is one of the major revisions of the Microsoft Windows Operating System created for use on desktop and business Computer System s. It is presently the latest General-purpose version of Microsoft 's family of operating systems, and is expected to be succeeded by Windows Vista sometime in January 2007. Codenamed " Whistler " during its development, Windows XP was released on October 25 , 2001 . The letters "XP" are said to come from the word ''experience''.
The most common editions of the operating system are , which is targeted at home users, and '''Windows XP Professional''', which has additional features and is targeted at power users and business clients. ''' Windows XP Media Center Edition ''', released one year later, consists of Windows XP Professional with new features allowing users to record and watch TV shows, watch DVDs, listen to music and more. Two separate 64-bit versions of Windows XP were also released, Windows XP 64-bit Edition for IA-64 ( Itanium ) processors and Windows XP Professional X64 Edition for X86-64 (AMD64/Intel EM64T) processors.
Windows XP is known for its improved stability and efficiency over previous consumer versions of Windows. It introduced more efficient software management to avoid the " DLL Hell " that plagued older consumer versions of Windows. It presented a significantly redesigned Graphical User Interface (GUI), a change Microsoft promoted as more user-friendly than previous versions of Windows. Windows XP is also the first version of Windows to use Product Activation to combat Software Piracy , a restriction that did not sit well with some users and privacy advocates.
The two major editions are Windows XP Home Edition, designed for home users, and Windows XP Professional, designed for business and power-users.
Windows XP Professional offers a number of features unavailable in the Home Edition, including:
- the ability to become part of a Windows Server Domain — a group of computers that are remotely managed by one or more central servers (many businesses that use Windows have a Windows Server and a domain)
- the use of a sophisticated Access Control scheme that allows specific permissions on files to be granted to specific users under normal circumstances.
- the Remote Desktop server, which allows a PC be operated by another Windows XP user over a Local Area Network or the Internet
- offline Files and Folders, which allow the PC to automatically store a copy of files from another networked computer and work with them while disconnected from the network
- the Encrypting File System, which encrypts files stored on the computer's hard drive so they cannot be read by another user, even with physical access to the storage medium
- support for ISCSI protocol
- centralized administration features, including Group Policies, Automatic Software Installation and Maintenance, Roaming User Profiles, and Remote Installation Service (RIS)
- Symmetric Multiprocessing , allowing the PC to divide work between multiple Processors (CPUs)
(Windows XP Home Edition does, however, support the Hyper-threading functionality present on some Intel Microprocessor s. Although it has been reported to work on some Dual-core microprocessors available from both AMD and Intel , Microsoft has recommended upgrading to Professional Edition for improved stability and compatibility.)
Microsoft has also customized Windows XP to suit different markets and there are now several different versions available. Five different versions of XP for specific hardware were designed, two of them specifically for 64-bit processors.
The was designed specifically for Itanium -based workstations, and is incompatible with most other 64-bit processors. This edition was discontinued in early 2005, after HP , the last distributor of Itanium-based workstations, stopped selling Itanium systems marketed as 'workstations'. However, Itanium support continues in the server editions of Windows. AMD 64-bit processors, namely X86-compatible 64-bit ones, may be used on '''Windows XP Professional x64 Edition''', which was based on Windows Server 2003 . This version of Windows XP supports AMD's Opteron and Athlon 64 chips, as well as Intel's Pentium 4 with EM64T .
Microsoft had previously supported other microprocessors with earlier versions of the Windows NT operating system line (including two 64-bit lines, the DEC Alpha and the MIPS R4000, although Windows NT used them as 32-bit processors). The files necessary for all of the architectures were included on the same installation CD and did not require the purchase of separate versions. The current design, whereby different versions of the same operating system are produced for different architectures, represents a fundamental shift in the design philosophy of Microsoft's operating system and marketing efforts.
See Also: Windows XP Media Center Edition
The was made for special Media Center PCs. Originally, it was only available bundled with one of these computers, and could not be purchased separately. In 2003 the Media Center Edition was updated as "Windows XP Media Center Edition 2003", which added additional features such as FM radio tuning. Another update was released in 2004, and again in 2005, which was the first edition available for System Builder s.
For specially designed notebook/laptop computers called Tablet PC s, Microsoft designed the . The Tablet PC Edition is compatible with a pen-sensitive screen, supporting handwritten notes and portrait-oriented screens. It cannot be purchased separately from a Tablet PC.
See Also: Windows XP Embedded
Another unique edition is , for specific consumer electronics, Set-top Box es, kiosks/ ATM s, medical devices, point-of-sale terminals, and Voice Over Internet Protocol ( VoIP ) components.
See Also: Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs
In late 2006, Microsoft plans to introduce a "thin-client" version of Windows XP called , which will target older machines (as early as the original Pentium). It will only be available to Software Assurance customers, who would like to upgrade to Windows XP to take advantage of its security and management capabilities, but can't afford to purchase new hardware. Applications will typically be run on a remote server using Remote Desktop .
Windows XP Starter Edition is a lower-cost version of Windows XP available in Thailand, Turkey, Malaysia, Indonesia, Russia, India, Brazil, and Spanish for Latin America (Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Ecuador, Uruguay and Venezuela). It is similar to Windows XP Home, but has some features either removed or disabled by default.
According to a Microsoft press release, Windows XP Starter Edition is "a low-cost introduction to the Microsoft Windows XP operating system designed for first-time desktop PC users in Developing Countries ." It is seen as an effort to fight unauthorized copying of Windows XP and possibly the spread of GNU/Linux -based systems in Asia and South America .
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http://wwwmicrosoftcom/presspass/newsroom/winxp/WinXPStarter-materialmspx
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Microsoft
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Microsoft Windows XP Starter Edition Image Gallery
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September 29 2004
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http://wwwmicrosoftcom/presspass/newsroom/winxp/08-10WinXPStarterFSmspx
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Microsoft
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Microsoft Windows XP Starter Edition Fact Sheet
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January 2006
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http://wwwmicrosoftcom/msft/speech/FY05/PooleFAM2005mspx
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Microsoft
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MSFT Financial Analyst Meeting: Will Poole
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July 28 2005
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http://managementsiliconcom/government/0,39024677,39131434,00htm
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Siliconcom
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Windows XP-lite 'not value for money'
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June 28 2005
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http://seattlepinwsourcecom/business/205093_msftfolo24html
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Seattle Pi
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Europe gets 'reduced' Windows
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December 24 2004
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http://wwwredmondmagcom/news/articleaspEditorialsID=6625
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Redmondmagcom
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European Windows Called 'Windows XP Home Edition N'
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March 28 2005
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http://newsbbccouk/2/hi/business/4388349stm
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BBC
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Microsoft and EU reach agreement
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March 28 2005
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See Also: Features new to Windows XP
Windows XP introduced several new features to the Windows operating system line. Some of the most noteworthy and recognized include:
- Faster start-up and hibernation sequences;
- The ability to discard a newer device driver in favor of the previous one (known as ''driver rollback''), should a driver upgrade not produce desirable results;
- A new, arguably more user-friendly interface, including the framework for developing themes for the desktop environment;
- '' Fast User Switching '', which allows a user to save the current state and open applications of their desktop and allow another user to log on without losing that information;
- The '' ClearType '' font rendering mechanism, which is designed to improve text readability on Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) and similar monitors;
- The '' Remote Desktop '' functionality, which allows users to connect to a computer running Windows XP from across a network or the Internet and access their applications, files, printers, and devices; and
- Support for most DSL modems and Wireless Network connections, as well as networking over FireWire .
Windows XP features a new task-based
Graphical User Interface . The Start menu and
Search Capability were redesigned and many visual effects were added, including:
- A transparent blue selection rectangle in Explorer
- A Watermark -like graphic on folder icons, indicating the type of information stored in the folder.
- Drop shadows for icon labels on the desktop
- Task-based sidebars in Explorer windows
- The ability to group the taskbar buttons of the windows of one application into one button
- The ability to lock the taskbar and other toolbars to prevent accidental changes
- The highlighting of recently added programs on the Start menu
- Shadows under menus (Windows 2000 had shadows under mouse pointers, but not menus)
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http://wwwmicrosoftcom/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/display_change_visual_effectsmspx
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Microsoft
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Change Windows visual effects
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Unknown
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http://supportmicrosoftcom/defaultaspxscid=kbEN-US294770
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Microsoft
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Computer Slows When You Click Multiple Icons in Windows XP
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January 15 2006
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The default wallpaper,
Bliss , is a
JPEG photograph of a landscape in the
Napa Valley outside
Napa, California , with rolling green hills and a blue sky with
Stratocumulus and
Cirrus Cloud s.
The Windows 2000 "classic" interface can be used instead if preferred. Several third party utilities exist that provide hundreds of different visual styles. In addition, another Microsoft-created theme, called "Royale", was included with Windows Media Center Edition, and is available for download on
Microsoft's site for Home and Professional Editions.
Microsoft occasionally releases
Service Pack s for its Windows operating systems to fix problems and add features.
Service Pack 1 (SP1) for Windows XP was released on
September 9 ,
2002 . Its most notable new features were
USB 2.0 support and a ''Set Program Access and Defaults'' utility. For the first time, users could control the default application for activities such as web browsing and instant messaging, as well as hide access to some of Microsoft's bundled programs. This utility was later brought into the older
Windows 2000 operating system with its Service Pack 3. Service Pack 1a was later released to remove Microsoft's
Java Virtual Machine as a result of a lawsuit with
Sun Microsystems .
LBA -48, which allowed the OS to view and use HDD space above 137 GB, was enabled by default. Native support for
Serial ATA was added.
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http://seclistsorg/lists/nmap-hackers/2004/Jul-Sep/0002html
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Insecureorg
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Nmap Hackers: Windows XP SP2 incompatible with Nmap
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August 11 2004
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http://supportmicrosoftcom/defaultaspxscid=kbEN-US811113
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Microsoft
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List of fixes included in Windows XP Service Pack 2
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January 13 2006
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http://supportmicrosoftcom/defaultaspxkbid=842242
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Microsoft
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Some programs seem to stop working after you install Windows XP Service Pack 2
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January 25 2006
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http://wwwtheregistercouk/2004/09/02/sp2_glitches_study/
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The Register
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XP SP2 glitches to trip up one in 10 upgrades - report
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September 2 2004
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http://wwwassetmetrixcom/solutions/xpsp2/
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AssetMetrix Inc
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XP Service Pack 2™
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Unknown
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http://wwwmicrosoftcom/globaldev/reference/winxp/XPLocLangmspx
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Microsoft
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New Locale and Language Features in Windows XP
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August 6 2004
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There were also some visual changes made with Service Pack 2. On the opening screen (where it says Microsoft Windows XP with the three scrolling squares), the "(C)1985-2001" designation at the bottom was removed, and the edition name was removed (e.g. "Home Edition" or "Professional"). In addition, the Wireless Network Connection Icon, which used to show two computer symbols (like the LAN Connection Icon) now shows just one, with a radio wave symbol on the right side.
While well received in general, Service Pack 2 was not without its critics. Thomas Greene from ''
The Register '' claimed that SP2 was merely a placebo of sorts in terms of features, fixes, and security updates:
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http://wwwtheregistercouk/2004/09/02/winxpsp2_security_review/
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The Register
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WinXP SP2 - security placebo
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September 2 2004
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http://wwwmicrosoftcom/windows/lifecycle/servicepacksmspx
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Microsoft
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Windows Service Pack Road Map
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March 7 2006
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http://msdnmicrosoftcom/library/defaultaspurl=/library/en-us/dnlong/html/AccProtVistaasp
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MSDN
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Developer Best Practices and Guidelines for Applications in a Least Privileged Environment
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September 2005
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http://wwwmicrosoftcom/technet/itsolutions/network/evaluate/hiddennetmspx
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Microsoft Technet
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Hidden Wireless Networks with Microsoft Windows
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November 2 2005
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A site titled
The Hotfix has been reported as keeping an up-to-date list of downloadable hotfixes that will be included in XP Service Pack 3. Many of the hotfixes on the site have not yet been officially released by Microsoft and users have been warned to not install them all, but many of the fixes have been known to solve specific problems in XP that SP3 will eventually address in 2007.
See Also: Common criticisms of Windows XP
Windows XP has been criticized for its susceptibility to
Malware ,
Viruses ,
Trojan Horses and
Worms . Security issues are compounded by the fact that users, by default, receive an administrator account that provides unrestricted access to the underpinnings of the system. If the administrator's account is broken into, there is no limit to the control that can be asserted over the compromised PC.
Windows, with its large market share, has traditionally been a tempting target for virus creators. Security holes are often invisible until they are exploited, making preemptive action difficult. Microsoft has stated that the release of patches to fix security holes is often what causes the spread of exploits against those very same holes, as
Crackers figured out what problems the patches fixed, and then launch attacks against unpatched systems.
On an interesting side note, the final released version of Windows XP was ". Some people have found this to be quite amusing, due to the amount of attention that Windows XP has received as a target for people who create viruses/adware/spyware/malware etc.
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http://wwwmicrosoftcom/piracy/basics/activation/
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Microsoft
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Microsoft Product Activation
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Unknown
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http://wwwpcworldcom/resource/article/0,aid,117427,00asp
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PC World
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Full Disclosure: Your Take on Windows' Worst Irritations
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October 2004
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In light of the
United States V. Microsoft case which resulted in Microsoft being convicted for abusing its alleged operating system monopoly to overwhelm competition in other markets, Windows XP has drawn fire for integrating user applications such as
Windows Media Player and
Windows Messenger into the operating system, as well as for its close ties to the
Microsoft Passport Network service.
Microsoft Windows XP service packs are designed so that they will not install on computers running installations of Windows XP that use product keys known to be widely used in unauthorized installations. These product keys are unique to each boxed (or bundled) copy of Windows XP and are included with the product documentation, but a small number of product keys have been posted on the Internet and are used for a large number of unauthorized installations. The service packs contain a list of these keys and will not update copies of Windows XP that use them.
Microsoft developed a new key verification engine for Windows XP Service Pack 2 that could detect illicit keys, even those that had never been used before. After an outcry from
Security consultants who feared that denying security updates to illegal installations of Windows XP would have wide-ranging consequences even for legal owners, Microsoft elected to disable the new key verification engine. Service Pack 2 only checks for the same small list of commonly used keys as Service Pack 1. This means that while Service Pack 2 will not install on copies of Windows XP which use the older set of copied keys, those who use keys which have been posted more recently may be able to update their systems.
