About windows version issues

MS-DOS: An operating system manufactured by Microsoft before Windows

Microsoft was founded on April 4, 1975

On January 1, 1979, Microsoft emerged from North Korea Albuquerque, Mexico, moved to Bellevue, Washington

On June 25, 1981, Microsoft officially registered the company

On August 12, 1981, IBM launched a 16-bit operating system containing Microsoft Personal computer with system MS-DOS 1.0.

MS-DOS is the abbreviation of Microsoft Disk Operating System, which means the disk operating system provided by Microsoft Corporation (Microsoft) of the United States. Before Windows 95, DOS was the most basic configuration of PC-compatible computers, and MS-DOS was the most commonly used PC-compatible DOS.

The most basic MS-DOS system consists of an MBR-based BOOT boot program and three file modules. These three modules are the input and output module (IO.SYS), the file management module (MSDOS.SYS) and the command interpretation module (COMMAND.COM). In addition, Microsoft has also added a number of standard external programs (i.e. external commands) to the retail MS-DOS system package, which together with the internal commands (i.e. commands interpreted and executed by COMMAND.COM) build an A relatively complete human-computer interaction environment in the disk operation era. For various commands for MS-DOS, see MS-DOS Command List.

MS-DOS generally uses the command line interface to accept user instructions. However, in later versions of MS-DOS, DOS programs can also enter graphics mode by calling the corresponding DOS interrupt, that is, under DOS Graphical interface program.

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Windows 1.0

In November 1985, Microsoft Windows 1.0 was released, initially priced at US$100; the favored GUI computer platforms at that time were GEM and Desqview/X, so users did not think highly of Windows 1.0.

Microsoft Windows 1.0 was Microsoft's first attempt at a graphical user interface for a personal computer operating platform. Windows 1.0 essentially spelled the end of the MS-DOS operating system.

Microsoft Windows 1.0 is the first product of the Windows series and was released in 1985.

At the time, many people believed that Microsoft Windows 1.0 was just an inferior product. The best GUI computer platform at the time was GEM. Another option is Desqview/X.

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Windows 2.0

On December 9, 1987, Windows 2.0 was released, initially priced at US$100; this version of the Windows graphical interface borrowed many design concepts from the Mac OS of the same period, but this version still did not gain popularity. User approval. Later, Windows 386 and Windows 286 versions were launched, which were improved and laid the technical foundation for the success of Windows 3.0.

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Windows 3.0

On May 22, 1990, Windows 3.0 was officially released. Due to the huge improvements in interface/humanization/memory management, it finally gained the recognition of users. Afterwards, Microsoft struck while the iron was hot and released the multilingual version of Windows 3.0 in October 1991, which played a major role in the promotion of Windows in non-English-speaking countries. In April 1992, Windows 3.1 was released. Within 2 months of its initial release, sales exceeded one million copies. At this point, Microsoft's capital accumulation/research and development entered a virtuous cycle.

This system includes important improvements to both the user interface and the memory management techniques of 80286 and 80386. MS-DOS programs written for the command-line operating system can be run in a window, allowing the program to be used on a multi-tasking basis. Although this version is only designed for home users, many games and entertainment programs still require DOS access.

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Windows 3.1

On March 18, 1992, Windows for Workgroups 3.1 was released. It seemed that Microsoft, unwilling to be left alone, sounded the clarion call to enter the enterprise server market.

Windows 3.1 added basic multimedia support for sound input and output and a CD audio player, as well as TrueType fonts useful for desktop publishing.

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Windows NT 3.1

Windows NT 3.1 was released in 1993. This product was based on OS/2 NT and was jointly developed by Microsoft and IBM. The collaboration later broke up, and Microsoft changed the name of the software to their version, MS Windows NT, and changed the main API to a 32-bit version. Microsoft hired a group of people from Digital Equipment Corporation to develop the new system. Many elements of this system reflect early DEC concepts with VMS and RSX-11. Because it is the first product that truly targets the server market, its stability is better than that of desktop operating systems.

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Windows 3.2

In 1994, the Chinese version of Windows 3.2 was released. I believe that many pioneer Windows users in China started to come into contact with the Windows system from this version; because it eliminated the language barrier and lowered the learning threshold, it quickly became popular in the country. stand up.

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Windows 95

The most sensational event in 1995 was the release of Windows 95 in August. At that time, Microsoft launched Windows 95 with a powerful offensive, including the commercial song "Start Me Up" by the Rolling Stones.

Many customers without computers were influenced by the publicity and lined up to buy the software, but they didn't even know what Windows 95 was. Thanks to a strong publicity campaign and the good reputation of Windows 3.2, Windows 95 sold more than one million copies in just 4 days. Excellent multimedia features, user-friendly operation, and beautiful interface made Windows 95 an unprecedented success. The industry also regards the launch of Windows 95 as an important milestone in Microsoft's development.

Windows 95 is a hybrid 16-bit/32-bit Windows system with version number 4.0, released by Microsoft on August 24, 1995.

Windows 95 is a direct successor to Microsoft's previous independent operating system MS-DOS and Windows products. For the first time, support for the previous generation of 16-bit x86 was dropped, so it required Intel's 80386 processor or a compatible faster processor running in safe mode. It features significant improvements to the GUI and underlying workings. It was also the first Windows version to specifically bundle a version of DOS (Microsoft DOS 7.0). In this way, Microsoft can maintain its dominance in the GUI market established by Windows 3. In other words, Windows 95 has a dual role. It brings a more powerful, more stable, and more practical desktop graphical user interface, and also ends the competition among desktop operating systems. (Technically, the Windows GUI could run on DR-DOS, and possibly on PC-DOS—this was not revealed until a few years later in court, when other major players in the DOS market has been withdrawn from the market.) In the market, Windows 95 was an absolute success, and within a year or two of its release, it became the most successful operating system ever.

Windows 95 was launched with a bang, including a commercial version of the Rolling Stones' "Start Me Up." Many customers without computers were influenced by the publicity and lined up to buy the software, but they didn't even know what Windows 95 was.

Windows 95 marked the introduction of a "Start" button and a toolbar on the desktop of a desktop personal computer, which has been retained in all subsequent Windows products.

Later versions of Windows 95 shipped with Internet Explorer 3, and then Internet Explorer 4. When Internet Explorer 4 is integrated into the operating system, it will bring some new features to the system. Internet Explorer is used to provide HTML support for the system's desktop. This is also a focus in Microsoft's antitrust case, because the integration of Explorer crowds out the products of Microsoft's competitor Netscape.

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Windows NT 4.0

In August 1996, Windows NT 4.0 was released, which added many management-related features and was very stable. This version of Windows software is still used by many companies today. In November, Windows CE 1.0 was released; this version is a compressed, efficient, and scalable operating system (OS) designed for various embedded systems and products. Its multi-linear, multi-tasking, full-priority operating system environment is specifically designed for limited resources. This modular design enables embedded system developers and application developers to customize a wide range of products, such as home appliances, specialized industrial controllers and embedded communications equipment. Microsoft's battlefront has moved from desktop systems to the server market, and then to the embedded industry. At this point, the prototype of the Microsoft empire has basically been formed.

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Windows 98

On June 25, 1998, Windows 98 was released; this new system was written based on Windows 95, and it improved support for hardware standards, such as MMX and AGP. Other features include support for the FAT32 file system, multiple monitors, Web TV support and integration of Internet Explorer into the Windows graphical user interface, called Active Desktop. On June 10, 1999, Windows 98 SE was released, providing Internet Explorer 5, Windows Netmeeting 3, Internet Connection Sharing, support for DVD-ROM and USB. Microsoft keenly grasped the coming Internet trend. The bundled Internet Explorer browser eventually sounded the death knell of Netscape a few years later. During the same period, it also faced constant lawsuits because it touched on sensitive areas such as monopoly and illegal competition. win98 is so good that even today, 6 years later, many users still love it.

Windows 98 is a mixed 16-bit/32-bit Windows system released on June 25, 1998, with version number 4.1.

This new system is based on Windows 95 and has improved support for hardware standards such as MMX and AGP. Other features include support for the FAT32 file system, multiple monitors, Web TV support and integration of Internet Explorer into the Windows graphical user interface, called Active Desktop.

Windows 98 SE (Second Edition) was released on June 10, 1999. It includes a series of improvements, such as Internet Explorer 5, Windows Netmeeting 3, Internet Connection Sharing, DVD-ROM and USB support.

Windows 98 has been criticized for not being innovative enough. Even so, it's still a successful product. The second edition was criticized for not being able to freely upgrade from the first edition.

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Windows ME

Some radical improvements in Windows me have not been recognized by the majority of users. The important modification is that DOS is removed from the system and replaced by System Restore. Conceptually, this is a big improvement: users no longer need to have knowledge of arcane DOS line commands to maintain and repair the system. But in fact, the removal of the DOS function is an obstacle to maintenance, and the system restore function also brings some troubles: significant performance reduction, large consumption of hard disk space, and some common error restoration is not necessarily effective.

Windows ME (Windows Millennium Edition) is a 16-bit/32-bit mixed Windows system, released by Microsoft on September 14, 2000. Windows Me is the last DOS-based hybrid 16-bit/32-bit Windows 9X series of Windows, with version number 4.9. Its name has two meanings, one is to commemorate the year 2000, Me means millennium, and the other refers to the personal version, Me means self in English.

This system was developed on the basis of Windows 95 and Windows 98. It includes minor improvements related to, for example, Internet Explorer 5.5.

Chief among these improvements is Windows Media Player 7, which competes with popular media player software RealPlayer. However, both Internet Explorer 5.5 and Windows Media Player 7 can be downloaded for free online. Movie Maker is a new component in this system. This program provides basic video editing and design functions and is simple and easy to learn for home users.

In Windows Me, the most important change is that the system no longer includes real-mode MS-DOS. This means that, unlike Windows 95 and 98, Microsoft hides the process of loading DOS before loading the Windows graphical interface, which reduces the startup time. It still offers a DOS mode and can run in a window, but some applications (such as the older Disk Utility) require real mode and cannot run in a DOS window. Microsoft has abandoned the DOS real mode of Windows Me, which helps improve the speed of the system and reduces the use of system resources. However, this had an adverse effect on Windows Me, which was based on DOS source code, making the system more unstable than Windows 98, and even causing Windows Me to run slower than Windows 98. Windows Me has a blue screen of death more often than Windows 98. After using Windows Me for a period of time, the system becomes obviously very slow.

In addition, Windows Me introduced the "System Restore" log and restore system, which means simplified troubleshooting and problem solving. Conceptually, this is a big improvement: users no longer need to have knowledge of arcane DOS line commands to maintain and repair the system. In fact, the removal of the DOS function is an obstacle to maintenance, and the system restore function also brings some troubles: performance is significantly reduced; it has also proven to be ineffective in some common error restores. Since the system automatically creates a backup of the previous system state every time, it makes it difficult for non-professionals to carry out some much-needed modifications or even remove an unwanted program or virus.

Some people complain that this system is just an upgraded version of Windows 98 and should not become a version on its own. Some people also criticized Windows Me as a relatively failed product and an unstable transitional product. Even so, many people still use it.

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Windows 2000

After the bell of the millennium, Windows NT 5.0 ushered in. In order to commemorate the special new millennium, this operating system was also named Windows 2000. Windows 2000 includes new features such as the new NTFS file system, EFS file encryption, and enhanced hardware support, launching a strong impact on the server market that has been monopolized by Unix systems. In the end, it grabbed a large piece of territory from IBM, HP, and Sun companies.

Microsoft Windows 2000 (originally called Windows NT 5.0) is a pure 32-bit graphics window operating system of the Windows NT series released by Microsoft on December 19, 2000. Windows 2000 is an operating system mainly for business.

Windows 2000 has four versions:

(1) Windows 2000 Professional is the professional version, used for workstations and laptops. Its original name is Windows NT 5.0 Workstation. It can support up to dual processors, a minimum of 64MB of memory, and a maximum of 2GB of memory.

(2)Windows 2000 Server is the server version, oriented to the server field of small businesses. Its original name is Windows NT 5.0 Server.

It can support up to 4 processors, a minimum of 128MB of memory, and a maximum of 4GB of memory.

(3) Windows 2000 Advanced Server is the advanced server version, targeting the server field of large and medium-sized enterprises. Its original name is Windows NT 5.0 Server Enterprise Edition. It can support up to 8 processors, a minimum of 128MB of memory, and a maximum of 8GB of memory.

(4)Windows 2000 Datacenter Server is the data center server version, oriented to the server field of large enterprises or national institutions with the highest level of scalability, availability and reliability. It can support up to 32 processors, a minimum of 256MB of memory, and a maximum of 64GB of memory.

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Windows XP

On October 25, 2001, Windows XP was released. Windows XP is Microsoft's attempt to combine all user requirements into one operating system. Compared with previous Windows desktop systems, the stability has been improved, but the price paid for this is the loss of support for DOS-based programs. XP has been heavily criticized for integrating many software previously provided by third parties into the operating system. These software include firewalls, media players (Windows Media Player), instant messaging software (Windows Messenger), and its close integration with Microsoft Pasport network services, which are considered by many computer experts to be security risks and potential threats to personal privacy. . The addition of these features is seen as a continuation of Microsoft's traditional monopolistic behavior.

Windows XP, or Windows XP, is the latest Windows operating system released by Microsoft. Windows XP was officially released (RTM, Release to Manufacturing) on ??August 24, 2001. Its retail version was launched on October 25, 2001. Windows XP's original codename was Whistler. The letters XP represent the English word "experience". The external version of Windows XP is 2002, the internal version is 5.1 (i.e. Windows NT 5.1), and the official version of Build is 5.1.2600. Microsoft initially released two versions: Professional Edition (Windows XP Professional) and Home Edition (Windows XP Home Edition), and later released Media Center Edition (Media Center Edition) and Tablet PC Edition (Tablet PC Editon).

Windows XP Professional

In addition to all the features of the Home Edition, the Professional Edition also adds new network authentication, dual-processor support and other features designed for business users. Supports 2GB of memory. Mainly used in workstations, high-end PCs, and laptops.

Windows XP Home Edition

The Home Edition is targeted at home users and is used for general personal computers and laptops. Only supports single processor; supports a minimum of 64MB of memory (some functions will be lost under 64MB of memory), and a maximum of 1GB of memory.

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Windows Server 2003

In April 2003, Windows Server 2003 was released; major improvements were made to server-oriented functions such as Active Directory, Group Policy operation and management, and disk management. The perfect support for .net technology further expanded the application of the server. scope.

Windows Server 2003 has four versions: Windows Server 2003 Web Server Edition (Web Edition), Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition (Standard Edition), Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition (Enterprise Edition) and Windows Server 2003 Data Datacenter Edition. Web Edition is mainly designed for web servers (web hosting), while Datacenter is for extremely high-end systems. Standard and Enterprise editions fall somewhere in between.

Windows Server 2003 is Microsoft's latest server operating system.

At first, the product was called "Windows .NET Server", then changed to "Windows .NET Server 2003", and finally changed to "Windows Server 2003", released on March 28, 2003 , and was launched at the end of April of the same year.

Windows Server 2003 comes in multiple editions, each suited to different business needs:

Windows Server 2003 Web Edition

Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition

Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition

Windows Server 2003 Datacenter Edition

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Windows Vista

Windows Vista is the official name of the next version of the Microsoft Windows operating system code-named Longhorn developed by Microsoft Corporation of the United States. It is another important operating system after Windows XP and Windows Server 2003. The system comes with many new features and technologies. At 6 a.m. PST on July 22, 2005, Microsoft officially announced the name.

Beta 1: July 27, 2005

Beta 2: November 16, 2005

RC0: March 17, 2006

RTM: June 28, 2006

Official version: November 2006

Server version: 2007