Which Windows operating system am I running? - Windows Help Which Windows operating system am I running? Check for operating system information in Windows 10 Go to Start , enter About your PC, and then select About your PC. Look under PC for Edition to find out which version and edition of Windows that your PC is running. Look under PC for System type to see if you're running a 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows. Check for operating system info in Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1 Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, tap Settings, and then tap Change PC settings. (If you're using a mouse, point to the lower-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer up, click Settings, and then click Change PC settings.) Tap or click PC and devices, and then tap or click PC info. Look under Windows for the version and edition of Windows that your PC is running. Look under PC for System type to see if you're running a 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows. The Start screen can also help you know which operating system you're using. Here's what it might look like in Windows 8.1 and Windows RT 8.1.

You might see a search button in the upper-right corner. Check for operating system information in Windows 7 Click the Start button , enter Computer in the search box, right-click Computer, and then click Properties. Look under Windows edition for the version and edition of Windows that your PC is running. The Start menu can also help you know the operating system. Here's what it might look like in Windows 7. Properties The History of Windows Operating Systems - Webopedia The History of Windows Operating Systems Windows Phone Microsoft Windows is a family of operating systems. We look at the history of Microsoft's Windows operating systems (Windows OS) from 1985 to present day. The Windows operating systems (Windows OS) are more formally called Microsoft Windows and is a family of operating systems for personal computers. Windows dominates the personal computer world, running, by some estimates, more than 90 percent of all personal computers – the remainder running Linux and Mac operating systems. Windows provides a graphical user interface (GUI), virtual memory management, multitasking, and support for many peripheral devices. In addition to Windows OS for personal computers, Microsoft also offers operating systems for servers and personal mobile devices.

Microsoft Windows Operating Systems for PCs The following details the history of MS-DOS and Windows operating systems designed for personal computers (PCs). MS-DOS (Microsoft Disk Operating System) Originally developed by Microsoft for IBM, MS-DOS was the standard operating system for IBM -compatible personal computers. The initial versions of DOS were very simple and resembled another operating system called CP/M . Subsequent versions have become increasingly sophisticated as they incorporated features of minicomputer operating systems. Windows 1.0 – 2.0 (1985-1992) Introduced in 1985, Microsoft Windows 1.0 was named due to the computing boxes, or " windows " that represented a fundamental aspect of the operating system. Instead of typing MS-DOS commands, windows 1.0 allowed users to point and click to access the windows. In 1987 Microsoft released Windows 2.0, which was designed for the designed for the Intel 286 processor. This version added desktop icons, keyboard shortcuts and improved graphics support.

Windows 3.0 – 3.1 (1990–1994) Windows 3.0 was released in May, 1900 offering better icons , performance and advanced graphics with 16 colors designed for Intel 386 processors. This version is the first release that provides the standard "look and feel" of Microsoft Windows for many years to come. Windows 3.0 included Program Manager, File Manager and Print Manager and games (Hearts, Minesweeper and Solitaire). Microsoft released Windows 3.1 in 1992. Windows 95 (August 1995) Windows 95 was released in 1995 and was a major upgrade to the Windows operating system. This OS was a significant advancement over its precursor, Windows 3.1. In addition to sporting a new user interface, Windows 95 also includes a number of important internal improvements. Perhaps most important, it supports 32-bit applications, which means that applications written specifically for this operating system should run much faster. Although Windows 95 can run older Windows and DOS applications, it has essentially removed DOS as the underlying platform.

This has meant removal of many of the old DOS limitations, such as 640K of main memory and 8-character filenames. Other important features in this operating system are the ability to automatically detect and configure installed hardware (plug and play). Windows 98 (June 1998) Windows 98 offers support for a number of new technologies, including FAT32, AGP, MMX, USB, DVD, and ACPI. Its most visible feature, though, is the Active Desktop, which integrates the Web browser (Internet Explorer) with the operating system. From the user's point of view, there is no difference between accessing a document residing locally on the user's hard disk or on a Web server halfway around the world. Windows ME - Millennium Edition (September 2000) The Windows Millennium Edition, called "Windows Me" was an update to the Windows 98 core and included some features of the Windows 2000 operating system. This version also removed the "boot in DOS" option. Windows NT 31. - 4.0 (1993-1996) A version of the Windows operating system.

Windows NT (New Technology) is a 32-bit operating system that supports preemptive multitasking. There are actually two versions of Windows NT: Windows NT Server, designed to act as a server in networks, and Windows NT Workstation for stand-alone or client workstations. Windows 2000 (February 2000) Often abbreviated as "W2K," Windows 2000 is an operating system for business desktop and laptop systems to run software applications, connect to Internet and intranet sites, and access files, printers, and network resources. Microsoft released four versions of Windows 2000: Professional (for business desktop and laptop systems), Server (both a Web server and an office server), Advanced Server (for line-of-business applications) and Datacenter Server (for high-traffic computer networks). Windows XP (October 2001) Windows XP was released in 2001. Along with a redesigned look and feel to the user interface, the new operating system is built on the Windows 2000 kernel, giving the user a more stable and reliable environment than previous versions of Windows. Windows XP comes in two versions, Home and Professional.

Microsoft focused on mobility for both editions, including plug and play features for connecting to wireless networks. The operating system also utilizes the 802.11x wireless security standard. Windows XP is one of Microsoft's best-selling products. Windows Vista (November 2006) Windows Vista offered an advancement in reliability, security, ease of deployment, performance and manageability over Windows XP. New in this version was capabilities to detect hardware problems before they occur, security features to protect against the latest generation of threats, faster start-up time and low power consumption of the new sleep state. In many cases, Windows Vista is noticeably more responsive than Windows XP on identical hardware. Windows Vista simplifies and centralizes desktop configuration management, reducing the cost of keeping systems updated. Windows 7 (October, 2009) Windows 7 was released by Microsoft on October 22, 2009 as the latest in the 25-year-old line of Windows operating systems and as the successor to Windows Vista (which itself had followed Windows XP). Windows 7 was released in conjunction with Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows 7's server counterpart.

Enhancements and new features in Windows 7 include multi-touch support, Internet Explorer 8, improved performance and start-up time, Aero Snap, Aero Shake, support for virtual hard disks, a new and improved Windows Media Center, and improved security. Windows 8 Windows 8 was released on August. 1, 2012 and is a completely redesigned operating system that's been developed from the ground up with touchscreen use in mind as well as near-instant-on capabilities that enable a Windows 8 PC to load and start up in a matter of seconds rather than in minutes. Windows 8 will replace the more traditional Microsoft Windows OS look and feel with a new "Metro" design system interface that first debuted in the Windows Phone 7 mobile operating system. The Metro user interface primarily consists of a "Start screen" made up of "Live Tiles," which are links to applications and features that are dynamic and update in real time. Windows 8 supports both x86 PCs and ARM processors. Windows 10 Windows 10 is Microsoft's Windows successor to Windows 8.

Windows 10 debuted on July 29, 2015, following a "technical preview" beta release of the new operating system that arrived in Fall 2014 and a "consumer preview" beta in early 2015. Microsoft claims Windows 10 features fast start up and resume, built-in security and the return of the Start Menu in an expanded form. This version of Windows will also feature Microsoft Edge, Microsoft's new browser. Any qualified device (such as tablets, PCs, smartphones and Xbox consoles) can upgrade to Windows 10, including those with pirated copies of Windows. Microsoft Operating Systems for Servers and Mobile Devices Aside from operating systems designed for use on personal computers (PCs) and laptops, Microsoft has also developed operating systems for services, handheld devices, and mobile phones. Windows Server (March 2003) Windows Server is a series of Microsoft server operating systems. Windows servers are more powerful versions of their desktop operating system counterparts and are designed to more efficiently handle corporate networking, Internet/intranet hosting, databases, enterprise-scale messaging and similar functions.

The Windows Server name made its debut with the release of Windows Server 2003 and continues with the current release, Windows Server 2008 R2, which shares its codebase with Windows 7. Windows Server 2008 R2 debuted in October 2009. Windows Home Server ( January 2007) Announced in January 2007, Windows Home Server (WHS) is a "consumer server" designed to use with multiple computers connected in the home. Home Server allows you to share files such as digital photos and media files, and also allows you to automatically backup your home networked computers. Through Windows Media Connect, Windows Home Server lets you share any media located on your WHS with compatible devices. Windows CE (November 2006) A version of the Windows operating system designed for small devices such as personal digital assistants (PDAs) (or Handheld PCs in the Microsoft vernacular). The Windows CE graphical user interface (GUI) is very similar to Windows 95 so devices running Windows CE should be easy to operate for anyone familiar with Windows 95.

Windows Mobile (April 2000) A mobile operating system for smartphones and mobile devices from Microsoft based on the Windows CE kernel and designed to look and operate similar to desktop versions of Microsoft Windows. Windows Mobile has largely been supplanted by Windows Phone 7, although Microsoft did release, in 2011, Windows Embedded Handheld 6.5, a mobile OS compatible with Windows Mobile 6.5 that's designed for enterprise mobile and handheld computing devices. Windows Phone (November 2010) A mobile operating system for smartphones and mobile devices that serves as the successor to Microsoft's initial mobile OS platform system, Windows Mobile. Unlike Windows Mobile, Windows Phone 7 (also referred to as WinPhone7) is targeted more to the consumer market than the enterprise market, and it replaces the more traditional Microsoft Windows OS look and feel with a new "Metro" design system user interface. Windows Phone 7 features a multi-tab Internet Explorer Mobile Web browser that uses a rendering engine based on Internet Explorer 9 as well Microsoft Office Mobile, a version of Microsoft Office that’s tailored for mobile devices. Its successors include Windows Phone 8 and Windows 10 Mobile.

Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8 Operating Systems Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8 Operating Systems Collapse the table of content Expand the table of content This documentation is archived and is not being maintained. This documentation is archived and is not being maintained. Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8 Operating Systems Published: June 11, 2010 Updated: October 17, 2012 Applies To: Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows Vista You can fix some compatibility issues that are due to the changes made between Windows operating system versions. These issues can include User Account Control (UAC) restrictions. Important The Application Compatibility Toolkit (ACT) installs a 32-bit and a 64-bit version of the Compatibility Administrator. You must use the 32-bit version for 32-bit applications and the 64-bit version to work for 64-bit applications. You will receive an error message if you try to use the wrong version. If you start the Compatibility Administrator as an Administrator (with elevated privileges), all repaired applications can run successfully; however, virtualization and redirection might not occur as expected.

To verify that a compatibility fix addresses an issue, you must test the repaired application by running it under the destination user account. Compatibility Fixes The following table lists the known compatibility fixes for all Windows operating systems that have been released from Windows Vista® through Windows® 8. The fixes are listed in alphabetical order. Fix Description 8And16BitAggregateBlts Applications that are mitigated by 8/16-bit mitigation can exhibit performance issues. This layer aggregates all the blt operations and improves performance. 8And16BitDXMaxWinMode Applications that use DX8/9 and are mitigated by the 8/16-bit mitigation are run in a maximized windowed mode. This layer mitigates applications that exhibit graphical corruption in full screen mode. 8And16BitGDIRedraw This fix repairs applications that use GDI and that work in 8-bit color mode. The application is forced to repaint its window on RealizePalette. AccelGdipFlush This fix increases the speed of GdipFlush, which has perf issues in DWM. AoaMp4Converter This fix resolves a display issue for the AoA Mp4 Converter.

BIOSRead This problem is indicated when an application cannot access the Device\PhysicalMemory object beyond the kernel-mode drivers, on any of the Windows Server® 2003 operating systems. The fix enables OEM executable (.exe) files to use the GetSystemFirmwareTable function instead of the NtOpenSection function when the BIOS is queried for the \\Device\Physical memory information.. BlockRunasInteractiveUser This problem occurs when InstallShield creates installers and uninstallers that fail to complete and that generate error messages or warnings. The fix blocks InstallShield from setting the value of RunAs registry keys to InteractiveUser Because InteractiveUser no longer has Administrator rights. For more detailed information about this application fix, see Using the BlockRunAsInteractiveUser Fix . ChangeFolderPathToXPStyle This fix is required when an application cannot return shell folder paths when it uses the SHGetFolder API. The fix intercepts the SHGetFolder path request to the common appdata file path and returns the Windows® XP-style file path instead of the Windows Vista-style file path. ClearLastErrorStatusonIntializeCriticalSection This fix is indicated when an application fails to start.

The fix modifies the InitializeCriticalSection function call so that it checks the NTSTATUS error code, and then sets the last error to ERROR_SUCCESS. CopyHKCUSettingsFromOtherUsers This problem occurs when an application's installer must run in elevated mode and depends on the HKCU settings that are provided for other users. The fix scans the existing user profiles and tries to copy the specified keys into the HKEY_CURRENT_USER registry area. You can control this fix further by entering the relevant registry keys as parameters that are separated by the ^ Symbol; for example: Software\MyCompany\Key1^Software\MyCompany\Key2. For more detailed information about this application fix, see Using the CopyHKCUSettingsFromOtherUsers Fix . CorrectCreateBrushIndirectHatch The problem is indicated by an access violation error message that displays and when the application fails when you select or crop an image. The fix corrects the brush style hatch value, which is passed to the CreateBrushIndirect() function and enables the information to be correctly interpreted. CorrectFilePaths The problem is indicated when an application tries to write files to the hard disk and is denied access or receives a file not found or path not found error message.

The fix modifies the file path names to point to a new location on the hard disk. For more detailed information about the CorrectFilePaths application fix, see Using the CorrectFilePaths Fix . We recommend that you use this fix together with the CorrectFilePathsUninstall fix if you are applying it to a setup installation file. CorrectFilePathsUninstall This problem occurs when an uninstalled application leaves behind files, directories, and links. The fix corrects the file paths that are used by the uninstallation process of an application. For more detailed information about this fix, see Using the CorrectFilePathsUninstall Fix . We recommend that you use this fix together with the CorrectFilePaths fix if you are applying it to a setup installation file. CorrectShellExecuteHWND This problem occurs when you start an executable (.exe) and a taskbar item blinks instead of an elevation prompt being opened, or when the application does not provide a valid HWND value when it calls the ShellExecute(Ex) function. The fix intercepts the ShellExecute(Ex) calls, and then inspects the HWND value. If the value is invalid, this fix enables the call to use the currently active HWND value.

For more detailed information about the CorrectShellExecuteHWND application fix, see Using the CorrectShellExecuteHWND Fix . CustomNCRender This fix instructs DWM to not render the non-client area, thereby forcing the application to do its own NC rendering. This often gives windows an XP look. DelayApplyFlag This fix applies a KERNEL, USER, or PROCESS flag if the specified DLL is loaded. You can control this fix further by typing the following command at the command prompt: DLL_Name;Flag_Type;Hexidecimal_Value Where the DLL_Name is the name of the specific DLL, including the file extension. Flag_Type is KERNEL, USER, or PROCESS, and a Hexidecimal_Value, starting with 0x and up to 64-bits long. Note The PROCESS flag type can have a 32-bit length only. You can separate multiple entries with a backslash (\). DeprecatedServiceShim The problem is indicated when an application tries to install a service that has a dependency on a deprecated service. An error message displays. The fix intercepts the CreateService function calls and removes the deprecated dependency service from the lpDependencies parameter.

You can control this fix further by typing the following command at the command prompt: Deprecated_Service\App_Service/Deprecated_Service2 \App_Service2 Where Deprecated_Service is the name of the service that has been deprecated and App_Service is the name of the specific application service that is to be modified; for example, NtLmSsp\WMI. Note If you do not provide an App_Service name, the deprecated service will be removed from all newly created services. Note You can separate multiple entries with a forward slash (/). DirectXVersionLie This problem occurs when an application fails because it does not find the correct version number for DirectX®. The fix modifies the DXDIAGN GetProp function call to return the correct DirectX version. You can control this fix further by typing the following command at the command prompt: MAJORVERSION.MINORVERSION.LETTER For example, 9.0.c. DetectorDWM8And16Bit This fix offeres mitigation for applications that work in 8/16-bit display color mode because these legacy color modes are not supported in Windows 8 .

Disable8And16BitD3D This fix improves performance of 8/16-bit color applications that render using D3D and do not mix directdraw. Disable8And16BitModes This fix disables 8/16-bit color mitigation and enumeration of 8/16-bit color modes. DisableDWM The problem occurs when some objects are not drawn or object artifacts remain on the screen in an application. The fix temporarily disables the Windows Aero menu theme functionality for unsupported applications. For more detailed information about this application fix, see Using the DisableDWM Fix . DisableFadeAnimations The problem is indicated when an application fade animations, buttons, or other controls do not function properly. The fix disables the fade animations functionality for unsupported applications. DisableThemeMenus The problem is indicated by an application that behaves unpredictably when it tries to detect and use the correct Windows settings. The fix temporarily disables the Windows Aero menu theme functionality for unsupported applications. DisableWindowsDefender The fix disables Windows Defender for security applications that do not work with Windows Defender. DWM8And16BitMitigation The fix offers mitigation for applications that work in 8/16-bit display color mode because these legacy color modes are not supported in Windows 8.

DXGICompat The fix allows application-specific compatibility instructions to be passed to the DirectX engine. DXMaximizedWindowedMode Applications that use DX8/9 are run in a maximized windowed mode. This is required for applications that use GDI/DirectDraw in addition to Direct3D. ElevateCreateProcess The problem is indicated when installations, de-installations, or updates fail because the host process calls the CreateProcess function and it returns an ERROR_ELEVATION_REQUIRED error message. The fix handles the error code and attempts to recall the CreateProcess function together with requested elevation. If the fixed application already has a UAC manifest, the error code will be returned unchanged. For more detailed information about this application fix, see Using the ElevateCreateProcess Fix . EmulateOldPathIsUNC The problem occurs when an application fails because of an incorrect UNC path. The fix changes the PathIsUNC function to return a value of True for UNC paths in Windows Vista. EmulateGetDiskFreeSpace The problem is indicated when an application fails to install or to run, and it generates an error message that there is not enough free disk space to install or use the application, even though there is enough free disk space to meet the application requirements.

The fix determines the amount of free space, so that if the amount of free space is larger than 2 GB, the compatibility fix returns a value of 2 GB, but if the amount of free space is smaller than 2 GB, the compatibility fix returns the actual free space amount. For more detailed information about this application fix, see Using the EmulateGetDiskFreeSpace Fix . EmulateSorting The problem occurs when an application experiences search functionality issues. The fix forces applications that use the CompareStringW/LCMapString sorting table to use an older version of the table. For more detailed information about this e application fix, see Using the CorrectFilePaths Fix . EmulateSortingWindows61 The fix emulates the sorting order of Windows 7 and Windows Server® 2008 R2 for various APIs. EnableRestarts The problem is indicated when an application and computer appear to hang because processes cannot end to allow the computer to complete its restart processes. The fix enables the computer to restart and finish the installation process by verifying and enabling that the SeShutdownPrivilege service privilege exists. For more detailed information about this application fix, see Using the EmulateGetDiskFreeSpace Fix .

ExtraAddRefDesktopFolder The problem occurs when an application invokes the Release() method too many times and causes an object to be prematurely destroyed. The fix counteracts the application's tries to obtain the shell desktop folder by invoking the AddRef() method on the Desktop folder, which is returned by the SHGetDesktopFolder function. FailObsoleteShellAPIs The problem occurs when an application fails because it generated deprecated API calls. The fix either fully implements the obsolete functions or implements the obsolete functions with stubs that fail. You can type FailAll=1 at the command prompt to suppress the function implementation and force all functions to fail. FailRemoveDirectory The problem occurs when an application uninstallation process does not remove all of the application files and folders. The fix fails any application call to the RemoveDirectory() function if the file path location matches a fully qualified and specified location. FakeLunaTheme The problem occurs when a theme application does not properly display: the colors are washed out or the user interface is not detailed. The fix intercepts the GetCurrentThemeName API and returns the value for the Windows XP default theme, (Luna) instead of the Windows Vista default theme (Aero).

For more detailed information about the FakeLunaTheme application fix, see Using the FakeLunaTheme Fix . FlushFile This problem is indicated when a file is updated and changes do not immediately appear on the hard disk. Applications cannot see the file changes. The fix enables the WriteFile function to call to the FlushFileBuffers APIs, which flush the file cache onto the hard disk. FontMigration The fix replaces an application-requested font with a better font selection, to avoid text truncation. ForceAdminAccess The problem occurs when an application fails to function during an explicit administrator check. The fix allows the user to temporarily imitate being a part of the Administrators group by returning a value of True during the administrator check. For more detailed information about this application fix, see Using the ForceAdminAccess Fix . ForceInvalidateOnClose The fix invalidates any windows that exist under a closing or hiding window for applications that rely on the invalidation messages. ForceLoadMirrorDrvMitigation The fix loads the Windows 8 mirror driver mitigation for applications where the mitigation is not automatically applied. FreestyleBMX The fix resolves an application race condition that is related to window message order.

GetDriveTypeWHook The application presents unusual behavior during installation; for example, the setup program states that it cannot install to a user-specified location. The fix changes GetDriveType() so that only the root information appears for the file path. This is required when an application passes an incomplete or badly-formed file path when it tries to retrieve the drive type on which the file path exists. GlobalMemoryStatusLie The problem is indicated by a Computer memory full error message that displays when you start an application. The fix modifies the memory status structure, so that it reports a swap file that is 400 MB, regardless of the true swap file size. HandleBadPtr The problem is indicated by an access violation error message that displays because an API is performing pointer validation before it uses a parameter. The fix supports using lpBuffer validation from the InternetSetOptionA and InternetSetOptionW functions to perform the additional parameter validation. HandleMarkedContentNotIndexed The problem is indicated by an application that fails when it changes an attribute on a file or directory. The fix intercepts any API calls that return file attributes and directories that are invoked from the %TEMP% directory, and resets the FILE_ATTRIBUTE_NOT_CONTENT_INDEXED attribute to its original state.

HeapClearAllocation The problem is indicated when the allocation process shuts down unexpectedly. The fix uses zeros to clear out the heap allocation for an application. IgnoreAltTab The problem occurs when an application fails to function when special key combinations are used. The fix intercepts the RegisterRawInputDevices API and prevents the delivery of the WM_INPUT messages. This delivery failure forces the included hooks to be ignored and forces DInput to use Windows-specific hooks. For more detailed information about this application fix, see Using the IgnoreAltTab Fix . IgnoreChromeSandbox The fix allows Google Chrome to run on systems that have ntdll loaded above 4GB. IgnoreDirectoryJunction The problem is indicated by a read or access violation error message that displays when an application tries to find or open files. The fix links the FindNextFileW, FindNextFileA, FindFirstFileExW, FindFirstFileExA, FindFirstFileW and FindFirstFileA APIs to prevent them from returning directory junctions. Symbolic links appear in Windows Vista only. IgnoreException The problem is indicated when an application stops functioning immediately after it starts, or the application starts with only a cursor appearing on the screen. The fix enables the application to ignore specified exceptions.

By default, this fix ignores privileged-mode exceptions; however, it can be configured to ignore any exception. You can control this fix further by typing the following command at the command prompt: Exception1;Exception2 Where Exception1 and Exception2 are specific exceptions to be ignored. For example: ACCESS_VIOLATION_READ:1;ACCESS_VIOLATION_WRITE:1. You should use this compatibility fix only if you are certain that it is acceptable to ignore the exception. You might experience additional compatibility issues if you choose to incorrectly ignore an exception. For more detailed information about this application fix, see Using the IgnoreException Fix . IgnoreFloatingPointRoundingControl This fix enables an application to ignore the rounding control request and to behave as expected in previous versions of the application. IgnoreFontQuality The problem occurs when application text appears to be distorted. The fix enables color-keyed fonts to properly work with anti-aliasing. IgnoreMessageBox The problem is indicated by a message box that displays with debugging or extraneous content when the application runs on an unexpected operating system. The fix intercepts the MessageBox* APIs and inspects them for specific message text. If matching text is found, the application continues without showing the message box.

For more detailed information about this application fix, see Using the IgnoreMessageBox Fix . IgnoreMSOXMLMF The problem is indicated by an error message that states that the operating system cannot locate the MSVCR80D.DLL file. The fix ignores the registered MSOXMLMF.DLL object, which Microsoft® Office 2007 loads into the operating system any time that you load an XML file, and then it fails the CoGetClassObject for its CLSID. IgnoreSetROP2 The fix ignores read-modify-write operations on the desktop to avoid performance issues. InstallComponent The fix prompts the user to install.Net 3.5 or .Net 2.0 because .Net is not included with Windows 8. LoadLibraryRedirect The fix forces an application to load system versions of libraries instead of loading redistributable versions that shipped with the application. LocalMappedObject The problem occurs when an application unsuccessfully tries to create an object in the Global namespace. The fix intercepts the function call to create the object and replaces the word Global with Local. For more detailed information about this application fix, see Using the LocalMappedObject Fix . MakeShortcutRunas The problem is indicated when an application fails to uninstall because of access-related errors.

The fix locates any RunDLL.exe-based uninstallers and forces them to run with different credentials during the application installation. After it applies this fix, the installer will create a shortcut that specifies a matching string to run during the application installation, thereby enabling the uninstallation to occur later. For more detailed information about this application fix, see Using the MakeShortcutRunAs Fix ManageLinks The fix intercepts common APIs that are going to a directory or to an executable (.exe) file, and then converts any symbolic or directory junctions before passing it back to the original APIs. MirrorDriverWithComposition The fix allows mirror drivers to work properly with acceptable performance with desktop composition. MoveToCopyFileShim The problem occurs when an application experiences security access issues during setup. The fix forces the CopyFile APIs to run instead of the MoveFile APIs. CopyFile APIs avoid moving the security descriptor, which enables the application files to get the default descriptor of the destination folder and prevents the security access issue. OpenDirectoryAcl The problem is indicated by an error message that states that you do not have the appropriate permissions to access the application. The fix reduces the security privilege levels on a specified set of files and folders.

For more detailed information about this application fix, see Using the OpenDirectoryACL Fix . PopCapGamesForceResPerf The fix resolves the performance issues in PopCap games like Bejeweled2. The performance issues are visible in certain low-end cards at certain resolutions where the 1024x768 buffer is scaled to fit the display resolution. PreInstallDriver The fix preinstalls drivers for applications that would otherwise try to install or start drivers during the initial start process. PreInstallSmarteSECURE The fix preinstalls computer-wide CLSIDs for applications that use SmartSECURE copy protection, which would otherwise try to install the CLSIDs during the initial start process. ProcessPerfData The problem is indicated by an Unhandled Exception error message because the application tried to read the process performance data registry value to determine if another instance of the application is running. The fix handles the failure case by passing a fake process performance data registry key, so that the application perceives that it is the only instance running. This issue seems to occur most frequently with .NET applications. PromoteDAM The fix registers an application for power state change notifications. PropagateProcessHistory The problem occurs when an application incorrectly fails to apply an application fix.

The fix sets the _PROCESS_HISTORY environment variable so that child processes can look in the parent directory for matching information while searching for application fixes. ProtectedAdminCheck The problem occurs when an application fails to run because of incorrect Protected Administrator permissions. The fix addresses the issues that occur when applications use non-standard Administrator checks, thereby generating false positives for user accounts that are being run as Protected Administrators. In this case, the associated SID exists, but it is set as deny-only. RedirectCRTTempFile The fix intercepts failing CRT calls that try to create a temporary file at the root of the volume, thereby redirecting the calls to a temporary file in the user's temporary directory. RedirectHKCUKeys The problem occurs when an application cannot be accessed because of User Account Control (UAC) restrictions. The fix duplicates any newly created HKCU keys to other users' HKCU accounts. This fix is generic for UAC restrictions, whereby the HKCU keys are required, but are unavailable to an application at runtime. RedirectMP3Codec This problem occurs when you cannot play MP3 files. The fix intercepts the CoCreateInstance call for the missing filter and then redirects it to a supported version.

RedirectShortcut The problem occurs when an application cannot be accessed by its shortcut, or application shortcuts are not removed during the application uninstallation process. The fix redirects all of the shortcuts created during the application setup to appear according to a specified path. Start Menu shortcuts: Appear in the \\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu directory for all users. Desktop or Quick Launch shortcuts:You must manually place the shortcuts on the individual user's desktop or Quick Launch bar. This issue occurs because of UAC restrictions: specifically, when an application setup runs by using elevated privileges and stores the shortcuts according to the elevated user's context. In this situation, a restricted user cannot access the shortcuts. You cannot apply this fix to an .exe file that includes a manifest and provides a runlevel. RelaunchElevated The problem occurs when installers, uninstallers, or updaters fail when they are started from a host application. The fix enables a child .exe file to run with elevated privileges when it is difficult to determine the parent process with either the ElevateCreateProcess fix or by marking the .exe files to RunAsAdmin. For more detailed information about this application fix, see Using the RelaunchElevated Fix .

RetryOpenSCManagerWithReadAccess The problem occurs when an application tries to open the Service Control Manager (SCM) and receives an Access Denied error message. The fix retries the call and requests a more restricted set of rights that include the following: SC_MANAGER_CONNECT For more detailed information about this application fix, see Using the RetryOpenSCManagerWithReadAccess Fix . RetryOpenServiceWithReadAccess The problem occurs when an Unable to open service due to your application using the OpenService() API to test for the existence of a particular service error message displays. The fix retries the OpenService() API call and verifies that the user has Administrator rights, is not a Protected Administrator, and by using read-only access. For more detailed information about this application fix, see Using the RetryOpenServiceWithReadAccess Fix . RunAsAdmin The problem occurs when an application fails to function by using the Standard User or Protected Administrator account. The fix enables the application to run by using elevated privileges. The fix is the equivalent of specifying requireAdministrator in an application manifest. For more detailed information about this application fix, see Using the RunAsAdmin Fix . RunAsHighest The problem occurs when administrators cannot view the read/write version of an application that presents a read-only view to standard users.

The fix enables the application to run by using the highest available permissions. This is the equivalent of specifying highestAvailable in an application manifest. For more detailed information about this application fix, see Using the RunAsHighest Fix . RunAsInvoker The problem occurs when an application is not detected as requiring elevation. The fix enables the application to run by using the privileges that are associated with the creation process, without requiring elevation. This is the equivalent of specifying asInvoker in an application manifest. For more detailed information about this application fix, see Using the RunAsInvoker Fix . SecuROM7 The fix repairs applications by using SecuROM7 for copy protection. SessionShim The fix intercepts API calls from applications that are trying to interact with services that are running in another session, by using the terminal service name prefix (Global or Local) as the parameter. At the command prompt, you can supply a list of objects to modify, separating the values by a double backslash (\\). Or, you can choose not to include any parameters, so that all of the objects are modified. Users cannot log in as Session 0 (Global Session) in Windows Vista. Therefore, applications that require access to Session 0 automatically fail.

For more detailed information about this application fix, see Using the SessionShim Fix . SetProtocolHandler The fix registers an application as a protocol handler. You can control this fix further by typing the following command at the command prompt: Client;Protocol;App Where the Client is the name of the email protocol, Protocol is mailto, and App is the name of the application. Only the mail client and the mailto protocol are supported. You can separate multiple clients by using a backslash (\). SetupCommitFileQueueIgnoreWow The problem occurs when a 32-bit setup program fails to install because it requires 64-bit drivers. The fix disables the Wow64 file system that is used by the 64-bit editions of Windows Vista, to prevent 32-bit applications from accessing 64-bit file systems during the application setup. SharePointDesigner2007 The fix resolves an application bug that severely slows the application when it runs in DWM. ShimViaEAT The problem occurs when an application fails, even after applying acompatibility fix that is known to fix an issue. Applications that use unicows.dll or copy protection often present this issue.

The fix applies the specified compatibility fixes by modifying the export table and by nullifying the use of module inclusion and exclusion. For more information about this application fix, see Using the ShimViaEAT Fix . ShowWindowIE The problem occurs when a web application experiences navigation and display issues because of the tabbing feature. The fix intercepts the ShowWindow API call to address the issues that can occur when a web application determines that it is in a child window. This fix calls the real ShowWindow API on the top-level parent window. SierraWirelessHideCDROM The fix repairs the Sierra Wireless Driver installation, thereby preventing bugcheck. Sonique2 The application uses an invalid window style, which breaks in DWM. This fix replaces the window style with a valid value. SpecificInstaller The problem occurs when an application installation file fails to be picked up by the GenericInstaller function. The fix flags the application as being an installer file (for example, setup.exe), and then prompts for elevation. For more detailed information about this application fix, see Using the SpecificInstaller Fix . SpecificNonInstaller The problem occurs when an application that is not an installer (and has sufficient privileges) generates a false positive from the GenericInstaller function.

The fix flags the application to exclude it from detection by the GenericInstaller function. For more detailed information about this application fix, see Using the SpecificNonInstaller Fix . SystemMetricsLie The fix replaces SystemMetrics values and SystemParametersInfo values with the values of previous Windows versions. TextArt The application receives different mouse coordinates with DWM ON versus DWM OFF, which causes the application to hang. This fix resolves the issue. TrimDisplayDeviceNames The fix trims the names of the display devices that are returned by the EnumDisplayDevices API. UIPICompatLogging The fix enables the logging of Windows messages from Internet Explorer and other processes. UIPIEnableCustomMsgs The problem occurs when an application does not properly communicate with other processes because customized Windows messages are not delivered. The fix enables customized Windows messages to pass through to the current process from a lower Desktop integrity level. This fix is the equivalent of calling the RegisterWindowMessage function, followed by the ChangeWindowMessageFilter function in the code. You can control this fix further by typing the following command at the command prompt: MessageString1 MessageString2 Where MessageString1 and MessageString2 reflect the message strings that can pass. Multiple message strings must be separated by spaces.

For more detailed information about this application fix, see Using the UIPIEnableCustomMsgs Fix . UIPIEnableStandardMsgs The problem occurs when an application does not communicate properly with other processes because standard Windows messages are not delivered. The fix enables standard Windows messages to pass through to the current process from a lower Desktop integrity level. This fix is the equivalent of calling the ChangeWindowMessageFilter function in the code. You can control this fix further by typing the following command at the command prompt: 1055 1056 1069 Where 1055 reflects the first message ID, 1056 reflects the second message ID, and 1069 reflects the third message ID that can pass. Multiple messages can be separated by spaces. For more detailed information about this application fix, see Using the UIPIEnableStandardMsgs Fix . VirtualizeDeleteFileLayer The fix virtualizes DeleteFile operations for applications that try to delete protected files. VirtualizeDesktopPainting This fix improves the performance of a number of operations on the Desktop DC while using DWM. VirtualRegistry The problem is indicated when a Component failed to be located error message displays when an application is started.

The fix enables the registry functions to allow for virtualization, redirection, expansion values, version spoofing, the simulation of performance data counters, and so on. For more detailed information about this application fix, see Using the VirtualRegistry Fix . VirtualizeDeleteFile The problem occurs when several error messages display and the application cannot delete files. The fix makes the application's DeleteFile function call a virtual call in an effort to remedy the UAC and file virtualization issues that were introduced with Windows Vista. This fix also links other file APIs (for example, GetFileAttributes) to ensure that the virtualization of the file is deleted. For more detailed information about this application fix, see Using the VirtualizeDeleteFile Fix . VirtualizeHKCRLite The problem occurs when an application fails to register COM components at runtime. The fix redirects the HKCR write calls (HKLM) to the HKCU hive for a per-user COM registration. This operates much like the VirtualRegistry fix when you use the VirtualizeHKCR parameter; however, VirtualizeHKCRLite provides better performance. HKCR is a virtual merge of the HKCU\Software\Classes and HKLM\Software\Classes directories.

The use of HKCU is preferred if an application is not elevated and is ignored if the application is elevated. You typically will use this compatibility fix in conjunction with the VirtualizeRegisterTypeLib fix. For more detailed information about this application fix, see Using the VirtualizeHKCRLite Fix . VirtualizeRegisterTypeLib The fix, when it is used with the VirtualizeHKCRLite fix, ensures that the type library and the COM class registration happen simultaneously. This functions much like the RegistryTypeLib fix when the RegisterTypeLibForUser parameter is used. For more detailed information about this application fix, see Using the VirtualizeRegisterTypeLib Fix . WaveOutIgnoreBadFormat This problem is indicated by an error message that states: Unable to initialize sound device from your audio driver; the application then closes. The fix enables the application to ignore the format error and continue to function properly. WerDisableReportException The fix turns off the silent reporting of exceptions to the Windows Error Reporting tool, including those that are reported by Object Linking and Embedding-Database (OLE DB). The fix intercepts the RtlReportException API and returns a STATUS_NOT_SUPPORTED error message. Win7RTM The layer provides the application with Windows 7 compatibility mode.

Win7RTMVersionLie The fix provides the application with the Windows 7 version string when the application calls GetVersion APIs. Win95VersionLie Win2K3RTMVersionLie Win2K3SP1VersionLie For more detailed information about each of these version lies, see the associated topic. For example, Using the VistaRTMVersionLie The problem occurs when an application fails because it does not find the correct version number for the required Windows operating system. All version lie compatibility fixes address the issue whereby an application fails to function because it is checking for, but not finding, a specific version of the operating system. The version lie fix returns the appropriate operating system version information. For example, the VistaRTMVersionLie returns the Windows Vista version information to the application, regardless of the actual operating system version that is running on the computer. Wing32SystoSys32 The problem is indicated by an error message that states that the WinG library was not properly installed. The fix detects whether the WinG32 library exists in the correct directory. If the library is located in the wrong location, this fix copies the information (typically during the runtime of the application) into the %WINDIR% \system32 directory.

The application must have Administrator privileges for this fix to work. WinSrv08R2RTM The problem occurs when an application experiences issues because of a VB runtime DLL. The fix forces the application to follow these steps: Open the Compatibility Administrator, and then select None for Operating System Mode. On the Compatibility Fixes page, click WinXPSP2VersionLie, and then click Parameters. The Options for <fix_name> dialog box appears. Type vbrun60.dll into the Module Name box, click Include, and then click Add. Save the custom database. For more information about the WinXPSP2VersionLie application fix, see Using the WinXPSP2VersionLie Fix . WRPDllRegister The application fails when it tries to register a COM component that is released together with Windows Vista. The fix skips the processes of registering and unregistering WRP-protected COM components when calling the DLLRegisterServer and DLLUnregisterServer functions. You can control this fix further by typing the following command at the command prompt: Component1.dll;Component2.dll Where Component1.dll and Component2.dll reflect the components to be skipped. For more detailed information about this application fix, see Using the WRPDllRegister Fix .

WRPMitigation The problem is indicated when an access denied error message displays when the application tries to access a protected operating system resource by using more than read-only access. The fix emulates the successful authentication and modification of file and registry APIs, so that the application can continue. For more detailed information about WRPMitigation, see Using the WRPMitigation Fix . WRPRegDeleteKey The problem is indicated by an access denied error message that displays when the application tries to delete a registry key. The fix verifies whether the registry key is WRP-protected. If the key is protected, this fix emulates the deletion process. XPAfxIsValidAddress Windows no longer starts after you install an earlier version of the Windows operating system in a dual-boot configuration Join the celebration—get the Windows 10 Anniversary Update today > CV: lH/Y7rJGfDtzc/w9.0 Windows no longer starts after you install an earlier version of the Windows operating system in a dual-boot configuration  Print Support for Windows XP has ended Microsoft ended support for Windows XP on April 8, 2014. This change has affected your software updates and security options. Learn what this means for you and how to stay protected.

Support for Windows Server 2003 ended on July 14, 2015 Microsoft ended support for Windows Server 2003 on July 14, 2015. This change has affected your software updates and security options. Learn what this means for you and how to stay protected. Support for Windows Vista without any service packs installed ended on April 13, 2010. To continue receiving security updates for Windows, make sure you're running Windows Vista with Service Pack 2 (SP2). For more information, refer to this Microsoft web page: Support is ending for some versions of Windows SYMPTOMS After you install an earlier version of the Windows operating system on a Microsoft Windows Vista-based or Windows 7-based computer in a dual-boot configuration, you may experience one of the following issues: If you install an earlier version of the Windows operating system on a Windows Vista-based or Windows 7-based computer, Windows Vista no longer starts. In this case, only the earlier version of the Windows operating system starts.

If you install an additional instance of Microsoft Windows XP on a computer where Windows XP and Windows Vista are already installed in a dual-boot configuration, you may receive the following error message: Disk read error has occurred. CAUSE These issues occur because earlier versions of the Windows operating system are incompatible with the new Windows Vista startup method. Windows Vista uses a new Boot Configuration Database (BCD) store. This store contains a boot menu and all the information about operating systems that are installed on the computer. Therefore, a Boot.ini file that is from an earlier version of the Windows operating system cannot be used to start Windows Vista. In earlier versions of the Windows operating system that run on a basic input/output system (BIOS)-based computer, such as Windows XP, the boot process starts with the system BIOS. The BIOS determines the boot device, and then loads the first physical sector. This physical sector is named the master boot record (MBR). The MBR contains the partition table and the necessary boot execution code. This code searches the partition table to find the active partition and passes control to the boot sector on the active partition. Then, the boot sector on the active partition loads the Ntldr program. The Ntldr program parses the Boot.ini file.

This file is used to enumerate the operating systems that are installed. When Windows Vista or Windows 7 starts on a BIOS-based computer, the BIOS loads the MBR and then loads the boot sector. However, boot code loads the new Windows Boot Manager program (Bootmgr). The Windows Boot Manager program parses the Boot Configuration Data file, enumerates the installed operating systems, and then displays the boot menu. If an earlier version of the Windows operating system is installed in a dual-boot configuration with Windows Vista or Windows 7, the Windows Boot Manager program transfers control to the Ntldr program for the earlier version of the Windows operating system. The Windows Boot Manager program does this when you select Windows Vista from the boot menu. When you install an earlier version of the Windows operating system on a Windows Vista-based or Windows 7-based computer, Setup overwrites everything from the MBR, the boot sector, and the boot files. Therefore, the earlier version the Windows operating system loses forward compatibility with Windows Vista. RESOLUTION To resolve these issues, follow these steps. Note You can run the commands in the following procedure by using the command prompt. If you run these commands in Windows Vista, run them at a command prompt that has elevated user rights.

To do this, click Start, click Accessories, right-click the command-prompt shortcut, and then click Run as Administrator. Use Bootsect.exe to restore the Windows Vista MBR and the boot code that transfers control to the Windows Boot Manager program. To do this, type the following command at a command prompt: Drive:\boot\Bootsect.exe /NT60 All In this command, Drive is the drive where the Windows Vista installation media is located. Note The boot folder for this step is on the DVD drive. Use Bcdedit.exe to manually create an entry in the BCD Boot.ini file for the earlier version of the Windows operating system. To do this, type the following commands at a command prompt. Note In these commands, Drive is the drive where Windows Vista is installed. Drive:\Windows\system32\Bcdedit /create {ntldr} /d "Description for earlier Windows version" Note In this command, Description for earlier Windows version can be any text that you want. For example, Description for earlier Windows version can be "Windows XP" or "Windows Server 2003".

Drive:\Windows\system32\Bcdedit /set {ntldr} device partition=x: Note In this command, x: is the drive letter for the active partition. Drive:\Windows\system32\Bcdedit /set {ntldr} path \ntldr Drive:\Windows\system32\Bcdedit /displayorder {ntldr} /addlast Restart the computer. MORE INFORMATION To start versions of the Windows operating systems that are based on Microsoft Windows NT, you need the following files: Ntldr Boot.ini Bootfont.bin Note You need to use this file when you install the Windows versions of the East Asian languages. NTDetect.com In Windows XP, these files reside on the system partition that is marked "active." By default, these files are hidden system files in Windows XP. Users can replace these files by using the Recovery Console, or users can start the operating system by using a Windows NT boot disk. Windows Vista does not use these three files. Windows Vista starts by using the hidden system file Bootmgr and other required files that are located in the \Boot directory. Creating a multi-boot configuration that includes Windows Vista To create a working multi-boot configuration, install the oldest version of the Windows operating system first.

Then, install each newer version in order. Every new Windows version preserves backward compatibility for starting earlier Windows versions. To create a multi-boot configuration that includes Windows Vista, you must have at least one partition for each earlier Windows version that you install. Follow these general guidelines: Create at least two partitions. Use one partition for the Windows Vista installation. Note If the partition for Windows Vista is already formatted, make sure that it is formatted by using the NTFS file system. However, we recommend that you use one of the following methods: Create the second unformatted partition. Do not create the second partition and leave the space as free space. Instead, create the second partition during the Windows Vista installation. If the computer does not have an operating system installed, install the oldest Windows version first. Note Install Windows XP before you install Windows Server 2003. Run the Windows Vista Setup program. Install Windows Vista in the free space or in the existing partition. You can run this Setup program in the earlier Windows version, or you can start the computer when the Windows Vista disc is in the CD or DVD drive. After Windows Vista Setup finishes, you will have a correctly-configured, multi-boot environment that includes Windows Vista and the earlier versions of Windows.

The Bootmgr boot menu that appears resembles the following menu: Microsoft Windows Earlier Windows Operating System Removing Windows Vista from a dual-boot configuration If you want to remove Windows Vista from a dual-boot environment that includes an earlier version of Windows, follow these steps. Note You can follow these steps in the earlier version of Windows or in Windows Vista. If you follow these steps in Windows Vista, run the commands from a command-prompt that has elevated user rights. To do this, click Start, click Accessories, right-click the command-prompt shortcut, and then click Run as Administrator. Use Bootsect.exe to restore the Ntldr program. To do this, type the following command: Drive:\Boot\Bootsect.exe /NT52 All Note In this command, Drive is the drive where the Windows Vista media is located. After the computer restarts, it does not load the Windows Boot Manager program. Instead, Netldr.exe loads and Boot.ini loads. Delete or remove the partition where Windows Vista is installed. Important You can only delete the partition where Windows Vista is installed if that partition is the non-active partition on the system. For example, consider the following scenario: Windows Vista is installed on drive C. Drive C is partition 1 and is the active partition.

Windows XP is installed on the drive D. Drive D is partition 2 and is the non-active partition. In this scenario, you can run the bootsect command, but you cannot delete the partition where Windows Vista is installed. If you delete this partition, the computer is put into a non-bootable state because Windows XP boot files are deleted.

REFERENCES For more information, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 314079 How to use System files to create a boot disk to guard against being unable to start Windows XP 911080 You receive a "Disk read error has occurred" error message when you use the Winnt32.exe program to reinstall Windows XP on a computer that has both Windows XP and Windows Vista installed For more information about Boot Configuration Data (BCD), visit the following Microsoft Web site: Windows Vista Operating System Windows Vista Operating System 1337 words [ 39 Screenshots ] [ 8 Versions ] [ 1 Weblinks ] - Last update: 2016-10-16 Page created: 2005-07-23 [SB] Windows Vista Microsoft published the new product name Vista for this new Windows Version on an event in the USA/Atlanta on 21-07-2005. This Windows Version was known under the development name Longhorn before. The installation of Vista is based on WIM (Windows Imaging format), a file-based Image Format.

It compresses the contained files and can be used for the installation on several platforms from the same Image. The image on the DVD contains a pre-installation of the system directories of Windows in the Windows Imaging (.WIM) file and adapts to the hardware configuration. With the User State Migration Toolkit the user defined settings can be imported of Windows 2000 and Windows XP. An advantage of WIM images is the easy integration of new drivers and updates, the LZX compression provides the smallest file size and XPress compression the fastest compression. The installation DVD of Windows Vista already contains about 16,000 drivers, the Windows update offers further 14,000 drivers for supported hardware. There is no licence key during the Windows Vista installation necessary, in this case it start with a 30 days trial license. After this time period the activation of the operating system is inevitably with the Internet Explorer, after the start-up Windows opens only this window for activation. Windows Vista contains DRM technology for the playback of protected multimedia files. Windows Vista (Windows version 6.0) contains the new user interface Aero. The start menu has a round start button without text now.

New characteristics are three-dimensional effects, the transparent representation and freely scalable symbols. To see all visual features a graphiccard with DirectX 9.0 support is required. The known interface of Windows XP can be activated alternatively. The PC should at least contain a processor with 2 ghz, 512 mbyte RAM and at least 10 GByte of free harddisk storage. Developer take advance from the new graphic interface WPF (Windows Presentation Foundation) for the component-based development of 2D and 3D applications, WPF was designed under the code name Avalon. This framework supports the use of vector graphic for better scaling of applications on the display screen. For better Security Microsoft has integrated useful functions. The automatic update of the operating system provides the installation of new patches. When required the function UAC (User Account Control) asks the user whether it shall unlock unlimited user rights for the execution of a program. InfoCards makes the automated log-on and register of login informations for web pages possible. Windows Defender extends Windows by an spyware/malware protection, the Windows Firewall monitors connections which are incoming and outgoing.

The performance is for a shorter reactivation time of Windows with the active programmes after a cold start of the PC improved by Windows SuperFetch. Windows ReadyBoost provides an additional working memory on USB flash devices and can be combined with SuperFetch. The USB flash storage has much faster access times than hard disks. Preinstalled Programs by Microsoft were updated. The Internet Explorer 7 contains a Phishing Filter opposite to the previous version and supports Tabbed Browsing. The navigation in the Windows Explorer was revised, the address bar is equipped with single-line option fields displays for faster navigation in the directories on the file system. The search after files is possible with the use of many filters. Outlook Express was renamed in Windows Mayl and got version 7.0 now. The functions of the Windows Media Player 11 and Windows Movie Maker were refined. Microsoft announced the product versions for Windows Vista on 2006-02-26. Altogether there are 6 versions which are different in product functions and price. The same characteristic is the maximum support of 4 gbyte RAM for all 32-bit versions.

For Windows Vista 64-bit and Home Basic are already 8 gbyte supported, Home Premium 16-gbyte, for the business variants and Vista Ultimate more than 128 gbyte RAM. The Windows Vista Starter Edition is targeted to technological developing countries at a low price and fewer program functions. Only the Vista Basic graphical interface and 32-bit version is available, the number of simultaneously executable applications is limited to 3. Windows Vista Home Basic for private users contains only the simple user interface and cames without different new effects of the Aero interface. A new function is the content and access control with protection of children and young people for the restricted use of Windows and display of web sites. The next higher version is Windows Vista Home Premium which can also show the new Windows Aero interface. Aero offers a simpler search for files in the audio and video format. Additional functions belongs to the Windows Media Center to convert the computer into a multimedia player. The field of application is enhanced by the Windows Tablet PC technique like hand character recognition, support of digital pins and finger touch recognition. The storage medium DVD can be described over the integrated burning function with data, the authoring software helps at the creation of own films.

The Basic version for enterprise use forms the Windows Vista Business edition. The Windows Aero user interface can be activated, Windows Tablet PC technique like hand character recognition is also included. The administration of many documents is improved, file encrypting and the Encrypting File System (EFS) are important security extensions. For mobile use are designed the PC to PC synchronization and other mobile functions. The domain logon and group guidelines is part of the network component. Data security is provided by the image based backup. Windows Vista Enterprise has the same functions as the Business Edition and contains in addition Windows BitLocker for hard disk encrypting and Virtual PC Express for the compatibility to older Windows applications by the creation of a virtual environment. The subsystem for UNIX allows the execute of UNIX applications without porting. Windows Vista Ultimate contains all features of the other versions but is the most expensive Edition. Microsoft published the first Service Pack for Windows Vista in March 2008. It is distributed over the automatic Windows Update one month later. If Vista is not activated the further use is possibly now without restrictions, but message windows remember the missing activation. Major changes are the support of UEFI, DirectX 10.1, the new file system exFAT for flash storage and optimizations of the performance.

The use of network drives, handling of large pictures as well as file operations is faster done now. Device drivers were updated and the API of the kernel protection for Windows 64 bit is opened now for security service providers. The installation of Windows updates is accelerated and the number of UAC reports with directories reduced. In July 2008 different analysts like Forrester, King Research and others reported that many big enterprises want not to migrate from Windows XP to Windows Vista but to wait for the successor Windows 7. From 2.300 enterprises work after a survey less then 10% with Vista (Forrester). Possible reasons are problems with the compatibility of existing applications and scarce investments for IT with other priorities. Microsoft published at the 26.05.2009 the second service pack for Windows Vista for the download. The download size is depending of the chosen language and architecture with at least 302 MByte, via automatic update at least with 43 MByte. The Service Pack 1 is required for installation. The installation packages exist separately for 32-bit, 64-bit and IA64 processor architectures.

836 issues became fixed for Windows Vista is and Server 2008. The most important changes include: improved program compatibility Support for 64-bit CPU VIA Technologies Burning Blu-ray media Improved support for eSATA drives Bluetooth stereo headphones now possible RSS feed sidebar improved in performance and response times Limit of 10 half open, outgoing TCP connections removed 11. April, 2017: Windows Vista Support terminated Screenshots

Question: The MS Windows computer operating system version that succeeded Vista?
Answer: 7