Windows 2000 - Nine Months to Live

HeUnique writes "According the this story at The Register, Microsoft is planning to retire Windows 2000 as far as OEMs concerned. MS has asked OEMs to stop immediately the shipment dual-boot systems running Win2k/WinXP, so your choice now is either to upgrade to XP or else." Only if you're ordering systems running Microsoft Windows, though.

Comments

Dual Boot Context: Only at first load

[OptimizedPrime]

We get a lot of compaq desktops where I work with a "dual boot" on startup, but its not a dual boot in the same way that a linux/win2k dual boot syustem works. What happens is that you choose which OS you want to run the first time you start the computer, and the system then deletes the other one. The computer comes with a license for XP that can be downgraded to use with 2000, but not licenses for both. I believe some other OEMS do a similar dual boot, which seems to be what this is referring to. Disallowing this practice would mean that the consumer would be forced to load 2k themselves, rather then having it come preconfigured.

Dropped Support

[Skidge]

On a related note, did anyone else get this when they started up Internet Explorer this morning?


Thank you for your interest in Windows Update

Windows Update is the online extension of Windows that helps you get the most out of your computer.

The latest version of Windows Update is only available on computers that are running Microsoft Windows 2000 or Windows XP.


I'm running Win98 and IE6 at work (web dev for clients that mainly use IE).

Re:Dropped Support

[TJamieson]

Yeah, I saw this too, I've seen it a few times actually. It seems that Tools->Windows Update sometimes causes windowsupdate.microsoft.com to ID your OS/IE version incorrectly, because you'll notice that that message is on v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com (2000/XP only). Removing the v4 will bring you back to regular windowsupdate.

yo moderators WTF

[gripdamage]

Yes Insightful, Interesting, Informative, and not to mention totally false. According to the article ALL OEM shipments stop in 9 months. That effects everybody.

In addition to that they are "pressuring the PC companies to stop offering dual install Win2k/WinXP systems immediately."

Re:windows XP in my company

[trazom28]

Wow..that's quite the "I don't like it and I don't wanna even try it" attitude. I use it for my home business.. runs fairly well *if* you tweak it right, like any program. Got a good friend who took the plunge and updated his machines at his company.. about 40 in his building.. works very smoothly *shrug*

It's like anything.. if you can take the time and get it all done right.. it works great. If you slap it on a workstation and pray it works.. you get what you get.

MS Obsolete Products page

[ZaneMcAuley]

Straight from the horses mouth.

"Each Microsoft product follows its own "Product Support Lifecycle", which begins when the product becomes available, and ends when the product records low or zero support questions for a significant period of time."

"By the time product support ends, most of our customers are using newer versions. For customers still using legacy products, Microsoft normally provides a six-month notice before ending support. Microsoft continues to make Self Service Support Options available after support concludes."

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=% 2F directory%2Fdiscontinue%2Easp

Re:2K is better than XP

[WildBeast]

Well click on the Task Bar - Properties and Remove the Group similar taskbar buttons check.