Windows Vista Update

OS family: Windows NT
Source model: Shared source
Latest stable release: Service Pack 2 / August 6, 2004
Kernel type: Hybrid kernel
License: Microsoft EULA
Working state: Current
Website: Windows XP

Microsoft Windows XP is a major revision of the Microsoft Windows operating system created for use on desktop and business computer systems. 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 Windows XP Home Edition, 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.

Editions
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 microprocessors. 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.

Windows XP 64-Bit Edition
The Windows XP 64-Bit Edition 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 Athlon 64 and 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.

Windows XP Media Center Edition
The Windows XP Media Center Edition 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 Builders.
Internet Explorer running on a Tablet PC
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Internet Explorer running on a Tablet PC

Windows XP Tablet PC Edition
For specially designed notebook/laptop computers called tablet PCs, Microsoft designed the Windows XP Tablet PC Edition. 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.

Windows XP Embedded
Another unique edition is Windows XP Embedded, for specific consumer electronics, set-top boxes, kiosks/ATMs, medical devices, point-of-sale terminals, and Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) components.

Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs
In late 2006, Microsoft plans to introduce a "thin-client" version of Windows XP called Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs, 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
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.

Specializations
To appeal to foreign markets whose consumers may not be computer literate, the Starter Edition includes additional specializations not found in the Home Edition such as localized help features for those who may not speak English, a country-specific computer wallpaper and screensavers, and other default settings designed for easier use than typical Windows XP installations.

In addition, the Starter Edition also has some unique limitations. Only three applications can be run at once on the Starter Edition, and each application may only open three windows. The maximum screen resolution is limited to 1024x768, and there is no support for Workgroup networking or domains. There is no support for LCD monitors or analog monitors over 17 inches. In addition, the Starter Edition is licensed only for low-end processors like Intel's Celeron or AMD's Duron. There is also an 80GB disk size limit, but Microsoft has not made it clear if this is for total disk space, per partition, or per disk. There are also fewer options for customizing the themes, desktop, and taskbar.

Market adoption
In late July 2005, Microsoft announced[3] that they reached a milestone of 100,000 units of Windows XP Starter Edition sold. In the mass market, however, the Starter Edition has not had much success. Many markets where it is available have seen the uptake of cracked or pirated versions of the software instead.


Windows XP Edition N
In March 2004, the European Commission fined Microsoft €497 million and ordered the company to provide a version of Windows without Windows Media Player. The Commission claimed Microsoft "broke European Union competition law by leveraging its near monopoly in the market for PC operating systems onto the markets for work group server operating systems and for media players". Microsoft is currently appealing the ruling.

In the meantime, it plans to offer a court-compliant version of its flagship operating system at the same price as the full version. This version will not include the company's Windows Media Player but instead encourage users to pick and download their own media player. Microsoft wanted to call this version Reduced Media Edition but EU regulators objected and suggested the Edition N name, with the N signifying "not with media player" for both Home and Professional editions of Windows XP.

Due to the fact that it will be sold at the same price as the version with Windows Media Player included, Dell, Hewlett-Packard, Lenovo and Fujitsu Siemens have chosen not to stock the product (despite the fact that Windows Media Player can be downloaded free of charge), and preliminary figures imply a lack of consumer interest.

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 analyzes the performance impact of visual effects and uses this to decide whether to enable them, so as to prevent the new functionality from consuming substantial additional processing overhead. Users can further customize these settings. Some effects, such as alpha blending (transparency and fading), are handled entirely by many newer video cards. However, if the video card is not capable of hardware alpha blending, performance can be substantially hurt and Microsoft recommends the feature should be turned off manually.

Windows XP adds the ability for Windows to use "Visual Styles" to change the user interface. However, visual styles must be cryptographically signed by Microsoft to run. Luna is the name of the new visual style that ships with Windows XP, and is enabled by default for machines with more than 64 MB of RAM.

As all machines today, and almost all machines sold as early as 2000 have at least 128MB RAM, Luna is enabled for nearly all users. Luna refers only to one particular visual style, not to all of the new user interface features of Windows XP as a whole. In order to use unsigned visual styles, many users turn to software such as TGTSoft's StyleXP or Stardock's WindowBlinds. More computer literate users "patch" the uxtheme.dll file that controls the ability to use visual styles.

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 clouds.

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.

Service packs
Microsoft occasionally releases service packs 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.

Service Pack 2
Service Pack 2 (SP2) was released on August 6, 2004 after several delays, with a special emphasis on security. Unlike previous service packs, SP2 adds new functionality to Windows XP, including an enhanced firewall, improved Wi-Fi support with a wizard utility, a pop-up ad blocker for Internet Explorer, and Bluetooth support.

It also includes a new API to allow third party virus scanners and firewalls to interface with a new security center application, which provides a general overview of security on the system. This helps to suppress spyware and viruses. Other features include enhancements to the Internet Connection Firewall (ICF), now the Windows Firewall (which is also turned on by default), advanced memory protection that takes advantage of the NX instruction that is incorporated into newer processors to stop buffer overflow attacks, removal of raw socket support (which has caused a drop in "zombie" machines: infected computers that can be used remotely to launch denial of service attacks), and improvements to e-mail and web browsing (a full list of service fixes and modifications for SP2 is available on Microsoft's website).

However, when the service pack was released some programs did stop working, and Microsoft officially listed several of them on its website. The company AssetMetrix reports that one out of ten computers that upgraded to SP2 had severe compatibility problems with their applications.

SP2 also includes major updates to Windows XP Tablet PC Edition and Windows XP Media Center Edition, and also supports 24 new languages from every continent.

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:

"While we found that there are indeed a few minor improvements worthy of acknowledgment, in particular, some rather low-level improvements that don't show to the admin or user, overall, SP2 did little to improve our system's practical security, leaving too many services and networking components enabled, bungling permissions, leaving IE and OE vulnerable to malicious scripts, and installing a packet filter that lacks a capacity for egress filtering." [16]

Service Pack 3
Windows XP Service Pack 3 is currently in development. It will be released after Windows Vista has been finished; presently, Microsoft's web site indicates a "preliminary" release date of "2nd half 2007" for Service Pack 3.[17] Service Pack 3 may include Internet Explorer 7, Windows Media Player 11, and many other changes, but Microsoft has not made any official statement on feature sets.

A document[18] on Microsoft's web site suggests that Service Pack 3 will include additional support for doing true "per-user" application installing. Another page[19] suggests improvements to managing the list of "hidden" wireless networks.

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.


Common criticisms

Security issues
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 build 2600, as in "the 2600th time the source code had been compiled into the final executable programs and files". The number 2600 is a cultural point of reference for hacking/phreaking - "2600:_The_Hacker_Quarterly". 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.

Product activation
While product activation and licensing servers are common for business and industrial software (especially software sold on a per-user basis for large sums of money), Windows XP gave many casual computer users their first introduction to it. The system was introduced by Microsoft to curb unauthorized distribution of Windows XP.[20] Activation requires the computer or the user to activate with Microsoft within a certain amount of time in order to continue using the operating system. If the user's computer system ever changes — for example, if two or more relevant components (see list below) of the computer itself are upgraded — Windows may refuse to run until the user reactivates with Microsoft.

User interface and performance
Critics have claimed that the default Windows XP user interface (Luna) adds visual clutter and wastes screen space while offering no new functionality and running more slowly - with some even calling it 'the Fisher-Price interface' or 'Teletubby mode'.

Integration of operating system features
In light of the United States v. Microsoft case which resulted in Microsoft being convicted for abusing its 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.

Copying restrictions
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.