Windows
XP
Developer |
Microsoft Corporation
|
Website
|
microsoft.com/windows-xp
|
Releases
|
Initial release
|
August 24,
2001; 12 years ago
|
General
availability |
October 25,
2001; 11 years ago
|
Latest stable
release |
5.1
(Build 2600: Service Pack 3) (April 21, 2008; 5 years ago)
|
Source
model
|
Closed
source, Shared source
|
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
|
Extended
support
|
Extended
Support until April 8, 2014 for Windows XP with Service Pack 3 and Windows XP
x64 Edition with Service Pack 2. Extended support for Windows XP Embedded
ends on January 12, 2016.
|
Downgrade support |
Available
until end of Windows 7 lifecycle
|
Windows XP, the successor to Windows 2000 and Windows ME, was the first consumer-oriented operating system made by Microsoft to be constructed on the Windows NT kernel. Windows XP was issued worldwide for retail sale on October 25, 2001, and over 400 million exact replicates were in use in January 2006. 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 scheme Builders (smaller OEMs who sell assembled computers) program until January 31, 2009. On April 10, 2012, Microsoft reaffirmed that expanded support for Windows XP and agency 2003 would end on April 8, 2014 and proposed that managers start organising to migrate to a newer OS.
The NT-based versions of Windows, which are programmed in C, C++, and assembly, are renowned for their improved steadiness and efficiency over the 9x versions of Microsoft Windows. Windows XP offered a considerably redesigned graphical user interface, a change Microsoft encouraged as more user-friendly than preceding versions of Windows. In an try to farther ameliorate the "DLL hell" that plagued the past versions of Windows, improved side-by-side assembly technology in Windows XP allows side-by-side setting up, registration and servicing of multiple versions of globally distributed programs constituents in full isolation. It is also the first version of Windows to use product activation to battle illicit making a replicate.
throughout Windows XP's development, the project was codenamed "Whistler", after Whistler, British Columbia, as numerous Microsoft workers skiied at the Whistler-Blackcomb ski holiday holiday resort.
According to world wide web analytics data developed by snare submissions, Windows XP was the most broadly utilised functioning system until August 2012, when Windows 7 overtook it. As of August 2013, Windows XP market share is at 33.66%, having decreased almost every month since at least November 2007, the first month for which statistics are publicly accessible from snare Applications.
Windows XP boasted a new task-based GUI (Graphical user interface). The Start menu and taskbar were updated and numerous visual consequences were supplemented, including:
A translucent azure assortment rectangle in Windows Explorer
fall shadows for icon marks on the desktop
Task-based sidebars in Explorer windows ("common tasks")
The proficiency to assembly the taskbar buttons of the windows of one submission into one button, with a popup list records the window titles
The ability to lock the taskbar to avert unintentional alterations (Windows 2000 with Internet Explorer 6 established had the ability to secure Windows Explorer and Internet Explorer toolbars, but not the taskbar)
The highlighting of lately added programs on the Start list
Shadows under meal lists (Windows 2000 had shaded under mouse pointers, but not menus)
Windows XP investigates the performance influence of visual effects and utilises this to work out whether to enable them, so as to avert the new functionality from consuming unwarranted additional processing overhead. Users can farther customize these backgrounds. Some effects, such as alpha compositing (transparency and fading), are managed entirely by numerous newer video cards. However, if the video card is not adept of hardware alpha combining, performance can be considerably degraded, and Microsoft suggests the feature should be turned off manually. Windows XP supplemented the proficiency for Windows to use "Visual methods" to change the look of the user interface. However, visual methods should be cryptographically marked by Microsoft to run. Luna is the title of the new visual style that is supplied with Windows XP, and is enabled by default for appliances with more than 64 MiB of RAM. Luna mentions only to one specific visual method, not to all of the new client interface characteristics of Windows XP as a entire. Some users "patch" the uxtheme.dll file that constrains the proficiency to use visual methods, conceived by the general public or the client, on Windows XP.
In addition to the included Windows XP topics, there is one previously unreleased theme with a dark azure taskbar and window bars alike to Windows Vista titled "Royale Noir" accessible as unofficial download. Microsoft formally issued a changed type of this theme as the "Zune" theme, to commemorate the launch of its Zune portable newspapers contestant in November 2006. The dissimilarities are only visual with a new glassy look along with a very dark taskbar rather than of dark blue and an orange start button rather than of green. Additionally, the Media Center "Royale" theme, which was encompassed in the Media Center editions, is also available to download for use on all Windows XP editions.
The default wallpaper, Bliss, is a photographgraph of a landscape in the Napa Valley outside Napa, California, with revolving green hills and a azure atmosphere with stratocumulus and cirrus clouds.
The "classic" interface from Windows 9x and 2000 can be utilised instead if preferred. Several third party utilities exist that supply hundreds of distinct visual styles.
Other characteristics
GDI+ graphics subsystem and improved image administration and viewing in the case
DirectX 8.1 upgradeable to DirectX 9.0c
A number of new characteristics in Windows Explorer encompassing task panes, tiles and filmstrip outlooks, improved sorting and grouping, searching by article classes, customizable infotips, built-in CD flaming, AutoPlay, Simple document distributing and WebDAV mini-redirector.
Improved imaging features such as Windows Picture and Fax Viewer, advanced image management and thumbnail caching in Explorer
A number of kernel enhancements and power administration improvements
much quicker start-up, (due to improved Prefetch purposes) logon, logoff, hibernation and submission launch sequences.
The proficiency to reject a newer device person driving in favor of the preceding one (known as person driving rollback) should a person driving upgrade not make attractive outcomes.
many improvements to increase the system reliability such as advanced scheme refurbish, Automated scheme Recovery, Windows mistake describing and person driving reliability.
A new, arguably more user-friendly interface, encompassing the structure for evolving topics for the desktop natural environment and richer icons with alpha transparency
Hardware support improvements such as USB 2.0, FireWire 800, Windows likeness Acquisition, newspapers Transfer Protocol, DualView for multi-monitors and audio improvements.
Fast client switching, which permits clients to save the present state and open submissions of their desktop and permits another user to log on without mislaying that data
The ClearType font rendering means, which is conceived to advance text readability on fluid crystal brandish (LCD) and alike monitors, particularly laptops.
Remote aid and isolated Desktop features, which allow users to connect to a computer running Windows XP from across a network or the Internet and get get access to to their applications, documents, printers, and apparatus or request help.
New networking characteristics including Windows Firewall, Internet attachment distributing integration with UPnP, NAT traversal APIs, Quality of Service features, IPv6 and Teredo tunneling, Background Intelligent Transfer Service, extended fax characteristics, network spanning, gaze to gaze networking, support for most DSL modems, IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi) attachments with auto configuration and roaming, TAPI 3.1, Bluetooth and networking over FireWire.
New security characteristics such as programs Restriction principles, Credential supervisor, Encrypting document scheme improvements, improved certificate services, intelligent card and PKI support. Windows XP SP2 presented facts and figures Execution Prevention, Windows Security Center and addition Manager.
Side-by-side assemblies and registration-free COM
Improved newspapers characteristics in Windows Media format runtime, Windows newspapers contestant, Windows Movie Maker, TV/video arrest and playback technologies, Windows newspapers Encoder and introduction of Windows newspapers Center
General improvements to worldwide support such as more locales, dialects and scripts, MUI support in fatal Services, advanced IMEs and National Language Support, Text Services structure
Handwriting acknowledgement, talk acknowledgement and digital ink support accessible through the Tablet PC Input Panel (TIP) in Windows XP Tablet PC Edition
many improvements to system management devices such as Windows Installer, Windows Script Host, computer disk Defragmenter, Windows Task supervisor, Group principle, CHKDSK, NTBackup, Microsoft Management Console, Shadow exact replicate, Registry reviewer, Sysprep and WMI
Improved submission compatibility and shims compared to Windows 2000
Updated accessories and sport.
Improvements to IntelliMirror characteristics such as Offline Files, Roaming user profiles and Folder redirection.
Users in British schools observed the sophisticated alleviate of use and sophisticated capabilities – comparing the previous to RISC OS and Mac OS, and the last mentioned to Unix.
Removed features
Some of the programs and characteristics that were part of the preceding versions of Windows did not make it to Windows XP. CD contestant, DVD contestant and Imaging for Windows are taken as Windows image and Fax Viewer, Windows Media contestant and Windows shell take over their obligations. NetBEUI and NetDDE are deprecated and are not established by default. DLC and AppleTalk mesh protocols are removed. Plug-and-play–incompatible connection apparatus (like modems and network interface cards) are no longer sustained.Service Pack 2 and Service Pack 3 furthermore eliminate characteristics from Windows XP but to a less obvious span. For example, Program supervisor and support for TCP half-open attachments are taken in Service load 2. power celebrity logo and the address bar on taskbar are taken in Service load 3.
Editions
design drawing comprising the main editions of Windows XP. It is founded on the category of the version (grey) and codebase (black arrow).The two foremost editions are Windows XP Home Edition, conceived for dwelling users, and Windows XP Professional, conceived for enterprise and power users. XP expert comprises advanced characteristics that the average home client would not use. although, these features are not inevitably missing from XP dwelling. They are simply handicapped, but are there and can become functional. These releases were made accessible at retail outlets that deal computer software, and were preinstalled on computers sold by foremost computer manufacturers. A third version, called Windows XP Media Center version, was introduced in 2002 and was revised every year until 2006 to incorporate new digital media, announced TV and newspapers Center Extender capabilities. different the dwelling and expert version, it was not ever made accessible for retail buy, and was normally either sold through OEM channels, or was preinstalled on computers that were normally sold as "media center PCs".
Two different 64-bit editions were made accessible. One, conceived expressly for Itanium-based workstations, was presented in 2001 at around the identical time as the dwelling and expert editions, but was ceased a couple of years subsequent when vendors of Itanium hardware halted trading workstation-class machines due to reduced sales. The other, called Windows XP Professional x64 version, supports the x86-64 elongation. x86-64 was applied first by AMD as "AMD64", discovered in AMD's Opteron and Athlon 64 chips, and later applied by Intel as "Intel 64" (formerly renowned as IA-32e and EM64T), found in some of Intel's Pentium 4 and subsequent chips.
Windows XP Tablet PC Edition was produced for a class of particularly designed notebook/laptop computers called tablet PCs. It is matching with a pen-sensitive screen, carrying handwritten remarks and portrait-oriented screens.
Internet Explorer 6 running in Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2004
Microsoft also issued Windows XP Embedded, an version for exact consumer electronics, set-top boxes, kiosks/ATMs, medical apparatus, arcade video sport, point-of-sale terminals, and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) components. In July 2006, Microsoft issued Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs, a slim purchaser type of Windows XP Embedded which goals older appliances (as early as the initial Pentium). It is only accessible to Software promise customers. It is proposed for business customers who may desire to improvement to Windows XP so they can take benefit of its security and management capabilities, but cannot pay for to purchase new hardware.
Editions for specific markets
Windows XP Starter version is a lower-cost version of Windows XP available in Thailand, Indonesia, Russia, India, Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Mexico, Ecuador, Uruguay, Pakistan and Venezuela. It is similar to Windows XP dwelling, but is restricted to low-end hardware, can only run three programs at a time, and has some other characteristics either taken or handicapped by default. Each country's edition is furthermore customized for that country, including desktop backgrounds of well liked locations, localized help characteristics for those who may not talk English, and other default settings conceived for easier use than usual Windows XP installations. The Malaysian type, for example, comprises a desktop background of the Kuala Lumpur skyline.In stride 2004, the European charge penalised Microsoft €497 million (US$603 million) and ordered the business to provide a type of Windows without Windows Media contestant. The Commission concluded that Microsoft "broke European amalgamation affray regulation by leveraging its beside monopoly in the market for PC functioning systems up on the markets for work group server functioning systems and for newspapers players". After unsuccessful appeals in 2004 and 2005, Microsoft come to an agreement with the Commission where it would release a court-compliant type, Windows XP Edition N. This version does not include the company's Windows newspapers contestant but instead boosts users to pick and download their own newspapers player. Microsoft wanted to call this type decreased newspapers version, but EU regulators challenged and suggested the Edition N title, with the N signifying "not with Media contestant" for both Home and expert editions of Windows XP. Because it is sold at the same cost as the version with Windows Media Player included, Dell, Hewlett-Packard, Lenovo and Fujitsu Siemens have chosen not to stock the merchandise. although, Dell did offer the functioning system for a short time. buyer interest has been low, with roughly 1,500 flats transported to OEMs, and no described sales to buyers.
In December 2005, the Korean equitable Trade charge organised Microsoft to make accessible editions of Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 that do not comprise Windows Media Player or Windows Messenger. Like the European charge conclusion, this conclusion was founded on the grounds that Microsoft had abused its superior position in the market to impel other products onto buyers. Unlike that conclusion, however, Microsoft was furthermore forced to remove the non-compliant versions of Windows from the South Korean market. This conclusion produced in Microsoft's issuing "K" and "KN" variants of the dwelling and expert editions in August 2006.
That identical year, Microsoft also issued two added editions of Windows XP Home Edition administered in the direction of subscription-based and pay-as-you-go pricing forms. These editions, released as part of Microsoft's FlexGo initiative, are utilised in conjunction with a hardware constituent to enforce time limitations on the usage of Windows. Its target market is appearing finances such as Brazil and Vietnam.