Last modified on November 8, 2022, at 05:34

Windows (operating system)

Windows is a series of operating systems produced and maintained by the Microsoft Corporation. It was estimated that as of December 2007[1] Microsoft Windows accounted for nearly 90% of operating system usage, with 3 out of 4 being Windows XP. Windows is used for desktop, and server computers,[2] and more recently also for cellular phones and tablet computers. It is intended for use with the Intel x86-64 family of processors.

Early versions of Windows (98 and earlier) were notoriously unreliable, despite (or maybe because of?) Microsoft's near-monopoly share of the desktop operating system market. They crashed so often that the term "blue screen of death" entered the vocabulary.

Initially Windows was a text-based system (MS-DOS). Then a Graphical User Interface extension was added onto this MS-DOS core[3] It became a full GUI operating system free of the MS-DOS core beginning with the release of Windows NT.

Windows Major Release Versions

Name Version Number Public Release Notes Editions Minimum RAM required Minimum drive space
Windows 1.0 1.0 November 20, 1985[4] Sold 500,000 copies [5]
Windows 1.02 1.02 May 1986 Multilingual (international) release of 1.0
Windows 1.03 1.03 August 1986 Further upgrades for international use, including more drivers and European keyboard support
Windows 1.04 1.04 April 1987 Further functionality additions, including support for IBM PS/2 computers
Windows 2.0 2.11 March 13, 1989
  • Last Windows version to run a GUI as a shell over a base of MS-DOS[6]
  • Sold 1 million copies
Windows 3.0 NT 3.0 May 22, 1990
  • First Windows version to run without an MS-DOS base[6]
  • Sold 4 million copies
Windows 3.1 3.1 April 1992 First MS operating system on CD-ROM
  • Windows 3.1
  • Windows for Workgroups 3.1 (October 1992)
1MB i286 15MB
Windows 3.2 November 22, 1993 Chinese version of Windows 3.1
Windows NT 3.5 3.5.807 September 21, 1994
  • Workstation
  • Server
Windows NT 3.51 3.51.1057 May 30, 1995
  • An operating system design that led to the elimination of Novell Networks leading market share.
  • This New Technologies (NT) kernel became the basis for all future Windows versions through Windows 10.
  • Workstation
  • Server
Windows 95 NT 4.0.950 August 24, 1995 Uses the same skin as 98, 2000, and ME 4MB[7] 40.8-76.2MB[8]
Windows NT 4.0 NT 4.0 July 29, 1996
  • Workstation
  • Server
  • Server Enterprise
  • Terminal Server
Windows CE Alder[9] CE 1.0 November 16, 1996[9] 2MB
Windows CE Birch[9] CE 2.0 November 1997[9] Auto PC platform introduced[10]
Windows 98 NT 4.1.1998 June 25, 1998 Uses the same skin as 95, 2000, and ME 16MB 500MB
Windows 98 Second Edition NT 4.1.2222 April 23, 1999 Uses the same skin as 95, 2000, and ME
Windows CE 2.1
Windows 2000 NT 5.0.2195 February 17, 2000
  • Uses the same skin as 95, 98, and ME
  • Last dedicated operating system for business use
  • Professional
  • Server
  • Advanced Server
  • Datacenter Server
  • Xbox
  • Xbox 360

Professional: 650MB
Server and Advanced Server: 1GB[11]

Windows CE Cedar CE 3.0 April 2000 Windows CE for Automotive
Windows ME NT 4.90.3000 September 14, 2000
  • Uses the same skin as 95, 98, and 2000
  • Last dedicated operating system for personal use
Windows XP 5.1.2600 October 25, 2001
  • Last major version to use this layout, which was introduced with Windows 95
  • XP was the beginning of one unified O/S for both personal and business use.
  • Only one version is still supported by Microsoft, XP Embedded until January 2019.
  • Sold 400 million copies
  • Starter
  • Home
  • Professional
  • Professional x64
  • Media Center 2002
  • Media Center 2004
  • Media Center 2005
  • Tablet PC
  • Embedded
 x32/x86: 64MB[12]
x64: 256MB		 1.5GB
Windows CE Talisker[9] CE 4.0 January 7, 2002
Windows CE Jameson[9] CE 4.1 June 2002[9] Windows Automotive
Windows CE McKendric[9] CE 4.2 April 2003[9] Windows Automotive 4.2
Windows Server 2003 NT 5.2 2003
Windows CE Macallan[9] CE 5.0 August 2004[9] Windows Automotive 5.0 6MB[13]
Windows Server 2003 R2 2006
Windows CE Yamazaki[9] CE 6.0 September 2006[9]
  • Microsoft Auto 3.0
  • Zune HD
Windows Vista NT 6.0.6000 January 30, 2007
  • System uses new layout, but started out with some problems
  • Sold 180 million copies
  • Extended support ends April 11, 2017 [14]
  • Starter
  • Home Basic
  • Home Premium
  • Business
  • Ultimate
  • Enterprise
 Home Basic: 512MB,
All Others: 1GB[15]		 20GB
Windows Server 2008 February 27, 2008 512 MB Foundation: 10GB,
other x32/86: 20GB,
other x64: 32GB
Windows 7 NT 6.1.7600 October 22, 2009
  • Uses the same basic layout as Vista, but system is more stable
  • Sold 600 million copies
  • Extended support ends January 14, 2020
  • Starter
  • Home Basic
  • Home Premium
  • Professional
  • Enterprise
  • Ultimate
  • Thin PC
x32/x86: 1GB, x64: 2GB[12] x32/x86: 16GB,
x64: 20GB
Windows Server 2008 R2 2010
  • HPC
  • Standard
  • Enterprise
  • Itanium
 512 MB Foundation: 10GB,
others: 32GB
Windows Embedded Compact 7 CE 6.0 R3 2011
  • Windows Embedded Automotive 7
  • Windows Phone 7
Windows Server 2012 NT 6.2 2012
  • Foundation
  • Essentials
  • Standard
  • Datacenter
 512MB 32GB
Windows 8 NT 6.2 October 26, 2012
  • Designed to serve as an OS for all kinds of devices, including smartphones
  • Also did away with the Start menu
  • Sold surprisingly poorly
  • Extended support ends January 10, 2023
  • Standard
  • Professional
  • Enterprise
  • Embedded
 x32/x86: 1GB,
x64: 2GB[16] 		x32/x86: 16GB,
x64: 20GB
Windows RT NT 6.3 October 30, 2012
  • Designed exclusively for ARMv7 processors
  • Based on Windows 8 without an upgrade path to Windows 10
  • Support already phasing out
  • Embedded
 32-Bit: 2GB [16] 32-Bit: 20GB, 32GB
Windows Server 2012 R2 NT 6.3 2013
  • Foundation
  • Essentials
  • Standard
  • Datacenter
 512MB 32GB
Windows 8.1 NT 6.3 October 17, 2013 Slight update from 8.0 which brings back the Start button
  • Standard
  • Professional
  • Enterprise
  • Embedded
 x32/x86: 1GB,
x64: 2GB[16]
Windows 10 NT 6.4[17]

or "NT 10"

July 29, 2015
  • Designed to collect personal information and customize itself based on preferences
  • 270 million copies of version 10 are in use as of March 2016.[18]
  • Extended support ends October 14, 2025
  • Some installs of Windows 10 support "S mode"[19], which includes many functionality restrictions, for user protection.
  • Home
  • Professional
  • Enterprise
  • Education
  • Mobile
  • Mobile Enterprise
  • IoT Core
  • Xbox One
 x32/x86: 1GB,
x64: 2GB[20] 		x32/x86: 16GB,
x64: 20GB[21][22]
Windows Server 2016 October 12, 2016
(RTM: September 26, 2016)
  • Essentials
  • Standard
  • Datacenter
Windows 11 NT 10 October 5, 2021
  • Officially Requires Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0
  • Unofficially, some users have reported running the OS without TPM 2.0 support[23][24]
  • Some installs of Windows 11 support "S mode"[25], which includes many functionality restrictions, for user protection.
 4GB[28][29] 64GB[28][29]
Name Version Number Public Release Notes Editions Minimum RAM required Minimum drive space


(Some popular NT releases are listed in bold and special server releases are listed in italic.) [30][31][32][33]

See also

References

  1. ↑ OS Statistics. Refsnes Data. Retrieved 29 January 2008.
  2. ↑ Windows Server 2003 R2 Home. Microsoft Corporation. Retrieved 29 January 2008.
  3. ↑ Windows History: Windows Desktop Timeline. Microsoft Corporation. Retrieved 29 January 2008.
  4. ↑ http://www.networkworld.com/article/2193906/windows/windows-1-0-turning-25--first-experiences-recalled.html
  5. ↑ A brief history of Windowss sales figures 1985-present, Time, May 7, 2013
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 http://www.howtogeek.com/132488/does-windows-still-rely-on-ms-dos
  7. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/138349
  8. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/138349
  9. ↑ 9.00 9.01 9.02 9.03 9.04 9.05 9.06 9.07 9.08 9.09 9.10 9.11 9.12 https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/mikehall/2006/09/20/ce-6-0-why-the-codename-yamazaki
  10. ↑ Auto PC: Windows CE hits the road, EETimes, July 14, 1999
  11. ↑ http://windowsitpro.com/windows/windows-2000-hardware-requirements
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_xp-windows_install/how-much-ram-is-required-by-windows-xp-to-operate/6e341e7e-4656-4bcb-94e8-d7efc35d3b56?auth=1
  13. ↑ https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms927515.aspx
  14. ↑ Windows lifecycle fact sheet
  15. ↑ http://www.techradar.com/news/computing-components/how-much-ram-do-i-need-721332
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/system-requirements
  17. ↑ http://windowsitpro.com/windows-10/windows-10s-inventoried-version-number
  18. ↑ Microsoft's Windows 10 reaches 270 million users, no mobile numbers, Reuters, March 30, 2016
  19. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-10-and-windows-11-in-s-mode-faq-851057d6-1ee9-b9e5-c30b-93baebeebc85#WindowsVersion=Windows_10
  20. ↑ http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-win_upgrade/how-much-ram-will-windows-10-use/769c6a0e-82de-4254-ae65-59a84c6a5886
  21. ↑ https://www.thurrott.com/windows/windows-10/2257/windows-10-minimum-hardware-requirements-for-pc
  22. ↑ https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/hardware/dn915086%28v=vs.85%29.aspx
  23. ↑ https://windowsreport.com/install-windows-11-without-tpm/
  24. ↑ https://www.techradar.com/how-to/how-to-upgrade-to-windows-11-without-tpm-20-and-why-you-shouldnt
  25. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-10-and-windows-11-in-s-mode-faq-851057d6-1ee9-b9e5-c30b-93baebeebc85#WindowsVersion=Windows_11
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/compare-windows-11-home-vs-pro-versions
  27. ↑ https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/evaluate-windows-11-enterprise
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-11-system-requirements-86c11283-ea52-4782-9efd-7674389a7ba3
  29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 https://www.windowscentral.com/windows-11-system-requirements
  30. ↑ http://www.nextofwindows.com/a-list-of-windows-operating-system-version-number
  31. ↑ http://www.computerhope.com/whow.htm
  32. ↑ http://www.carrona.org/winreldt.html#31
  33. ↑ http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/history#T1=era0

External links