Comparison of Microsoft Windows versions

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Market Share for May 2008[1]
Total Windows - 91.13%
Windows XP - 72.12%
Windows Vista - 15.26%
Windows 2000 - 2.25%
Windows NT- 0.68%
Windows 98 - 0.48%
Windows Me - 0.27%
Windows CE - 0.06%
Windows 95 - 0.01%
Non-Windows - 8.87%

Microsoft Windows is the name of several families of proprietary software operating systems by Microsoft. Microsoft first introduced an operating environment named Windows in November 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces (GUI).

Contents 1 General information 1.1 DOS-based (MS-DOS/9x-based) 1.2 NT Kernel-based 1.3 CE-based 2 Technical information 2.1 DOS-based (MS-DOS/9x-based) 2.2 NT Kernel-based 3 Supported file systems 3.1 DOS-based (MS-DOS/9x-based) 3.2 NT Kernel-based 4 Hardware requirements 4.1 9x Kernel-based 4.2 NT Kernel-based 5 Security features 5.1 NT Kernel-based 6 Features 7 References 8 See also 8.1 Other Microsoft operating systems 8.2 Windows clones, emulators, etc 8.3 Further reading 9 External links 9.1 Official 9.2 Programming

[edit] General information

Basic general information about Windows.

[edit] DOS-based (MS-DOS/9x-based)

	Release date	RTM Build	Current version	Status support	Cost	License/Source model	Codename	Based on (kernel)	Kernel type	Operating environments	Editions	Purpose	Short description
Windows 1.0	11/20/1985	?	1.04 (8 April 1987)	Unsupported	$99	Closed source/ Microsoft EULA		?	?	16-bit		Desktop	First version of Windows
Windows 2.x	12/9/1987	?	2.11 (13 March 1989)	Unsupported	?	Closed source/ Microsoft EULA		?	?	16-bit		Desktop
Windows 3.0	5/22/1990	?	3.00a (10/31/1990)	Unsupported	?	Closed source/ Microsoft EULA		?	?	Hybrid 16/32-bit		Desktop
Windows 3.1x	April 1992	?	3.11 (December 1993)	Unsupported	?	Closed source/ Microsoft EULA	3.1: Janus; for Workgroups: Kato, Sparta; 3.11: Snowball (LB)	? (OS or shell?)	?	Hybrid 16/32-bit (3.11: 32-bit)	Windows for Workgroups 3.1, Windows for Workgroups 3.11, Windows 3.2 (simplified Chinese only)	Desktop
Windows 95	8/24/1995	950	OEM Service Release 2.5 (1997)	Unsupported (12/31/2001)	?	Closed source/ Microsoft EULA	Chicago	MS-DOS 7.0, MS-DOS 7.1 (OSR2.x)	Monolithic kernel	32-bit	Retail, OSR1, OSR2, OSR2.1, OSR2.5	Desktop	Version number: 4.00.950
Windows Nashville (Windows 96)	Cancelled	None	N/A	Cancelled	N/A	?	Nashville	MS-DOS	Monolithic kernel	32-bit	?	Desktop	Cancelled operating system upgrade for Microsoft Windows 95
Windows 98	6/25/1998	1998	4.10.2222A (23 April 1999)	Unsupported (7/11/2006)	?	Closed source/ Microsoft EULA	Memphis	MS-DOS 7.1	Monolithic kernel	32-bit	SE	Desktop	Version number: 4.10.1998 (Security Version 4.10.1998A)
Windows Me	6/19/2000	3000	4.90.3000 (September 14, 2000)	Unsupported (7/11/2006)	?	Closed source/ Microsoft EULA	Georgia	MS-DOS 8.0	Monolithic kernel	32-bit		Desktop	Version number: 4.90.3000 (Security Version 4.90.3000A)

Windows Me is the last DOS-based version of Windows.

[edit] NT Kernel-based

	Release date	RTM Build	Current version	Status support	Cost	License/Source model	Codename	Based on (kernel)	Kernel type	Supported architectures	Editions	Purpose
Windows NT 3.1	7/27/1993	528	3.10.528 SP3 (11/10/1994)	Unsupported (12/31/2000)	?	Closed source/ Microsoft EULA	?	NT 3.1	Hybrid kernel	x86-32, DEC Alpha, MIPS	Workstation (just called 'Windows NT'), Advanced Server	Workstation, Server
Windows NT 3.5	9/21/1994	807	3.50.807 SP3 (6/21/1995)	Unsupported (12/31/2000)	?	Closed source/ Microsoft EULA	Daytona	NT 3.5	Hybrid kernel	x86-32, DEC Alpha, MIPS	Workstation, Server	Workstation, Server
Windows NT 3.51	5/30/1995	1057	3.51.1057 SP5 (9/19/1996)	Unsupported (12/31/2001)	?	Closed source/ Microsoft EULA	?	NT 3.51	Hybrid kernel	x86-32, DEC Alpha, MIPS, PowerPC	Workstation, Server	Workstation, Server
Windows NT 4.0	7/29/1996	1381	SP6a (11/30/1999)	Unsupported (12/31/2004)	?	Closed source/ Microsoft EULA	SUR (Shell Update Release)	NT 4.0	Hybrid kernel	x86-32, DEC Alpha, MIPS, PowerPC	Workstation, Server, Server Enterprise Edition, Terminal Server, Embedded	Workstation, Server, Embedded
Windows 2000	2/17/2000	2195	5.0 SP4 Rollup 1 v2 (9/13/2005)	Extended Support Period (7/13/2010)	?	Shared source/ Microsoft EULA	?	NT 5.0	Hybrid kernel	x86-32, IA-64	Professional, Server, Advanced Server, Datacenter Server	Desktop, Workstation, Server
Windows Neptune	Cancelled	None	N/A	Cancelled	?	?	Neptune	NT 5.0	Hybrid kernel	?	?	Desktop
Windows XP	10/25/2001	2600	5.1.2600 SP3 (4/21/2008)	Supported	Home $199, Professional $299	Shared source/ Microsoft EULA	Whistler	NT 5.1; NT 5.2 (64-bit 2003 and x64)	Hybrid kernel	x86-32, IA-64, x86-64	Home, Professional, 64-bit, Media Center, Tablet PC, Starter, Embedded, Home N, Professional N, Professional x64	Desktop, Workstation, Server, Embedded
Windows Server 2003	4/24/2003	3790	2003 SP2 (3/13/2007)	Supported	Web Edition $379, Small Business Server $450	Shared source/ Microsoft EULA	Whistler Server, Windows .NET Server	NT 5.2	Hybrid kernel	x86-32, IA-64, x86-64	Standard, Enterprise, Datacenter, Web, Storage, Small Business Server, Compute Cluster	Server, Network Appliance, Embedded, HPC
Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs	7/8/2006	2600	RTM (7/8/2006)	Supported	?	Shared source/ Microsoft EULA	Eiger, Monch	NT 5.1	Hybrid kernel	x86-32	(only one)	Desktop
Windows Vista	11/8/2006	6000	6.001 (1/30/2007)	Supported	Home $199-$239, Business $299, Ultimate $399	Closed source, Shared source/ Microsoft EULA	Longhorn	NT 6.0	Hybrid kernel	x86-32, x86-64	Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium, Business, Enterprise, Ultimate	Desktop
Windows Server 2008	2/27/2008	6001	Release Candidate 1 (December 5, 2007)	?	?	?	Longhorn Server	NT 6.0	Hybrid kernel	x86-32, IA-64, x86-64	web, standard, enterprise, datacenter	Server
Windows Home Server	6/16/2007	3790	5.2	?	?	?	Q, Quattro	NT 5.2	Hybrid kernel	x86-32, x86-64	?	Server
Windows 7	Future Version	?	?	?	?	?	Blackcomb, Vienna	NT 7.0	Hybrid kernel	?	?	Desktop

[edit] CE-based

Windows CE (sometimes abbreviated WinCE) is a variation of Microsoft's Windows operating system for minimalistic computers and embedded systems. Windows CE is a distinctly different kernel, rather than a trimmed-down version of desktop Windows. It is supported on Intel x86 and compatibles, MIPS, ARM, and Hitachi SuperH processors.

	Release date	RTM Build	Current version	Status support	Cost	License/Source model	Codename	Based on (kernel)	Kernel type	Operating environments	Editions	Purpose	Short description
Windows CE 1.0	November 1996						Pegasus, Alder	CE 1.0				Embedded	first release of Microsoft's Windows CE line for minimalistic computers and embedded systems
Windows CE 2.0	November 1997						Mercury, Apollo	CE 2.0			2.1, 2.11	Embedded
Windows CE 3.0	April 2000			Unsupported (10/9/2007)		Shared source/ Microsoft EULA	Cedar, Galileo, Rapier, Merlin, Stinger	CE 3.0	Embedded kernel			Embedded
Pocket PC 2002								CE 3.0
Windows CE 4.0	7 January 2002						Talisker	CE 4.0			4.1, 4.2	Embedded
Windows Mobile 2003	23 June 2003						Ozone	CE 4.20
Windows CE 5.0	9 July 2004		5.0 (9 July 2004)	Supported		Shared source/ Microsoft EULA	Macallan	CE 5.0	Embedded kernel			Embedded
Windows Mobile 5.0	9-12 May 2005						Magneto	CE 5.0
Windows Embedded CE 6.0	1 November 2006					Shared source/ Microsoft EULA	Yamazaki	CE 6.0	Hybrid kernel
Windows Mobile 6.0	12 February 2007						Crossbow	CE 5.2
Windows Mobile 7.0 (Windows Mobile 2008)	not released (forthcoming)						Photon	CE 6.0					major update to the platform, merging Smartphone and Pocket PC; expected in 2009

[edit] Technical information

[edit] DOS-based (MS-DOS/9x-based)

	Kernel	Kernel type	Operating environments	Integrated firewall	SMP support	Multiple architecture support	USB Support	UDMA Support	Long Filename Support	Lines of code	Package management	Update management	APIs	Safe Mode
Windows 1.0	?	?	16-bit	No		No	No		No				Win16	No
Windows 2.0	?	?	16-bit	No		No	No		No				Win16	No
Windows 3.0	?	?	Hybrid 16/32-bit	No		No	No		No				Win16	No
Windows 3.1x	? (OS or shell?)	?	Hybrid 16/32-bit (3.11: 32-bit)	No		No	No		No				Win16	No
Windows 95	MS-DOS 7.0, MS-DOS 7.1 (Win95B)	Monolithic kernel	32-bit	No		No	Yes (only OEM Service Release 2.1 or higher)	Yes (only OEM Service Release 2 or higher)	Yes			Windows Update (if Internet Explorer 5 is installed)	Win16, Win32	Yes
Windows Nashville (Windows 96)	MS-DOS	Monolithic kernel	32-bit	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	Win16, Win32	?
Windows 98	MS-DOS 7.1	Monolithic kernel	32-bit	No		No	Yes	Yes	Yes			Windows Update	Win16, Win32	Yes
Windows Me	MS-DOS 8.0	Monolithic kernel	32-bit	No		No	Yes	Yes	Yes			Windows Update	Win16, Win32	Yes

[edit] NT Kernel-based

	Kernel	Kernel type	Operating environments	Integrated firewall	SMP support	Multiple architecture support	USB Support	UDMA Support	Long File Name Support	Lines of code	Package management	Update management	APIs	Safe Mode	Data Execution Prevention
Windows NT 3.1	NT 3.1	Hybrid kernel	32-bit	No		Yes	No		Yes (NTFS Volumes only)				Win32, OS/2, POSIX	No	No
Windows NT 3.5	NT 3.5	Hybrid kernel	32-bit	No		Yes	No		Yes (Except on CDFS volumes)				Win32, OS/2, POSIX	No	No
Windows NT 3.51	NT 3.51	Hybrid kernel	32-bit	No		Yes	No		Yes (Except on CDFS volumes)				Win32, OS/2, POSIX	No	No
Windows NT 4.0	NT 4.0	Hybrid kernel	32-bit	No	Yes	Yes	No		Yes			Windows Update (if Internet Explorer 5 or later is installed)	Win32, OS/2, POSIX	No	No
Windows 2000	NT 5.0	Hybrid kernel	32-bit	No	Yes	Yes (IA64/Itanium in Advanced Server and Datacenter Server)	Yes (USB 2.0 with update or SP4)[2]		Yes			Windows Update	Win32, OS/2, POSIX	Yes	No
Windows Neptune	NT 5.0	Hybrid kernel	32-bit	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
Windows XP	NT 5.1.2600; NT 5.2.3790	Hybrid kernel	32-bit/64-bit	Yes	Yes (Professional Edition only)	Yes (IA64/Itanium, x86, x86-64)	Yes (USB 2.0 with update or SP1+)[3]	Yes	Yes		MSI, custom installers	Windows Update	Win32, .NET	Yes	Yes (in SP2)
Windows Server 2003	NT 5.2.3790	Hybrid kernel	32-bit/64-bit	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes (USB 2.0)[4]	Yes	Yes		MSI, custom installers	Windows Update	Win32	Yes	Yes (in SP1)
Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs	NT 5.1.2600	Hybrid kernel	32-bit	Yes		No			Yes				Win32
Windows Vista	NT 6.0.6000 ; NT 6.0.6001 (SP1)	Hybrid kernel	32-bit/64-bit	Yes	Yes	Yes (x86, x86-64)	Yes (USB 2.0)	Yes	Yes		MSI, custom installers	Windows Update	Win32, .NET, POSIX (only Enterprise and Ultimate)	Yes	Yes
Windows Server 2008	NT 6.0.6001	Hybrid kernel	32-bit/64-bit	Yes	Yes	Yes (IA64/Itanium, x86, x86-64)	Yes	Yes	Yes			Windows Update	Win32	Yes	Yes
Windows Home Server	NT 5.2	Hybrid kernel	32-bit						Yes				Win32
Windows 7	NT 7.0	Hybrid kernel	32-bit/64-bit

[edit] Supported file systems

Various versions of Windows support various file systems, including: FAT16, FAT32, HPFS, ISO 9660, NTFS, or UDF.

[edit] DOS-based (MS-DOS/9x-based)

	FAT16	FAT32	HPFS	ISO9660	NTFS	UDF
Windows 95	Yes	Yes (OSR2 or above)	Network Drive	Yes	Network Drive	?
Windows 98	Yes	Yes	Network Drive	Yes	Network Drive	?
Windows Me	Yes	Yes	Network Drive	Yes	Network Drive	?

[edit] NT Kernel-based

	FAT16	FAT32	HPFS	ISO9660	NTFS	UDF
Windows NT 3.1, 3.5, 3.51	Yes	No	Yes	?	Yes	?
Windows NT 4.0	Yes	No	No	?	Yes	?
Windows 2000	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Windows XP	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Windows Server 2003	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Windows Vista	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes

[edit] Hardware requirements

Minimum/recommended system requirements (for x86 processors)

[edit] 9x Kernel-based

	CPU	RAM	Free disk space	Video adapter and monitor	Drivers	Devices
Windows 95	386 33 MHz	4MB	55MB
Windows 98	486 66 MHz	16MB	300MB
Windows Me (Millennium Edition)	Pentium 150 MHz	32MB	400MB

[edit] NT Kernel-based

	CPU	RAM	Free disk space	Video adapter and monitor	Drivers	Devices
Windows NT Workstation 3.51	386, 25 MHz	8 MB	90 MB
Windows NT 4.0 Workstation	486, 33 MHz	12 MB	110 MB
Windows 2000 Professional	Pentium, 133 MHz	32 MB	650 MB
Windows XP	Pentium MMX, 233 MHz/ 300 MHz or higher	64 MB / 128 MB RAM or higher	1.5 GB / 1.5 GB or higher	Super VGA (800 x 600) or higher resolution	CD-ROM or DVD-ROM	Keyboard and mouse
Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs	Pentium, 133 MHz	64 MB	500 MB
Windows Vista	Pentium III, 800 MHz	512 MB/1 GB or higher recommended	15 GB (may be installed with as few as 7GB)	Super VGA (800 x 600) or higher resolution	DVD-ROM

[edit] Security features

[edit] NT Kernel-based

	Resource access control	Subsystem isolation mechanisms	Integrated firewall	Encrypted file systems
Windows 2000	ACLs			Yes (NTFS Only)
Windows XP	ACLs	Win32 WindowStation, Desktop, Job objects	Windows Firewall, TCP/IP Filtering, IPSec	Yes (NTFS Only)
Windows 2003	ACLs, Privileges, RBAC	Win32 WindowStation, Desktop, Job objects	Windows Firewall, TCP/IP Filtering, IPSec	Yes

[edit] Features

Version	Shell	Theme	Internet Explorer	Web server	Windows Media Player
Windows 1.0	MS-DOS executive		No
Windows 2.0	MS-DOS executive		No
Windows 3.0	Program Manager		No
Windows 3.1x	Program Manager		No
Windows 95	Windows Explorer		2.0 in OSR1, 3.0 in OSR2 and OSR2.1, 4.0 in OSR2.5
Windows NT 4.0	Windows Explorer		2.0
Windows 98	Windows Explorer		4.0	PWS
Windows 98 SE	Windows Explorer		5.0	PWS	6.0
Windows 2000	Windows Explorer		5.01	IIS 5.0	6.4
Windows Me	Windows Explorer		5.5		7.0
Windows XP	Windows Explorer	Luna	6.0	IIS 5.1	8 (9 in SP2)
Windows Server 2003	Windows Explorer	Luna	6.0	IIS 6.0	9 (10 in SP1)
Windows Vista	Windows Explorer	Aero	7.0	IIS 7	11
Windows Server 2008	Windows Explorer	Aero	7.0	IIS 7

[edit] References

1. ^ Operating System Market Share, May 2008, courtesy of Net Applications, a marketing company which obtains its data from the Alexa Toolbar or related products. Because people who install these products on their computers are not always aware that the product reports web browsing habits back to the marketers at Alexa some security software considers the Alexa Toolbar spyware and removes it. Both the automated removal-as-spyware and the self-selecting nature of those who install software that reports on personal web browsing habits raises questions as to whether the resulting data represents a unbiased statistical sample of Internet users.
2. ^ USB 2.0 Support in Windows 2000: Updated to USB 2.0 with Service Pack 4 (SP4)
3. ^ USB 2.0 Support in Windows XP: High Speed at Last
4. ^ USB 2.0 and Windows Operating Systems

[edit] See also

• List of Microsoft Windows versions
• List of operating systems
• Comparison of operating systems
• Comparison of kernels
• Comparison of Windows and Linux
• Comparison of MS-DOS and DOS-compatible operating systems

[edit] Other Microsoft operating systems

• Xenix - licensed version of Unix; sold to SCO in '90s
• OS/2 - developed jointly with IBM
• DOS
  • MS-DOS - developed jointly with IBM, versions 1.0–6.22
  • MSX-DOS - developed by MS Japan for the MSX 8-bit computer
• Cairo (operating system) - a cancelled "true object-oriented OS" planned after Windows NT
• Singularity - Microsoft Research project started in 2003 to build a highly-dependable operating system in which the kernel, device driver, and applications are all written in managed code
• WinPE - lightweight version of Windows XP, Windows Server 2003 or Windows Vista that is used for the deployment of workstations and servers by large corporations

[edit] Windows clones, emulators, etc

• Freedows OS - Windows clone
• TinyKRNL - open source kernel based on Windows's NT design
• ReactOS - project to develop an operating system that is binary-compatible with application software and device drivers for Microsoft Windows NT version 5.x
• E/OS - Linux distribution which allow to execute programs that were originally written Microsoft Windows, Mac OS, BeOS, OS/2, DOS, and Linux
• Wine (software) - compatibility layer which allows to execute programs that were originally written for Microsoft Windows

[edit] Further reading

• Architecture of the Windows NT operating system line
• Microsoft codenames

[edit] External links

[edit] Official

• Microsoft's Official Windows Website
• Windows history time line from Microsoft

[edit] Programming

• Microsoft Development Network for programming Microsoft Windows
• Windows API tutorial in C++

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