Installing Windows Me

The procedure for installing Windows Me onto a new PC is as follows:
Switch on the PC and put the Windows Me CD into the CD-ROM. Press the reset button on the PC and allow it to boot.
The PC should boot to the CD-ROM, if not check your motherboard manual to enable 'Boot to CD-ROM' in its BIOS settings.
From the next menu, select Start Windows Me setup from the CD-ROM
The system will load some basic software to enable it to install
At the blue Windows Me Setup screen, press ENTER to continue.
The system will check the HDD to determine if/how it is configured
Select Configure unallocated space (recommended) and press ENTER
The system will 'Partition' the hard disk such that it can prepare it for storing data
If prompted, select Yes, enable large disk support and press ENTER
This enables the system to use the maximum space possible on the hard disk
At the Setup will restart now screen, press ENTER or wait and the system will automatically reboot
Phase One of the installation is complete and the system needs to reboot to continue...
From the menu, select Start Windows Me setup from the CD-ROM again
The system will 'format' the HDD. This is the process of clearing the hard disk and preparing it to store data. This can take some considerable time depending on the size of the HDD
At the Setup will perform a routine check on your system screen, press ENTER
A diagnostic program called Scandisk will run and check the HDD for any errors/damage. Again, this may take some time depending on HDD size. Note: Cancelling this will prevent the installation of Window Me
At the Windows Me Setup screen, click the Next button at the lower right of the screen using the mouse (or if no mouse is installed, press TAB until the Next is highlighted with dotted lines and press ENTER
Windows Me will install its 'wizard' software to guide you through the installation
At the Select the directory where you want to install Windows Me screen, click or TAB to the C:\WINDOWS line such that a black dot appears to the left hand side (this indicates that this option is selected and is known as a 'Radio button'
This will make the system put all its important files into an area on the hard disk labelled 'windows'
The Preparing directory screen will appear
The system will now check the HDD for any existing software and make sure that there is enough space on your HDD
At the Setup Wizard screen, click to select Typical, then click the Next button
By selecting 'Typical', you are asking for a default installation of Windows Me. This should suit most people and other options can be configured later if required.
Select Install the most common components (recommended) and click Next
Again, this indicates that you require a standard installation...
At the Country/Region screen, select your country/location from the list and click Next. This is a long list that cannot be displayed all at once. Use the scroll bar at the right hand side to see more countries if yours is not immediately visible.
Knowing your location helps Windows to configure itself correctly
At the Establishing your time zone screen, select your location's time-zone from the list and click Next.
It is important that the system clock is as accurate as possible.
At the Insert disk screen, follow the instructions to create a startup disk then click OK
It is possible to skip this step, but it can be useful to have a startup disk in case the system will not boot at some point in the future.
Once the disk has been created, click OK to continue setup
Remember to remove the floppy disk from the drive.
At the Ready to begin copying files screen, click Finish to continue setup
The system has all the information it needs and will now install the Windows Me software. This may take some time depending on the overall speed of your system.
Once completed, Remove the Windows Me CD from the CD-ROM and click the Reboot button or wait for the timer
The system reboots.
This time, allow the system to boot to the HDD. A Windows Me logo screen should appear as it loads
The CD is removed to force the system to boot to the HDD. If this produces an error, configure the BIOS settings to boot to the HDD first
A Setting up hardware message box will be displayed
The system is now attempting to configure its software for your particular hardware setup
At the User information screen, type in your name and company name (if appropriate) into the boxes. Place the Windows Me CD back into the CD-ROM. Click Next
The Windows CD is required for further installation tasks and must be ready in the CD-ROM
Read the License Agreement statement and click I accept the agreement then click Next
The software will not allow the install to continue if you do not agree to the statement
Locate your Windows Me Product Key (usually on the back of the CD case) and type it in. Then click Next
Take special care to ensure that the numbers/letters are typed in exactly the same as your Product Key
Click Finish to complete the installation and reboot again to complete the configuration
Rebooting is necessary for the system to amend or update its important files which cannot be changed while they are in use
Windows will finish off its hardware configurations, and may even reboot once more before displaying the Introduction screen
Windows Me is now completely installed on your PC.

How to install Windows Vista

This article describes how to upgrade to Microsoft Windows Vista from an earlier version of Microsoft Windows and how to perform a clean installation of Microsoft Windows Vista. To upgrade to Windows Vista, the operating system that is currently installed on the computer must be supported in the upgrade path to Windows Vista. This article lists the operating system requirements to upgrade to Windows Vista. This article also lists some methods that you can use to troubleshoot scenarios where you receive an "Upgrade has been disabled" message when you try to upgrade to Windows Vista. Additionally, this article describes two methods that you can use to start the Setup program to perform a clean installation of Windows Vista...

Perform a clean installation of Windows Vista
Warning In a clean installation, existing data is removed. This data includes personal data and settings. After you install the operating system, you must also reinstall all programs. Make sure that you back up personal data before you perform a clean installation. To perform a clean installation of Windows Vista, use one of the following methods.

Method 1: Run the Setup program after you start the computer by using the current operating system
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1.
Start the computer by using the current operating system.
2.
Insert the Windows Vista DVD in the computer's DVD drive.
3.
Use one of the following procedures, as appropriate:
•
If Windows automatically detects the DVD, the Install now screen appears. Click Install now.
•
If Windows does not automatically detect the DVD, follow these steps:
a.
Click Start, click Run, type Drive:\setup.exe, and then click OK. Note Drive is the drive letter of the computer's DVD drive.
b.
Click Install now.
4.
When you reach the Which type of installation do you want? screen, click Custom (advanced), and then follow the instructions that are displayed on the screen to install Windows Vista.
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Method 2: Run the Setup program after you start the computer by using the Windows Vista DVD
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1.
Start the computer by using the Windows Vista DVD. To do this, insert the Windows Vista DVD in the computer's DVD drive, and then restart the computer. Note To start the computer from the Windows Vista DVD, the computer must be configured to start from the DVD drive. For more information about how to configure the computer to start from the DVD drive, see the documentation that is included with the computer, or contact the computer manufacturer.
2.
When the "Press any key to boot from CD" message is displayed on the screen, press a key.
3.
Follow the instructions that are displayed on the screen to install Windows Vista.

How To Install Windows 2000 Professional

To install Windows 2000 Professional, follow these steps:
1.
Start the installation by using one of the following methods:
•
Start from the Windows 2000 Professional installation CD-ROM. Make sure that the CD-ROM is set to start before the hard disk starts. Insert the CD-ROM, and then when you are prompted, press any key to start the Windows 2000 Professional Setup program.
•
Start from boot disks. Insert Disk 1, and then insert each of the remaining three floppy disks when you are prompted to do so. For additional information about creating boot disks for Windows 2000, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
197063 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/197063/EN-US/) How to Create Setup Boot Disks for Windows 2000
•
Start from within a current operating system. Insert the CD-ROM, and then, at a command prompt, type drive:\i386\winnt32.exe and then press ENTER, or if this is an installation on a computer that has no previous installation of Windows, type drive:\i386\winnt.exe and then press ENTER, where drive is the letter of the CD-ROM drive.
2.
Setup inspects your computer's hardware configuration and then begins to install the Setup and driver files. When the Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional screen appears, press ENTER to set up Windows 2000 Professional.
3.
Read the license agreement, and then press the F8 key to accept the terms of the license agreement and continue the installation.
4.
When the Windows 2000 Professional Setup screen appears, either press ENTER to set up Windows 2000 Professional on the selected partition, or press C to create a partition in the unpartitioned space.
5.
If you choose to install Windows 2000 Professional on a file allocation table (FAT) partition, specify whether you want to:
•
Leave the current file system intact.
•
Format the partition as FAT16.
•
Convert the existing file system to the NTFS file system.
•
Format the partition by using the NTFS file system.Press ENTER after you make your selection. Setup examines the existing hard disks and then copies the files that are needed to complete the installation of Windows 2000 Professional. After the files are copied, the computer restarts.Important Do not press a key to boot from your CD-ROM drive when your computer restarts.
6.
When the Windows 2000 GUI Mode Setup Wizard appears, click Next to start the wizard. Setup detects and installs such devices as a specialized mouse or keyboard.
7.
When the Regional Options dialog box appears, customize your installation of Windows 2000 Professional for locale, number format, currency, time, date, and language, if necessary. Click Next.
8.
In the Personalize Your Software dialog box, type your name and the name of your organization, and then click Next.
9.
In the Product ID dialog box, type the 25-character product key, and then click Next.
10.
In the Computer Name and Password dialog box, either accept the default name that Setup generates or assign a different name for the computer. When you are prompted for an administrative password, type a password for the Administrator account. (You can leave the box blank; however, this is not recommended.) Click Next.
11.
In the Date and Time Settings dialog box, set the correct date and time for your computer. You can also specify which time zone you are in and set the computer to automatically adjust the clock for daylight saving time. Click Next.
12.
Setup installs the networking software and detects your network settings. When the Network Settings dialog box appears, click either
•
Typical to set default network settings such as File and Print Sharing for Microsoft Networks, Client for Microsoft Networks, and TCP/IP protocol that uses Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), or
•
Custom to specify the network components that you require for your network environment,and then click Next.
13.
In the Workgroup or Computer Domain dialog box, specify the workgroup or the domain to join. If you indicate that you are part of a domain, specify your domain user name and password. Click Next.Setup installs the networking components.
14.
During the final stage of installation, Setup installs Start menu items, registers components, saves settings, and removes temporary files. When the Completing the Windows 2000 Setup Wizard dialog box prompts you to do so, remove the Windows 2000 CD-ROM, and then click Finish to restart the computer.
15.
After the computer restarts, click Next in the Welcome to the Network Identification Wizard dialog box.
16.
In the Users of This Computer dialog box, specify either that users must enter a user name and password or that you want Windows 2000 to automatically log on a specific user when the computer starts. Click Finish.

When the Windows 2000 Professional desktop appears, the installation is complete.

How can I install Windows XP Pro on my computer?

As a Microsoft Windows XP Professional support professional, one of your tasks may be to install the operating system.
Step #1: Plan your installation
When you run the Windows XP Professional Setup program, you must provide information about how to install and configure the operating system. Thorough planning can make your installation of Windows XP Professional more efficient by helping you to avoid potential problems during installation. An understanding of the configuration options will also help to ensure that you have properly configured your system.
I won't go into that part right now but here are some of the most important things you should take into consideration when planning for your XP installation:
Check System Requirements
Check Hardware and Software Compatibility
Determine Disk Partitioning Options
Choose the Appropriate File System: FAT, FAT32, NTFS
Decide on a Workgroup or Domain Installation
Complete a Pre-Installation Checklist
After you made sure you can go on, start the installation process.
Step #2: Beginning the installation process
You can install Windows XP in several methods - all are valid and good, it all depends upon your needs and your limitations.
Manual installations usually come in 3 flavors:
Boot from CD - No existing partition is required.
Boot from the 6 Setup Boot Disks, then insert the CD - No existing partition is required (see the Create Setup Boot Disks for Windows XP page).
Boot from an MS-DOS startup floppy, go to the command prompt, create a 4GB FAT32 partition with FDISK, reboot, format the C partition you've created, then go to the CD drive, go into the I386 folder, and run the WINNT.EXE command.
Run an already installed OS, such as Windows NT 4.0 Server. From within NT 4.0 go to the I386 folder in the W2K installation CD and run the WINNT32.EXE command.
If you want to upgrade a desktop OS such as Windows 98 into Windows 2000 Professional you can follow the same procedure as above (You cannot upgrade Windows 98 into W2K Server).
There are other non-manual installation methods, such as using an unattended file along with a uniqueness database file, using Sysprep, using RIS or even running unattended installations from within the CD itself, but we won't go into that right now.
It doesn't matter how you run the setup process, but the moment it runs - all setup methods look alike.
Step #3: The text-based portion of the Setup program
The setup process begins loading a blue-looking text screen (not GUI). In that phase you will be asked to accept the EULA and choose a partition on which to install XP, and if that partition is new, you'll be asked to format it by using either FAT, FAT32 or NTFS.
Start the computer from the CD.

You can press F6 if you need to install additional SCSI adapters or other mass-storage devices. If you do you will be asked to supply a floppy disk with the drivers and you CANNOT browse it (or a CD for that matter). Make sure you have one handy.

If you want, you can press F2 to run the ASR sequence. For that you need a good backup created by the Windows XP backup program, and the ASR floppy disk. If you plan to install a new copy of XP - don't do anything.

Setup will load all the needed files and drivers.

Select To Setup Windows XP Professional Now. If you want, and if you have a previous installation of XP, you can try to fix it by pressing R. If not, just press ENTER.

Read and accept the licensing agreement and press F8 if you accept it.

Select or create the partition on which you will install Windows XP Professional. Depending upon your existing disk configuration choose one of the following:
If the hard disk is unpartitioned, you can create and size the partition on which you will install Windows XP Professional.

If the hard disk is already partitioned, but has enough unpartitioned disk space, you can create an additional partition in the unpartitioned space.
If the hard disk already has a partition that is large enough, you can install Windows XP Professional on that partition. If the partition has an existing operating system, you will overwrite that operating system if you accept the default installation path. However, files other than the operating system files, such as program files and data files, will not be overwritten.
If the hard disk has an existing partition, you can delete it to create more unpartitioned space for the new partition. Deleting an existing partition erases all data on that partition.
If you select a new partition during Setup, create and size only the partition on which you will install Windows XP Professional. After installation, use Disk Management to partition the remaining space on the hard disk.
Select a file system for the installation partition. After you create the partition on which you will install Windows XP Professional, you can use Setup to select the file system with which to format the partition. Windows XP Professional supports the NTFS file system in addition to the file allocation table (FAT) and FAT32 file systems. Windows Server 2003, Windows XP Professional, Windows 2000, and Windows NT are the only Microsoft operating systems that you can use to gain access to data on a local hard disk that is formatted with NTFS. If you plan to gain access to files that are on a local Windows XP Professional partition with the Microsoft Windows 95 or Windows 98 operating systems, you should format the partition with a FAT or FAT32 file system. We will use NTFS.

Setup will then begin copying necessary files from the installation point (CD, local I386 or network share).
Note: If you began the installation process from an MS-DOS floppy, make sure you have and run SMARTDRV from the floppy, otherwise the copying process will probably last more than an hour, perhaps even more. With SMARTDRV (or if setup was run by booting from CD) the copying will probably last a few minutes, no more than 5 max.

The computer will restart in graphical mode, and the installation will continue.

Step #4: The GUI-based portion of the Setup program
The setup process reboots and loads a GUI mode phase.

It will then begin to load device drivers based upon what it finds on your computer. You don't need to do anything at this stage.

Click Customize to change regional settings, if necessary.
Current System Locale - Affects how programs display dates, times, currency, and numbers. Choose the locale that matches your location, for example, French (Canada).
Current Keyboard Layout - Accommodates the special characters and symbols used in different languages. Your keyboard layout determines which characters appear when you press keys on the keyboard.
If you don't need to make any changes just press Next.

If you do need to make changes press Customize and add your System Locale etc.

Note for Hebrew users: Unlike W2K, it is SAFE and it is OK for you to install Hebrew language support at this phase.
To install Hebrew support:
After pressing Customize go to the Languages tab and select the "Install files for complex script and right-to-left languages".

A warning message will appear. Press Ok.

Warning: You must now press Apply!!!

Setup will copy the necessary files from the installation point.

You can now go to the Regional Options tab and select Israel in the Location drop-down list, and Hebrew in the Standards and Formats drop-down list. Click Ok.

Type your name and organization.

Type the product key.

Type the computer name and a password for the local Administrator account. The local Administrator account resides in the SAM of the computer, not in Active Directory. If you will be installing in a domain, you need either a pre-assigned computer name for which a domain account has been created, or the right to create a computer account within the domain.

Select the date, time, and time zone settings.

Setup will now install the networking components.

After a few seconds you will receive the Networking Settings window. BTW, if you have a NIC that is not in the HCL (see the What's the HCL? page) and XP cannot detect it, or if you don't have a NIC at all, setup will skip this step and you will immediately go to the final phase of the setup process.
Press Next to accept the Typical settings option if you have one of the following situations:
You have a functional DHCP on your network.
You have a computer running Internet Connection Sharing (ICS).
You're in a workgroup environment and do not plan to have any other servers or Active Directory at all, and all other workgroup members are configured in the same manner.

Otherwise select Custom Settings and press Next to customize your network settings.

One thing you CAN do (you don't have to do it, it's your call - read more about it on the Increase Internet Connection Speed in Windows XP page) is to uninstall the Qos Packet Scheduler. Click it and press the Uninstall button. If you want to keep it you can simply remove the mark from the QoS check-box. In anyway you can later install or uninstall it if you want.

Keep the TCP/IP, Client for Microsoft Networks and the File and Print Sharing options selected.
Highlight the TCP/IP selection and press Properties.

In the General tab enter the required information. You must specify the IP address of the computer, and if you don't know what the Subnet Mask entry should be - you can simply place your mouse pointer over the empty area in the Subnet Mask box and click it. The OS will automatically select the value it thinks is good for the IP address you provided.

If you don't know what these values mean, or if you don't know what to write in them, press cancel and select the Typical Settings option. You can easily change these values later.
In the Workgroup or Domain window enter the name of your workgroup or domain.
A workgroup is a small group of computers on a network that enables users to work together and does not support centralized administration.
A domain is a logical grouping of computers on a network that has a central security database for storing security information. Centralized security and administration are important for computers in a domain because they enable an administrator to easily manage computers that are geographically distant from each other. A domain is administered as a unit with common rules and procedures. Each domain has a unique name, and each computer within a domain has a unique name.
If you're a stand-alone computer, or if you don't know what to enter, or if you don't have the sufficient rights to join a domain - leave the default entry selected and press Next.

If you want to join a domain (NT 4.0 domain of W2K/2003 Active Directory domain) enter the domain's name in the "Yes, make this computer a member of the following domain" box.

To successfully join a domain you need the following:
The person performing the installation must have a user account in Active Directory. This account does not need to be the domain Administrator account.
and
The computer must have an existing computer account in the Active Directory database of the domain that the computer is joining, and the computer must be named exactly as its domain account is named.
or
The person performing the installation must have appropriate permission to create a domain account for the computer during installation.
Also, you need to have connectivity to the domain's domain controllers (only to the PDC if on an NT 4.0 domain) and a fully functional DNS server (only in AD domains). Read the Joining a Domain in Windows XP Pro and Requirements when Joining a Domain pages for more on this issue.
Enter the Active Directory domain name (in the form of xxx.yyy, for example: DPETRI.NET) or the NetBIOS name of the NT 4.0 domain (in the form of xxx, for example: DPETRI). Press Next.
Note: If you provide a wrong domain name or do not have the correct connectivity to the domain's DNS server you will get an error message.
A username/password window will appear. Enter the name and password of the domain's administrator (or your own if you're the administrator on the target domain).

Note: Providing a wrong username or password will cause this phase to fail.
Next the setup process will finish copying files and configuring the setup. You do not need to do anything.

After the copying and configuring phase is finished, if XP finds that you have a badly configured screen resolution it will advise you to change it and ask you if you see the new settings right.

BTW, the minimum supported screen resolution in XP is 800X600.
Setup finishes and boots Windows XP.

A Welcome screen is the first thing you see. The computer checks your Internet connectivity (required for the mandatory Activation and voluntary Registration processes).

You will be asked to register your copy of XP. You can decline if you want.

XP will ask you for the default username that will log onto this computer. You can enter as many as 5 users, but you can create more after the installation is finished.
BTW, the Administrator is not shown as a valid logon option (read more about it on the Add the Administrator's Account to the Welcome Screen in XP Pro page).

That's it! you're done!

MS-DOS (short for Microsoft Disk Operating System) is an operating system commercialised by Microsoft. It was the most commonly used member of the DOS family of operating systems and was the dominant operating system for the PC compatible platform during the 1980s. It has gradually been replaced on consumer desktop computers by various generations of the Windows operating system.
MS-DOS was originally released in 1981 and had eight major versions released before Microsoft stopped development in 2000. It was the key product in Microsoft's growth from a programming languages company to a diverse software development firm, providing the company with essential revenue and marketing resources. It also provided the platform on which early versions of Windows ran.MS-DOS has effectively ceased to exist as a platform for desktop computing. Since the releases of Windows 9x, it was integrated as a full product mostly used for bootstrapping, and no longer officially released as a standalone DOS. It was still available, but became increasingly irrelevant as development shifted to the Windows API.

Windows NT 3.1 is the first release of Microsoft's Windows NT line of server and business desktop operating systems, and was released to manufacturing on July 27, 1993. The version number was chosen to match the one of Windows 3.1, the then-latest GUI from Microsoft, on account of the similar visual appearance of the user interface. Two editions of NT 3.1 were made available, Windows NT 3.1 and Windows NT Advanced Server.

Development of Windows NT started in November 1988, after Microsoft hired a group of developers from Digital Equipment Corporation led by Dave Cutler. Many elements of the design reflect earlier DEC experience with VMS and RSX-11. The operating system was designed to run on multiple instruction set architectures and multiple hardware platforms within each architecture. The platform dependencies are largely hidden from the rest of the system by a kernel mode module called the HAL.
Windows NT was originally intended to be OS/2 3.0, the third version of the operating system developed jointly by Microsoft and IBM. When Windows 3.0 was released in May 1990, it was so successful that Microsoft decided to change the primary application programming interface for the still-unreleased NT OS/2 (as it was then known) from an extended OS/2 API to an extended Windows API. This decision caused tension between Microsoft and IBM, and the collaboration ultimately fell apart. IBM continued OS/2 development alone, while Microsoft continued work on the newly-renamed Windows NT.

Windows 1.0 is a 16-bit graphical operating environment released on November 20, 1985. It was Microsoft's first attempt to implement a multi-tasking graphical user interface-based operating environment on the PC platform.

Windows 1.0 offers limited multitasking of existing MS-DOS programs and concentrates on creating an interaction paradigm (cf. message loop), an execution model and a stable API for native programs for the future. Due to Microsoft's extensive support for backward compatibility, it is not only possible to execute Windows 1.0 binary programs on current versions of Windows to a large extent, but also to recompile their source code into an equally functional "modern" application with just limited modifications.[citation needed].
Windows 1.0 is often regarded as a "front-end to the MS-DOS operating system", a description which has also been applied to subsequent versions of Windows. Windows 1.0 is an MS-DOS program. Windows 1.0 programs can call MS-DOS functions, and GUI programs are run from .exe files just like MS-DOS programs. However, Windows .exe files had their own "new executable" (NE) file format, which only Windows could process and which, for example, allowed demand-loading of code and data. Applications were supposed to handle memory only through Windows' own memory management system, which implemented a software-based virtual memory scheme allowing for applications larger than available RAM.

Windows Millennium Edition, or Windows Me (IPA pronunciation: [miː], [ɛm iː]), is a hybrid 16-bit/32-bit graphical operating system released on September 14, 2000 by Microsoft.[2] It was originally codenamed Millennium.

Windows Me is a continuation of the Windows 9x model, but with access to real mode MS-DOS restricted in order to speed up system boot time. This was one of the most publicized changes in Windows Me, because applications that needed real mode DOS to run, such as older disk utilities, did not run under Windows Me.
Compared with other releases of Windows, Windows Me had a short shelf-life, of just over a year; it was soon replaced by the NT-based Windows XP, which was launched on October 25, 2001.

Windows 2000 (also referred to as Win2K) is a preemptive, interruptible, graphical and business-oriented operating system designed to work with either uniprocessor or symmetric multi-processor computers. It is part of the Microsoft Windows NT line of operating systems and was released on February 17, 2000. It was succeeded by Windows XP in October 2001 and Windows Server 2003 in April 2003. Windows 2000 is classified as a hybrid kernel operating system.
Windows 2000 was made available in four editions: Professional, Server, Advanced Server, and Datacenter Server. Additionally, Microsoft offered Windows 2000 Advanced Server Limited Edition and Windows 2000 Datacenter Server Limited Edition, which were released in 2001 and run on 64-bit Intel Itanium microprocessors.[4] Whilst all editions of Windows 2000 are targeted to different markets, they each share a core set of common functionality, including many system utilities such as the Microsoft Management Console and standard system administration applications. Support for people with disabilities was improved over Windows NT 4.0 with a number of new assistive technologies, and Microsoft included increased support for different languages and locale information. All versions of the operating system support the Windows NT filesystem, NTFS 3.0,[5] the Encrypting File System, as well as basic and dynamic disk storage. The Windows 2000 Server family has additional functionality, including the ability to provide Active Directory services (a hierarchical framework of resources), Distributed File System (a file system that supports sharing of files) and fault-redundant storage volumes. Windows 2000 can be installed and deployed to corporate desktops through either an attended or unattended installation. Unattended installations rely on the use of answer files to fill in installation information, and can be performed through a bootable CD using Microsoft Systems Management Server, by the System Preparation Tool. Windows 2000 is the last NT-kernel based version of Microsoft Windows that does not include Windows Product Activation.

Windows Vista (IPA: /ˈvɪs.tə/) is a line of graphical operating systems used on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, Tablet PCs, and media centers. Prior to its announcement on July 22, 2005, Windows Vista was known by its codename "Longhorn".[1] Development was completed on November 8, 2006; over the following three months it was released in stages to computer hardware and software manufacturers, business customers, and retail channels. On January 30, 2007, it was released worldwide to the general public,[2] and was made available for purchase and downloading from Microsoft's web site.[3] The release of Windows Vista comes more than five years after the introduction of its predecessor, Windows XP, making it the longest time span between two releases of Microsoft Windows.
Windows Vista contains hundreds of new and reworked features; some of the most significant include an updated graphical user interface and visual style dubbed Windows Aero, improved searching features, new multimedia creation tools such as Windows DVD Maker, and completely redesigned networking, audio, print, and display sub-systems. Vista also aims to increase the level of communication between machines on a home network using peer-to-peer technology, making it easier to share files and digital media between computers and devices. For developers, Vista includes version 3.0 of the .NET Framework, which aims to make it significantly easier for developers to write applications than with the traditional Windows API.

Windows XP is a line of operating systems developed by Microsoft for use on general-purpose computer systems, including home and business desktops, notebook computers, and media centers. The letters "XP" stand for eXPerience.[2] It was codenamed "Whistler", after Whistler, British Columbia, as many Microsoft employees skied at the Whistler-Blackcomb ski resort during its development. 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 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.[3] 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.

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. 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 and Windows Media Player, and for aspects of its default user interface.

+ Other OS +

DESQview was released in July 1985, four months before Microsoft introduced the first version of Windows. It was widely thought to be the first program to bring multitasking and windowing capabilities to DOS, but in fact there was a predecessor, IBM's failed TopView, released in 1984, from which DESQview inherited the popup menu.
Under DESQview, well-behaved DOS programs could be run concurrently in resizable, overlapping windows (something the first version of Windows could not do). A simple hidable menu allowed cutting and pasting between programs. DESQview provided for simple editable macros as well. Quarterdeck also developed a set of optional utilities for DESQview, including a notepad and dialer. Later versions allowed graphics mode programs to be loaded as well, but only run in full screen mode.
DESQview was not a full-fledged GUI operating system; it was a quasi-GUI shell that ran in real mode on top of DOS. Although it could be configured to run on an Intel 80286-based PC AT with two megabytes of memory, it really came into its own on Intel 80386 machines which were better at utilizing memory above DOS's limit of 640 KB. However, in either case, it ran in real mode rather than protected mode, meaning that a misbehaving program could still crash the system.

Windows NT 4.0 is a preemptive, graphical and business-oriented operating system designed to work with either uniprocessor or symmetric multi-processor computers. It is the fourth release of Microsoft's Windows NT line of operating systems and was released to manufacturing on July 29, 1996. It is a 32-bit Windows system available in both workstation and server editions with a graphical environment similar to that of Windows 95. The "NT" designation in the product's title initially stood for "New Technology" according to Microsoft's then-CEO Bill Gates, but now no longer has any specific meaning. Windows NT 4.0 was succeeded by Windows 2000 in February 2000. Windows NT 4.0 is classified as a hybrid kernel operating system.