul (October 15, 2003). "Windows XP SP2 to be 'Springboard' to Longhorn". Windows IT Pro. 
  74. ↑ "Windows XP Service Pack 2 information". Microsoft. August 4, 2004. 
  75. ↑ "Why Windows XP SP2b and Windows Server 2003 SP2a?". Microsoft. August 21, 2006. 
  76. ↑ "Internet Explorer 6 software update and its effect on ActiveX controls". Microsoft. 
  77. ↑ "IE Automatic Component Activation Now Available". IEBlog. Microsoft. 8 April 2008. Retrieved 11 April 2008. 
  78. ↑ "Microsoft Windows XP Professional Service Pack 2c Release". MSDN. Microsoft. Retrieved 26 January 2014. 
  79. ↑ "Windows XP Service Pack 3 Released to Manufacturing". Microsoft. April 21, 2008. Retrieved January 29, 2009. 
  80. ↑ "Windows XP SP3 Released to Web (RTW), now available on Windows Update and Microsoft Download Center". Microsoft. May 6, 2008. Retrieved January 29, 2009. 
  81. ↑ "Windows XP Service Pack 3 Network Installation Package for IT Professionals and Developers". Microsoft. May 6, 2008. Retrieved May 7, 2008. 
  82. ↑ "Windows XP Service Pack 3 – ISO-9660 CD Image File". Microsoft. May 6, 2008. Retrieved May 7, 2008. 
  83. ↑ "Microsoft sets XP SP3 automatic download for Thursday". Computerworld. July 8, 2008. Retrieved July 8, 2008. 
  84. ↑ "Windows XP Service Pack 3 Overview". Microsoft. May 6, 2008. Retrieved May 7, 2008. 
  85. ↑ List of fixes that are included in Windows XP Service Pack 3.
  86. ↑ No, Internet Explorer 7 Will Not(!) Be a Part of Windows XP SP3.
  87. ↑ "Windows XP SP3 features". tech.skitsol.com. April 30, 2008. Archived from the original on May 11, 2008. 
  88. ↑ "New NX APIs added to Windows Vista SP1, Windows XP SP3 and Windows Server 2008". Michael Howard's Web Log (Microsoft Corporation). MSDN Blogs. January 29, 2008. Retrieved August 8, 2011. 
  89. ↑ 89.0 89.1 89.2 Overview of Windows XP Service Pack 3.
  90. ↑ IEEE 802.1X Wired Authentication: The Cable Guy.
  91. ↑ Description of the Credential Security Support Provider (CredSSP) in Windows XP Service Pack 3.
  92. ↑ Information about Windows Imaging Component.
  93. ↑ How to simplify the creation and maintenance of Internet Protocol (IPsec) security filters in Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP.
  94. ↑ "A hotfix is available that improves the stability of the Windows Management Instrumentation repository in Windows XP". Support. Microsoft. October 8, 2011. Retrieved January 20, 2013. 
  95. ↑ 95.0 95.1 FAQs regarding SP3 RTM.
  96. ↑ Lost Address Bar: Windows XP SP3 forum.
  97. ↑ "System requirements for Windows XP operating systems". April 28, 2005. Retrieved March 12, 2007. 
  98. ↑ It provides support for loading drivers for SCSI/IDE/SATA/RAID controllers from floppy disks only prior to its installation. This is the last Microsoft operating system to support this feature.
  99. ↑ 99.0 99.1 Can be installed on a FAT32 partition. This is the last Microsoft operating system to support this feature.
  100. ↑ "Install Windows XP on Large FAT32 Partitions". Petri IT Knowledgebase. Blue Whale Web. January 18, 2009. Retrieved January 20, 2013. 
  101. ↑ "Hard disk space requirements for Windows XP Service Pack 1". Microsoft. October 29, 2007. Retrieved April 6, 2012. 
  102. ↑ "The hard disk space requirements for Windows XP Service Pack 2". Microsoft. April 18, 2005. Retrieved December 1, 2010. 
  103. ↑ Installing Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3.
  104. ↑ Service pack 1 or 2 must be installed prior to installing service pack 3.
  105. ↑ 105.0 105.1 105.2 Any optical drive that can read CD-ROM media.
  106. ↑ "Windows XP Minimal Requirement Test". Winhistory.de. September 9, 2011. Retrieved January 1, 2012. 
  107. ↑ Sechrest, Stuart; Fortin, Michael (June 1, 2001). "Windows XP Performance". Microsoft TechNet. Retrieved April 8, 2008. 
  108. ↑ "Windows XP Professional x64 Edition SP2 VL EN (MSDN-TechNet)". Programmer Stuffs. March 23, 2011. Retrieved May 2, 2012. 
  109. ↑ "Release Notes for Windows XP 64-Bit Edition Setup". Microsoft Knowledge Base. Microsoft. December 1, 2007. Retrieved May 2, 2012. 
  110. ↑ "Microsoft Windows XP 64-Bit Edition". Microsoft TechNet. Microsoft. August 15, 2001. Retrieved May 2, 2012. 
  111. ↑ 111.0 111.1 "What is the maximum amount of RAM the Windows operating system can handle?". Crucial. Retrieved June 25, 2010. 
  112. ↑ 112.0 112.1 "Windows XP System Requirements". Support Documents. Gateway, Inc. Retrieved August 8, 2011. 
  113. ↑ "Physical Memory Limits: Windows XP". Memory Limits for Windows Releases. Microsoft. Retrieved 14 January 2014. 
  114. ↑ A logical processor is either: 1) One of the two handlers of thread of instructions of one of the number of cores of one of the number of physical processors with support for HyperThreading; or 2) One of the number of cores of one of the number of physical processors without support for HyperThreading.
  115. ↑ 32 cores without support for HyperThreading, 16 cores with support for HyperThreading.
  116. ↑ "Processor Affinity Under WOW64". MSDN. Microsoft Corporation. January 27, 2011. Retrieved August 8, 2011. 
  117. ↑ 64 cores without support for HyperThreading, 32 cores with support for HyperThreading.
  118. ↑ "Maximum quantity of logical processors in a PC supported by Microsoft Windows XP professional, x64 edition". Support. Microsoft. December 20, 2010. Retrieved January 20, 2013. 
  119. ↑ "Processor and memory capabilities of Windows XP Professional x64 Edition and of the x64-based versions of Windows Server 2003 (Revision 7.0)". Microsoft Support. Microsoft Corporation. December 20, 2010. Retrieved August 8, 2011. 
  120. ↑ Cruz, Luigi A.; Chris (October 25, 2010). "Multi-core processor and multiprocessor limit for Windows XP". Microsoft Answers. Microsoft. Retrieved May 1, 2012. 
  121. ↑ Fried, Ina (September 7, 2007). "Microsoft Extends Sales Availability of Windows XP" (Press release). Microsoft. Retrieved April 8, 2008. 
  122. ↑ "Microsoft extends Windows XP's stay". CNet News. September 27, 2007. Retrieved June 5, 2008. 
  123. ↑ "Microsoft Announces Extended Availability of Windows XP Home for ULCPCs" (Press release). Microsoft. April 8, 2008. Retrieved April 8, 2008. 
  124. ↑ "Microsoft to keep Windows XP alive—but only for Eee PCs and wannabes". ComputerWorld. Retrieved April 8, 2008. 
  125. ↑ "Microsoft Extends XP Through 2010 for Ultra-Low-Cost Laptops". PC World. Retrieved April 4, 2008. 
  126. ↑ Keizer, Gregg (August 26, 2013). "Microsoft will craft XP patches after April '14, but not for you". Computerworld. Retrieved December 12, 2013. 
  127. ↑ "Microsoft says there are only 1,000 days left for Windows XP". The Inquirer. Retrieved February 14, 2013. 
  128. ↑ "Businesses urged to ditch XP". 3 News NZ. April 9, 2013. 
  129. ↑ "Microsoft Warns of Permanent Zero-Day Exploits for Windows XP". Infosecurity. Reed Exhibitions. August 20, 2013. Retrieved August 27, 2013. 
  130. ↑ Nick Summers (January 16, 2014). "ATMs Face Deadline to Upgrade From Windows XP". Bloomberg Businessweek. Retrieved January 17, 2014. 
  131. ↑ "Downgrade rights for Microsoft Volume Licensing, OEM, and full-package product licenses" (PDF (download)). Volume Licensing brief. Microsoft. October 10, 2013. Retrieved December 12, 2013.  — For owners of licensed Windows 8 and Windows 7
  132. ↑ mariay (January 24, 2011). "Windows XP Downgrade rights: a clarification". MSDN Blogs. Microsoft. Retrieved December 12, 2013.  — Downgrade rights for end users of Windows Vista Business or Windows Vista Ultimate acquired through OEM.
  133. ↑ "Brief: Microsoft Select License, Open License, Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) License, and Full-Packaged Product (FPP) License Downgrade Rights" (DOC), Microsoft Volume Licensing (Microsoft), December 15, 2006, retrieved December 12, 2013  — Downgrade rights for customers licensed for use of Windows Vista Enterprise, other operating systems (including OEM and server), and application software.
  134. ↑ "Windows Usage / Market Share". StatOwl. Retrieved March 19, 2013. 

Further reading

  • Joyce, Jerry; Moon, Marianne (2004). Microsoft Windows XP Plain & Simple. Microsoft Press. ISBN 978-0-7356-2112-1. 

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Microsoft Windows XP.
External video
Is Windows XP Good Enough?, Microsoft
DOS-based
Windows 9x
Windows NT
Early versions
Client releases
Windows Server
Specialized
Windows Embedded
Windows Mobile
Windows Phone
Cancelled
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike; additional terms may apply for the media files.