Windows XP

Windows XP is a family of 32-bit and 64-bit operating

systems produced by Microsoft for use on personal
computers, including home and business desktops, notebook
computers, and media centers. The name "XP" stands for
eXPerience. Windows XP is the successor to both Windows
2000 Professional and Windows Me, and is the first
consumer-oriented operating system produced by Microsoft
to be built on the Windows NT kernel (version 5.1) and
architecture. Windows XP was first released on October 25,
2001, and over 400 million copies were in use in January
2006, according to an estimate in that month by an IDC
analyst. It is succeeded by Windows Vista, which was
released to volume license customers on November 8, 2006,
and worldwide to the general public on January 30, 2007.
Direct OEM and retail sales of Windows XP ceased on June
30, 2008, although it is still possible to obtain Windows XP
from System Builders (smaller OEMs who sell assembled
computers) until January 31, 2009 or by purchasing Windows
Vista Ultimate or Business and then downgrading to
Windows XP.
The most common editions of the operating system are
Windows XP Home Edition, which is targeted at home users,
and Windows XP Professional, which offers additional
features such as support for Windows Server domains and
two physical processors, and is targeted at power users,
business and enterprise clients. Windows XP Media Center
Edition has additional multimedia features enhancing the
ability to record and watch TV shows, view DVD movies, and
listen to music. Windows XP Tablet PC Edition is designed to
run ink-aware applications built using the Tablet PC platform.
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. There is also Windows XP Embedded, a componentized
version of the Windows XP Professional, and editions for
specific markets such as Windows XP Starter Edition.

Windows XP is known for its improved stability and efficiency

over the 9x versions of Microsoft Windows. It presents a
significantly redesigned graphical user interface, a change
Microsoft promoted as more user-friendly than previous
versions of Windows. New software management capabilities
were introduced to avoid the "DLL hell" that plagued older
consumer-oriented 9x versions of Windows.[8][9] It 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. Windows XP has also been
criticized by some users for security vulnerabilities, tight
integration of applications such as Internet Explorer 6 and
Windows Media Player, and for aspects of its default user
interface. Later versions with Service Pack 2, and Internet
Explorer 7 addressed some of these concerns.

During development, the project was codenamed

"Whistler", after Whistler, British Columbia, as many
Microsoft employees skied at the Whistler-Blackcomb ski
resort.[10]

Editions
The two major editions are Windows XP Home Edition,
designed for home users, and Windows XP Professional,
designed for business and power-users. XP Professional
contains advanced features that the average home user
would not use. However, these features are not necessarily
missing from XP Home. They are simply disabled, but are
there and can become functional. These releases were made
available at retail outlets that sell computer software, and
were pre-installed on computers sold by major computer
manufacturers. As of mid-2008, both editions continue to be
sold. A third edition, called Windows XP Media Center Edition
was introduced in 2002 and was updated every year until
2006 to incorporate new digital media, broadcast television
and Media Center Extender capabilities. Unlike the Home
and Professional edition, it was never made available for
retail purchase, and was typically either sold through OEM
channels, or was pre-installed on computers that were
typically marketed as "media center PCs".

Two different 64-bit editions were made available, one

designed specifically for Itanium-based workstations, which
was introduced in 2001 around the same time as the Home
and Professional editions, but was discontinued a few years
later when vendors of Itanium hardware stopped selling
workstation-class machines due to low sales. The other,
called Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, supports the
x86-64 extension of the Intel IA-32 architecture. x86-64 is
implemented by AMD as "AMD64", found in AMD's Opteron
and Athlon 64 chips, and implemented by Intel as "Intel 64"
(formerly known as IA-32e and EM64T), found in Intel's
Pentium 4 and later chips.

Internet Explorer 6 running in Windows XP Tablet PC Edition.

Windows XP Tablet PC Edition was produced for a class of

specially-designed notebook/laptop computers called tablet
PCs. It is compatible with a pen-sensitive screen, supporting
handwritten notes and portrait-oriented screens.

Microsoft also released Windows XP Embedded, an edition

for specific consumer electronics, set-top boxes,
kiosks/ATMs, medical devices, arcade video games, point-of-
sale terminals, and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)
components. In July 2006, Microsoft released Windows
Fundamentals for Legacy PCs, a thin client version of
Windows XP Embedded which targets older machines (as
early as the original Pentium). It is only available to Software
Assurance customers. It is intended for corporate 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.

Editions for specific markets

Windows XP Starter Edition is a lower-cost edition of
Windows XP available in Thailand, Turkey, Malaysia,
Indonesia, Russia, India, Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, Peru,
Bolivia, Chile, Mexico, Ecuador, Uruguay and Venezuela. It is
similar to Windows XP Home, but is limited to low-end
hardware, can only run 3 programs at a time, and has some
other features either removed or disabled by default. Each
country's edition is also customized for that country,
including desktop backgrounds of popular locations,
localized help features for those who may not speak English,
and other default settings designed for easier use than
typical Windows XP installations. The Malaysian version, for
example, contains a desktop background of the Kuala
Lumpur skyline.

In March 2004, the European Commission fined Microsoft

€497 million (US$603 million) and ordered the company to
provide a version of Windows without Windows Media Player.
The Commission concluded that 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".
After unsuccessful appeals in 2004 and 2005, Microsoft
reached an agreement with the Commission where it would
release a court-compliant version, Windows XP Edition N.
This version does not include the company's Windows Media
Player but instead encourages 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. Because it is 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. However, Dell did offer the operating
system for a short time. Consumer interest has been low,
with roughly 1,500 units shipped to OEMs, and no reported
sales to consumers.[12][13][14][15]

In December 2005, the Korean Fair Trade Commission

ordered Microsoft to make available editions of Windows XP
and Windows Server 2003 that do not contain Windows
Media Player or Windows Messenger.[16] Like the European
Commission decision, this decision was based on the
grounds that Microsoft had abused its dominant position in
the market to push other products onto consumers. Unlike
that decision, however, Microsoft was also forced to
withdraw the non-compliant versions of Windows from the
South Korean market. This decision resulted in Microsoft's
releasing "K" and "KN" variants of the Home and Professional
editions in August 2006.

That same year, Microsoft also released two additional

editions of Windows XP Home Edition directed towards
subscription-based and pay-as-you-go pricing models. These
editions, released as part of Microsoft's FlexGo initiative, are
used in conjunction with a hardware component to enforce
time limitations on the usage of Windows. Its target market
is emerging economies such as Brazil, Hungary and
Vietnam.[17]

Languages

Windows XP is available in many different languages.[18] In

addition, MUI packs and Language Interface Packs
translating the user interface are also available for certain
languages.[19][20]

Windows XP introduced several new features to the Windows

line, including:

• 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
• 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
• Support for most DSL modems and wireless network
connections, as well as networking over FireWire, and
Bluetooth.

User interface
 Windows XP themes

Default Blue
Windows Classic
(Luna)

Windows XP The new start menu

features a new design
task-based XP Royale
in the "Royale"
graphical user theme.
interface. The Start
menu and search
capability were The "task grouping" feature
redesigned and introduced in Windows XP.
many visual effects were added, including:

• A translucent blue selection rectangle in Explorer

• Drop shadows for icon labels on the desktop
• Task-based sidebars in Explorer windows ("common
tasks")
• 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)

Windows XP analyzes the performance impact of visual

effects and uses this to determine whether to enable them,
so as to prevent the new functionality from consuming
excessive additional processing overhead. Users can further
customize these settings.[21] 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.[22] 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 MiB of video RAM.
Luna refers only to one particular visual style, not to all of
the new user interface features of Windows XP as a whole.
Some users "patch" the uxtheme.dll file that restricts the
ability to use visual styles, created by the general public or
the user, on Windows XP.[23]

In addition to the included Windows XP themes, there is one

previously unreleased theme with a dark blue taskbar and
window bars similar to Windows Vista titled "Royale Noir"
available for download, albeit unofficially.[24] Microsoft
officially released a modified version of this theme as the
"Zune" theme, to celebrate the launch of its Zune portable
media player in November 2006. The differences are only
visual with a black taskbar instead of dark blue and an
orange start button (instead of very dark blue).[25]
Additionally, the Media Center "Royale" theme, which was
included in the Media Center editions, is also available to
download for use on all Windows XP editions.[26]

The default wallpaper, Bliss, is a BMP photograph of a

landscape in the Napa Valley outside Napa, California,[27] 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. Microsoft licensed
technology from WindowBlinds creator Stardock to create its
visual styles in XP.
System requirements

Designed for Windows XP computer hardware logo

System requirements for Windows XP Home and Professional

editions as follows:[28]

Minimu Recommen
m ded

300 MHz or
Processor 233 MHz
higher

64 MB 128 MB RAM
Memory
RAM1 or higher

Video adapter Super VGA (800 x 600)

and monitor or higher resolution

Hard drive disk

1.5 GB or higher
free space
 CD-ROM drive or DVD
Drives
drive

Keyboard. Microsoft
Input devices Mouse or compatible
pointing device

Sound card. Speakers

Sound
or headphones

Note 1: Using 64 MB of RAM allows the user to complete

simple tasks, such as browsing the web or reading email.
The user's experience would be "equivalent or superior to
that of Windows Me running on the same hardware."[29]

In addition to the Windows XP system requirements, Service

Pack 2 requires an additional 1.8 GB of free hard disk space
during installation.[30] Service Pack 3 requires an additional
900 MB of free hard disk space during installation.[31]

Service packs
Microsoft occasionally releases service packs for its Windows
operating systems to fix problems and add features. Each
service pack is a superset of all previous service packs and
patches so that only the latest service pack needs to be
installed, and also includes new revisions.[32] Older service
packs need not be removed before application of the most
recent one.

The service pack details below only apply to the 32-bit

editions. Windows XP Professional x64 Edition was based on
Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 and claimed to be
"SP1" in system properties from the initial release. It is
updated by the same service packs and hotfixes as the x64
edition of Windows Server 2003.
Service Pack 1

Set Program Access and Defaults was added in Service Pack

1.

Service Pack 1 (SP1) for Windows XP was released on

September 9, 2002. It contains post-RTM security fixes and
hot-fixes, compatibility updates, optional .NET Framework
support, enabling technologies for new devices such as
Tablet PCs, and a new Windows Messenger 4.7 version. The
most notable new features were USB 2.0 support, and a Set
Program Access and Defaults utility that aimed at hiding
various middleware products. Users can 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 first brought into the
older Windows 2000 operating system with its Service Pack
3. The Microsoft Java Virtual Machine, which was not in the
RTM version, appeared in this service pack.[33] IPv6 support
was also introduced.

On February 3, 2003, Microsoft released Service Pack 1a

(SP1a). This release removed Microsoft's Java virtual
machine as a result of a lawsuit with Sun Microsystems.[34]
Service Pack 2

Windows Security Center was added in Service Pack 2.

Service Pack 2 (SP2) (codenamed "Springboard") was

released on August 6, 2004 after several delays, with a
special emphasis on security.[35] Unlike the previous service
packs, SP2 adds new functionality to Windows XP, including
an enhanced firewall, improved Wi-Fi support, such as WPA
encryption compatibility, with a wizard utility, a pop-up ad
blocker for Internet Explorer 6, and Bluetooth support. The
new welcome screen during the kernel boot removes the
subtitles "Professional", "Home Edition" and "Embedded"
since Microsoft introduced new Windows XP editions prior to
the release of SP2. The yellow or green loading bar used in
Home Edition and Embedded was replaced with the standard
blue bar, seen in Professional and other versions of Windows
XP, making the line of operating systems resemble each
other.

Service Pack 2 added new security enhancements, which

include a major revision to the included firewall that was
renamed to Windows Firewall and is enabled by default, Data
Execution Prevention that takes advantage of the NX bit that
is incorporated into newer processors to stop some forms of
buffer overflow attacks, and removal of raw socket support
(which supposedly limits the damage done by zombie
machines). Additionally, security-related improvements were
made to e-mail and web browsing. Windows XP Service Pack
2 includes the Windows Security Center, which provides a
general overview of security on the system, including the
state of anti-virus software, Windows Update, and the new
Windows Firewall. Third-party anti-virus and firewall
applications can interface with the new Security Center.[36]

On August 10, 2007, Microsoft announced a minor update to

Service Pack 2, called Service Pack 2c (SP2c).[37] The update
fixes the issue of the diminishing number of available
product keys for Windows XP. This update will only be
available to system builders from their distributors in
Windows XP Professional and Windows XP Professional N
operating systems. SP2c was released in September 2007.[38]

Service Pack 3
Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) build 5512 was released to
manufacturing on April 21, 2008 and to the public via both
the Microsoft Download Center and Windows Update on May
6, 2008.[39][40][41]

It began being automatically pushed out to Automatic

Update users on July 10, 2008.[42] A feature set overview
which details new features available separately as
standalone updates to Windows XP, as well as backported
features from Windows Vista has been posted by
Microsoft.[43] A total of 1,174 fixes have been included in
SP3.[44] Service Pack 3 can be installed on systems with
Internet Explorer versions 6 or 7, and Windows Media Player
versions 9 and above.[45] Internet Explorer 7 is not included
as part of SP3.[46]

New features

• Turns Black hole router detection on by default [47]

• Network Access Protection client
• Windows Imaging Component [48]
• Credentials Security Service Provider [49]
• Descriptive Security options in Group Policy/Local
Security Policy user interface
• An updated version of the Microsoft Kernel Mode
Cryptographic Module that is FIPS 140-2 certified [47]
 • Installing without requiring a product key during setup
for retail and OEM versions

Slipstreamed retail and OEM versions of Windows XP with

SP3 can be installed and run with full functionality for 30
days without a product key, after which time the user will be
prompted to enter a valid key and activate the installation.
Volume license (VLK) versions still require entering a product
key before beginning installation.[50]

Although service packs have, until now, been cumulative,

installing SP3 on an existing installation of Windows XP
requires that the computer must at least be running with
Service Pack 1 installed.[31] However, it is possible to
slipstream SP3 into the Windows XP setup files at any service
pack level—including the original RTM version—without any
errors or issues.[51] Slipstreaming SP3 into Windows XP Media
Center Edition 2005 is not supported.[52]

Service Pack 3 does contain updates to the operating system

components of Windows XP Media Center Edition (MCE) and
Windows XP Tablet PC Edition, and security updates for .NET
Framework version 1.0, which is included in these Windows
XP SKUs. However, it does not include update rollups for the
Windows Media Center application in Windows XP MCE
2005.[53] SP3 also omits security updates for Windows Media
Player 10, although the player is included in Windows XP
MCE 2005.[53] The Address Bar DeskBand on the Taskbar is no
longer included due to legal restrictions.[54]

Support lifecycle

Support for Windows XP without a service pack ended on

September 30, 2004[55] and support for Windows XP Service
Pack 1 and 1a ended on October 10, 2006.[56][57]

Windows XP Service Pack 2 will be retired on July 13, 2010,

almost six years after its general availability.[58] As per
Microsoft's posted timetable, the company stopped general
licensing of Windows XP to OEMs and terminated retail sales
of the operating system on June 30, 2008, 17 months after
the release of Windows Vista.[59][60] However, an exception
was announced on April 3, 2008, for OEMs installing to
subnotebooks or UMPCs either until June 30, 2010, or one
year after the availability of the next client version of
Windows, code-named Windows 7 — whichever date comes
later.[61][62][63]

On April 14, 2009, Windows XP will begin its "Extended

Support" period that will last for 5 years until April 8, 2014.[64]

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 of the Home edition,
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 historically 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. Microsoft recommends that all systems
have automatic updates turned on to prevent a system from
being attacked by an unpatched bug, but some business IT
departments need to test updates before deployment across
systems to predict compatibility issues with custom software
and infrastructure. This deployment turn-around time also
lengthens the time that systems are left unsecure in the
event of a released software exploit.
User interface 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 slower. Users
can easily switch back to the Windows Classic theme.[65]

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
Windows Live ID service.

Backward compatibility

Some users switching from Windows 9x to XP disliked its lack

of DOS support. Although XP comes with the ability to run
DOS programs in a virtual DOS machine, it still has trouble
running many old DOS programs. This is largely because it is
a Windows NT system and does not use DOS as a base OS,
and that the Windows NT architecture is different from
Windows 9x. Some DOS programs that cannot run natively
on XP, notably programs that rely on direct access to
hardware, can be run in virtual machines, such as DOSBox,
VMware, Microsoft Virtual PC or VirtualBox.

Windows Genuine Advantage

A Windows Genuine Advantage notification indicating a

failed validation.

While product activation and licensing servers are common

for business and industrial software, Windows XP gave many
casual computer users their first introduction to it, under the
name "Windows Genuine Advantage" (WGA). The system
was introduced by Microsoft to curb unauthorized
distribution of Windows XP. 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 of the computer itself are
upgraded — Windows may refuse to run until the user
reactivates with Microsoft.

WGA comprises two parts, an activation/verification system

based in part upon the computer's hardware, and a user
notification system. WGA for Windows was followed by
verification systems for Internet Explorer 7, Windows Media
Player 11, Windows Defender, and Microsoft Office 2007.
Recently Microsoft removed the WGA verification from the
installer for Internet Explorer 7 saying that the purpose of
the change was to make IE7 available to all Windows
users.[66][67]

If the license key is judged not genuine, it displays a nag

screen at regular intervals asking the user to buy a license
from Microsoft.[68] In addition, the user's access to Microsoft
Update is restricted to critical security updates, and as such,
new versions of enhancements and other Microsoft products
will no longer be able to be downloaded or installed.

Common criticisms of WGA have included its description as a

"Critical Security Update", causing Automatic Updates to
download it without user intervention, its behavior compared
to spyware of "phoning home" to Microsoft every time the
computer is connected to the Internet, the failure to inform
end users what exactly WGA would do once installed
(rectified by a 2006 update[69]), the failure to provide a
proper uninstallation method during beta testing (users were
given manual removal instructions that did not work with the
final build[68]), and its sensitivity to hardware changes which
cause repeated need for reactivation in the hands of some
developers.
Strictly speaking, neither the download nor the install of the
Notifications is mandatory; the user can change their
Automatic Update settings to allow them to choose what
updates may be downloaded for installation. If the update is
already downloaded, the user can choose not to accept the
supplemental EULA provided for the Notifications. In both
cases, the user can also request that the update not be
presented again. Newer Critical Security Updates may still be
installed with the update hidden. However this setting will
only have effect on the existing version of Notifications, so it
can appear again as a new version. As of 2006, Microsoft is
currently involved in a class action lawsuit brought forth in
California, on grounds that it violated the spyware laws in
the state with its Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications
program.[70]

Product key testing

In addition to activation, Windows XP service packs will
refuse to install on Windows XP systems with product keys
known to be widely used in unauthorized installations. These
product keys are intended to be unique to each boxed (or
bundled) copy of Windows XP and are included with the
product documentation, but a number of product keys were
posted on the Internet and were then 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.

Currently Microsoft provides security updates to Windows XP

without validating if it is legal. For all non-security updates, a
user must have a verified copy of Windows.

Protection 'cracking'
"Key generator" programs, commonly called "keygens", exist
to randomly generate Windows XP product keys (thus, there
are no longer any commonly used keys to block) and then
activate Windows without contacting Microsoft. These may or
may not allow the user to receive updates although Microsoft
has allowed major security updates to be downloaded and
applied through Windows Update and its downloads site,
even in pirated or non-genuine copies of Windows.[71] In
addition, a range of cracks and cracked versions of WGA
exist, enabling a computer running a non-genuine copy of
Windows to be detected as a genuine Windows system and
access all Microsoft updates and enhancements.

License and media types

There are three main types of Windows XP licenses: Retail,
Volume (VLK), and Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM).
All three types of licenses are available for Windows XP
Professional (32-bit and 64-bit) and Windows XP Tablet PC
Edition. Windows XP Home Edition is limited to Retail and
OEM licenses whereas Windows XP Media Center Edition is
exclusively available through OEM licenses.

Each type of license has a different installation CD. For

customized or retail media, there is a very tiny difference on
each type of disc that will only allow that installation disc to
accept one type of product key.

Only retail and volume licenses include support for end-user

installation scenarios from Microsoft. OEM software is pre-
installed on systems and is supported by the system
manufacturer rather than Microsoft. The price of such
software is reduced to aid computer manufacturers in
reducing costs of their computer system production. The
cost of OEM software products bundled with systems is not
disclosed by Microsoft or by its partners as each system
manufacturer will define its own bundling price. Microsoft
does not support OEM licenses because it cannot guarantee
compatibility with every system configuration possible and it
is the responsibility of each system manufacturer to ensure
that its hardware is compatible.

Microsoft recommends that system manufacturers have their

systems tested, for a fee, as part of the Windows Quality
Online Services (Winqual) which includes extensive testing
so that no component will cause instability in the Windows
operating system due to incompatibility with the Windows
operating system or with other system components or their
respective drivers. Having a system tested and approved will
allow the manufacturer to bear the "Certified for Windows"
logo sticker on the exterior of the system, and there are
additional benefits for having a tested product. This includes
the product's being listed on the Windows Marketplace.
Because of the fees and extensive requirements, Microsoft
acknowledges that smaller system manufacturers may not
opt in to the program until they produce computer systems
at a modest rate and on recurring designs.

Retail
Retail licenses, those purchased from a retail store in full
packaging, are of two sub-types: "Upgrade" and "Full
Purchase Product", often abbreviated by Microsoft as FPP.
FPP licenses are transferable from one computer to another,
provided the previous installation is removed from the old
computer. Although upgrade licenses are also transferable, a
user must have a previous version of Windows even on the
new computer to which they are moving the installation.
Retail licenses include installation support for end-users,
provided directly by Microsoft.
Volume License
A Volume License is the license given to a software version
sold to businesses under a direct purchase agreement with
Microsoft, and is sold as an upgrade license only, meaning
that a previous license must be available for each new
volume license. Volume license versions of Windows XP use
a Volume License Key (VLK) which is a product key that does
not require Windows Product Activation. The term "Volume
License Key" refers to the ability to use one product key for
multiple systems, depending on the type of agreement.
Since Windows XP Volume License versions do not require
product activation, this led to leaked copies of VLK media
and product keys from businesses leading to piracy of
Windows XP which quickly spread across the internet upon
early release. Beginning with Service Pack 1, Microsoft's
active attempts to search out and blacklist known pirated
VLK product keys became well known due to the inability to
install the service pack on a system with one of the
blacklisted keys. Later, this led to the Windows Genuine
Advantage program.

Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM)

Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) licenses are pre-
installed on, and sold with, pre-assembled computers from
system manufacturers. There are two types of OEM product
types: those used for "Direct OEMs" (major name brands that
buy through a direct contract with Microsoft and produce and
brand their own media from a Microsoft "Gold Master Copy"
by using an Authorized Microsoft Duplication Partner), and
those used for "System Builders" (local computer shops that
buy generic, unbranded kits through Authorized Microsoft
Distributors). Direct OEM product keys will often not activate
with System Builder installation media because Direct OEMs
are now required by Microsoft to pre-activate their copies in
the factory using their own internal mechanism before
delivery to the customer. It is recommended that System
Builders also pre-activate their systems before delivery, but
this is not mandatory.

OEM installations can be customized using the Microsoft OEM

Preinstallation Kit with branding, logos, additional
applications, optional services, alternate applications for
certain Windows components, Internet Explorer links, and
various other customizations. All OEM customers must
include support and contact information for the initial
installation of Windows because it is the responsibility for the
OEM to support the Windows installation, and is not provided
by Microsoft to the end-user. Direct OEMs must create their
own media, but have the option of creating their own custom
recovery solution, which may or may not be similar to a
generic installation. OEMs may provide a recovery partition
on the hard drive as the custom recovery solution rather
than providing disc-based media with the computer.

Some end-users have found this to be a troublesome option,

because in the event of an out-of-warranty hard drive failure,
they may not have access to reinstall Windows on a new
hard drive. System Builders are not allowed the option to
create a custom recovery CD/DVD media. The only
deliverable media available for a System Builder to give to
the end-user is the unbranded OEM System Builder hologram
media kit. Because of this, when end-users reformat their
hard drives and re-install from the installation media, they
lose all the custom branding and support information that
the System Builder would have included.

As a supplemental recovery method to a CD/DVD-based

installation, a System Builder may employ a fully customized
recovery solution on the hard drive. Whether utilizing a
recovery partition or not, a System Builder must still include
the original generic OEM System Builder hologram CD/DVD
media kit. OEM licenses are not transferable from one
computer to another. Every computer sold/resold with an
OEM license must include all of the original installation
media or recovery solution, documentation, Certificate of
Authenticity, and product key sticker with the sale. Microsoft
requires that all OEM system manufacturers include as part
of the configuration the Windows Out-of-Box Experience
(OOBE), which is the initial setup wizard encountered the
first time Windows boots-up. It is also required that Value-
Added Resellers (VAR's), retailers, and general resellers not
tamper with the OEM's customized OOBE mechanism unless
under permission by the OEM, and it is a recommended
configuration for systems that are privately resold so that a
customer will have a like-new computer experience upon
first boot-up.

OEM licenses are to be installed by professional system

manufacturers only. Under Microsoft's OEM License
Agreement, they are not to be sold to end-users under any
circumstance, and are to be pre-installed on a computer
using the OEM Preinstallation Kit (OPK) before shipment to
the customer, and must include at the very least the
manufacturer's support contact information. They are
therefore designed for installation only on a single computer
and are not transferable, even if the original computer is no
longer in use. This is not usually an issue for users who
purchase new computer systems because most pre-
assembled systems ship with a pre-installed operating
system. There are few circumstances where Microsoft will
allow the transfer of an OEM license from one non-
functioning system to another, but the OEM System Builder
License Agreement (SBLA), as well as the OEM End User
License Agreement (EULA) do not contain any allowance for
this, so it is entirely up to Microsoft's discretion, depending
on the situation.[72]