Windows XP

From Computing Knowledgebase

[edit] Development and History

Windows XP, also known as Windows NT 5.1, was the culmination of Microsoft's attempt to Integrate the useability of Windows 9x, into the Stability and Scalability of Windows NT. Unlike Windows 9x, Windows XP is a pure 32-Bit Operating System, with no 16-Bit MS-DOS Subsystem. The term 'XP' is derived from 'Experience'.

Windows XP was released to manufacturing (RTM) on August 24th 2001, with a general availability date of October 25th 2001, in two mainstream versions. Windows XP Home and Windows XP Professional Editions, for Home and Business Users, respectively.

Windows XP is, at heart, based mostly on the Windows 2000 Codebase, which was in itself a radical rewrite of the Windows NT 4.0 codebase. The Original Codename for Windows XP was Whistler, and it was aimed at Uniting two other Codenames for the Windows NT and 9x Successors, named Odyssey and Neptune, respectively.

[edit] Features

Over Windows 2000, Windows XP includes the following features and improvements:

An Improved Driver Base
NTFS 3.1 (Also called NTFS 5.1, after the 5.1 version number of Windows XP)
Full read/write support for FAT32.
Internet Information Services 5.0.
Windows Media Player 8.0
Internet Explorer 6.0
DirectX 8.1
Windows Messenger
Product Activation

Windows XP Service List by Product

Windows XP Service List: Home | Professional

[edit] Screenshot

[edit] Available Versions

Windows XP Edition List

[edit] Windows XP Release Timeline

Codename for Windows XP: Whistler

Windows XP Beta 1 was released on October 31st, 2000, with a build number of 2296.

Windows XP Beta 2 2 was released on March 25th, 2001, with a build number of 2462a

Windows XP RC1 was released on June 29th 2001, with a build number of 2505

Windows XP RC2 was released on July 28th, 2001, with a build number of 2526

Windows XP went RTM on August 30th, 2001, with a Final Build Number of 2600, and a Final Version Number of 5.10.2600. The product name changed from the Whistler Codename, to become known as Windows XP.

[edit] Service Packs

Windows XP has had, to date, Two Service Packs, with a Third announced.

Windows XP Service Pack List

Windows XP Service Pack List: SP1 | SP2 | SP3

[edit] Windows XP Services List

A Full list can be found here: Windows XP Services List

[edit] Critical Differences between the 32-Bit and 64-Bit Windows XP Editions

Instead of Windows XP x64 Edition being based on the Windows XP code base, it has instead been based on the code base of Windows Server 2003 SP1.

The 64-Bit version of Windows has cut out many Legacy Software components. IPX/SPX, NetBIOS, NetBEUI, and 16-Bit Application and Protocol support have all been cut out. Emulation Applications like VMWare and Microsoft's Virtual PC, will also not work on Windows XP Professional x64 Edition (VMWare 5.0.0 will work using Windows XP 64-Bit as the Host OS, but 64-Bit Guest OSes are not supported. VMWare 5.5 Beta has support for 64-Bit Guest OSes and Host OSes)

Also, one of the most critical changes is Driver Support. 32-Bit Software Drivers and Hardware Drivers are not supported for use on the 64-Bit version of Windows (So, most old Anti-Virus programs, since they use 32-Bit Software Drivers, will not work).