What version of windows nt is 7. What versions of the Windows operating system are there?

Hello everyone, I’ll say right away that Windows NT is not really a program, it’s the Windows family from Microsoft. The name Windows NT hides the concept of operating systems from Microsoft, not just any specific one, but all systems. Windows is a very popular operating system today, and there is nothing more popular than it. My opinion is that the popularity is due primarily to the fact that worthy alternative no and never will be - it’s stupid to compete with the giant Microsoft now.

But nevertheless, everything is true - you can actually have something that will be called Windows NT, because this name appears in many places. I won’t give exact examples, I don’t remember, but you can easily see this inscription in your Windows.

If you are faced with the question of whether to remove Windows NT software or not, then I will answer this way - it is better not to remove it. Because there may be problems later. Logically, if you think about it, it becomes clear that everything where Windows NT is written, you should uninstall it only when you are absolutely sure of it.

Windows NT was developed in the 1990s, after Microsoft stopped working with IBM (eh, cool laptops they did), together these companies developed OS/2, it was also an operating system that I still don’t understand, but it doesn’t matter. In short, then they started cutting Windows and you know what came out of it - mega cool Windows, one monopoly, no one likes it, but everyone uses it

Yes, there is also Linux, but alas, it is for a narrow circle of users - not at all for those who need something simple and beautiful and uncomplicated. I personally like Windows, although many people didn’t like it for some reason, especially Windows 10, but I don’t see anything crooked in it..

Ancient Windows, once upon a time this was a masterpiece and the ultimate dream:


But compare, this is already seven, that is, Windows 7, many are still sitting on it and are not going to get off:


I was a fan of Windows XP for a long time, even for a very long time, I sat there for a long time - Windows 7 had already come out, and I was hanging out on XP... And so I bought new hardware, it was a 1150 socket, everything was new, but I managed to install Windows XP on it and I I still sat there for about two years. Then Windows 10 came out, and I eventually switched to it. The computer has been working for weeks and everything is fine, there are no glitches and blue screens, no errors. Everything works like clockwork. True, this was almost not the case in XP either. So somehow everyone likes Windows...

I wrote a list where exactly you can notice something like Windows NT:

  1. descriptions of some system files;
  2. Windows settings, system settings, Windows NT can be found everywhere there;
  3. in reference materials for the program or even in instructions for some equipment;
  4. It is unlikely, but it is possible that some kind of virus will affect Windows NT;
  5. in system folders, for example in C:\Windows, there is a bunch of junk, the description of which includes Windows NT;

I completely forgot to write, I can’t say for sure myself, but it seems that there is an operating system itself called Windows NT, here is its boot screen.

Based on the NT (New Technology) kernel, developed by Microsoft Corporation. The system was aimed at corporate users. Windows NT had GUI user and provided the Win32 API - a 32-bit application programming interface for developing new applications that can use all the capabilities of operating systems high level, which include, but are not limited to, multithreaded (or multitasking) processes, synchronization, tamper protection, I/O, and object management. Windows NT could interact with other Microsoft operating systems, with Apple Macintosh, with UNIX-like systems over networks various types. Interaction could occur with both single-processor and multiprocessor computers built using CISC or RISC technologies. Initially, Windows NT developed separately from the Windows 9x family of operating systems and was positioned on the market as a solution for workstations (Windows NT Workstation) and servers (Windows NT Server). Windows NT gave rise to a family of operating systems that includes Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003.

In November 1988, a joint project between IBM and Microsoft began to create operating system a new generation - OS/2 NT, which could run programs written for both Windows and OS/2, and was supposed to be a replacement for both systems. But in May 1990, Windows 3.0 was released, which brought Microsoft commercial success, and the company decided to make software interface(API) Windows main in OS/2 NT. This caused dissatisfaction with IBM, which was promoting the OS/2 API. As a result, the contract was terminated, and the companies began to develop the existing common code on their own. The result of IBM's development was OS/2 3.0, and Microsoft's was Windows NT, which appeared in August 1993. Subsequently, it was assigned the number 3.1 to correspond to Windows 3.1, which was released a little earlier. The new system was distinguished from Windows 3.1 by the following features:

  • 32-bit. New system could use all the capabilities of 32-bit processors, including running 32-bit programs and addressing large amounts of memory (up to 4 gigabytes);
  • preemptive multitasking. The operating system did not wait until the process itself wanted to free the processor, but forcibly removed it from execution after it had used up the time allotted to it;
  • lack of MS-DOS. Windows NT 3.1 was an independent operating system and had its own boot loader. When shutting down, the system did not exit to MS-DOS, but suggested turning off or restarting the computer;
  • UNICODE support. It was the first operating system to support UNICODE internally;
  • multiplatform. Windows NT ran not only on 32-bit x86 processors, but also on 64-bit MIPS R4000 and DEC Alpha 21064;
  • support for 16-bit OS/2 programs. Microsoft retained some rights to the OS/2 code, so this and all subsequent versions of Windows NT could run such programs;
  • Compatible with POSIX 1.0 applications at the source code level;
  • support for symmetric multiprocessing (up to 16 processors);
  • support for file systems: native NTFS and HPFS, inherited from OS/2. In both systems, unlike FAT, it was possible to use long file names, up to 255 characters;
  • improved networking capabilities. In addition to the supported NetBEUI and IPX protocols, SMB, TCP/IP and SNMP have been added;
  • tree registry editor in which all system settings were stored.

Windows NT 3.1 had the same user interface as Windows 3.1 and came in two editions - Windows NT and Windows NT Advanced Server. Subsequently, three service packs were released for this system, and in September 1994, a new version- 3.5. Compatibility with NetWare networks, support for long file names in FAT, support for OpenGL API, improved operation of 16-bit programs for Windows and MS-DOS (each now working in its own address space) were added. Like its predecessor, it was published in two editions - Windows NT Workstation and Windows NT Server. In May 1995, Windows NT 3.51 appeared. Differences from previous version were minor: the installer with a new graphical interface, a new reference system with content and support for PowerPC processors. Three Service Packs were released for NT 3.5, and five for 3.51.

Along with the release of NT 3.51, the Shell Technology Preview package appeared, providing new interface from the Start menu. This interface was implemented by default in Windows 95 two months later, and in August 1996 in Windows NT 4.0. In addition to the new interface, the fourth version of the system featured improved network capabilities (included in the standard package) Internet Explorer 2.0, IIS and DNS server, multi-protocol routing support), new DCOM technology and a large number editorial staff In addition to Workstation and Server, a version was released in 1997 Server Enterprise Edition with improved scalability and limited support for clusters, and in 1998 - Terminal Server with the ability remote connection users. In addition, a special version for embedded systems was developed - Windows NT 4.0 Embedded. 7 Service Packs were released for NT 4.0, latest version was called 6.0a.

In September 1997 and August 1998, two beta versions of the operating system were released Windows systems NT 5.0, and in October 1998 it was renamed Windows 2000. The release of this system took place in February 2000. New features included: directory service Active Directory, Plug&Play technology support and file system FAT32, new versions network programs(IE 5.0 and IIS 5.0), improved encryption capabilities (including Encrypted File System support), built-in remote administration tools. Unlike NT 4.0, Windows 2000 ran only on the IA-32 architecture, and was released in four editions: Professional, Server, Advanced Server and Datacenter Server. Service Pack 4 was released for Windows 2000, and in August 2001 a 64-bit version of Advanced Server for Itanium processors appeared.

A new version of NT 5.1 appeared in October 2001 under the name Windows XP and was a development of Windows 2000 Professional. The main changes were an improved user interface, faster user switching, improved remote administration, system recovery function and driver installation rollback. The system received two update packages and was released in the following editions:

  • Professional (basic version);
  • Home (with truncated network capabilities);
  • Media Center Edition (with additional multimedia applications);
  • Starter Edition (highly limited, no online features);
  • 64-bit Edition (for Itanium processors);
  • x64 Edition (for processors with AMD64 or EM64T extensions);
  • N (without Windows Media Player);
  • Tablet PC Edition (for tablet computers);
  • Embedded (for embedded systems).

In April 2003, a server variation of Windows XP was released, called Windows Server 2003 and having an internal version of 5.2. Differences from Windows XP: the .NET platform and the IIS 6.0 web server included in the installation, improvements in the Active Directory service, a built-in firewall, an expanded set of utilities for system administration. The system was released in four editions: Web Edition, Standard Edition, Enterprise Edition and Datacenter Edition. The last three of them were also released in versions for 64-bit x86 processors, and Enterprise and Datacenter also for Itanium. In 2005, two updates appeared, Service Pack 1 and R2.

At the end of 1988, Microsoft appointed David Cutler to lead a new project in the field of software: Create a new Microsoft operating system for the 1990s. He assembled a team of engineers to develop the system new technology(New Technology - NT).

The original plan was to develop NT with OS/2-style user interfaces and application programming (API) interfaces, but OS/2 sold poorly and Windows 3.0 was a major and ongoing success in the marketplace. After seeing the market pressures and the challenges associated with developing and supporting two incompatible systems, Microsoft decided to change course and direct its engineers toward a single, cohesive operating system strategy. This strategy was to develop a family of Windows-based operating systems that would cover many types of computers, from the smallest laptops to the largest multiprocessor workstations. Thus, the next generation of Windows systems was called Windows NT.

Windows NT supports the Windows graphical user interface (GUI) and is also the first to be based on Windows operating system a Microsoft system that supports Win32 API, a 32-bit programming interface for developing new applications. The Win32 API makes available to applications advanced operating system features such as multi-threaded processes, synchronization, security, I/O, and object management.

In July 1993, the first operating systems of the NT family appeared - Windows NT 3.1 and Windows NT Advanced Server 3.1.

Versions

  • Windows NT 3.1 (July 27, 1993)
  • Windows NT 3.5 (September 21, 1994)
  • Windows NT 3.51 (May 30, 1995)
  • Windows NT 4.0 (August 24, 1996)
  • Windows 2000 (February 17, 2000)
  • Windows XP (October 25, 2001)
  • Windows XP 64-bit Edition (March 28, 2003)
  • Windows Server 2003 (April 25, 2003)
  • Windows XP Media Center Edition 2003 (December 18, 2003)
  • Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 (October 12, 2004)
  • Windows XP Professional x64 Edition (April 25, 2005)
  • Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs (July 8, 2006)
  • Windows Vista (November 30, 2006)
  • Windows Home Server (November 7, 2007)
  • Windows Server 2008 (February 27, 2008)

Windows NT Structure

Structurally, Windows NT can be represented in two parts: a part of the operating system that runs in user mode, and a part of the operating system that runs in kernel mode.

The part of Windows NT that runs in kernel mode is called the executive part. It includes a number of components that control virtual memory, objects (resources), I/O and file system (including network drivers), process interaction and partly the security system. These components interact with each other using intermodular communication. Each component calls the others using a set of carefully specified internal procedures.

The second part of Windows NT, operating in user mode, consists of servers - the so-called protected subsystems. Since subsystems cannot automatically share memory, they communicate with each other by sending messages. Messages can be transmitted both between a client and a server, and between two servers. All messages pass through the Windows NT executive. The Windows NT kernel schedules threads in protected subsystems in the same way as threads in regular application processes.

Support for protected subsystems is provided by the executive part. Her components are:

  • Object manager. Creates, deletes, and manages runtime objects—abstract data types used to represent system resources.
  • Security monitor. Establishes protection rules for local computer. Protects operating system resources, protects and registers executable objects.
  • Process manager. Creates and terminates, suspends and resumes processes and threads, and also stores information about them.

Virtual memory manager.

  • I/O subsystem. Includes the following components:
    • an I/O manager that provides device-independent I/O facilities;
    • file systems - NT drivers that perform file-oriented I/O requests and translate them into calls to ordinary devices;
    • network redirector and network server - file system drivers that transmit remote I/O requests to network machines and receive requests from them;
    • executive device drivers - low-level drivers that directly control the device;
    • a cache manager that implements disk caching.

The execution part, in turn, relies on lower-level services provided by the NT kernel. Kernel functions include:

  • process planning,
  • handling interrupts and exceptions,
  • processor synchronization for multiprocessor systems,
  • system recovery after failures.

The kernel runs in privileged mode and is never removed from memory. The kernel can only be accessed through an interrupt.

Windows NT protected subsystems run in user mode and are created by Windows NT when the operating system boots. Immediately after creation they begin endless cycle their execution by responding to messages coming to them from application processes and other subsystems. Among the protected subsystems, a subclass can be distinguished called environmental subsystems. Environment subsystems implement operating system application interfaces (APIs). Other types of subsystems, called integral subsystems, perform tasks required by the operating system. For example, most of the system Windows security NT is implemented as an integral subsystem, network servers are also implemented as integral subsystems.

The most important subsystem of the environment is Win32, the subsystem that provides application access to the 32-bit Windows API. Additionally, this system provides a graphical interface and manages user input/output.

Each protected subsystem operates in user mode, calling the execution system service to perform privileged actions in kernel mode. Network servers can run in either user mode or kernel mode, depending on how they are designed.

Subsystems communicate with each other by passing messages. When, for example, a user application calls some API procedure, the environment subsystem providing this procedure receives the message and executes it either by accessing the kernel or by sending a message to another subsystem. After the procedure completes, the environment subsystem sends a message to the application containing the return value. Sending messages and other activities of protected subsystems is invisible to the user.

The main tool that holds all Windows NT subsystems together is the Local Procedure Call (LPC) mechanism. LPC is an optimized version of a more general remote procedure call (RPC) tool that is used to communicate between clients and servers located on different cars networks.

WindowsNT

Windows NT is a line of operating systems (OS) produced by Microsoft Corporation and the name of the first versions of the OS.

Windows NT was developed after the end of collaboration between Microsoft and IBM on OS/2, and developed separately from other operating systems Windows family(Windows 3.x and Windows 9x) and, unlike them, was positioned as a reliable solution for workstations (Windows NT Workstation) and servers (Windows NT Server). Windows NT gave rise to a family of operating systems that includes: Windows NT itself, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows 8, Windows Server 2012

Architectural modulesWindowsNT

The Windows NT architecture is modular and consists of two main layers - user-mode components and kernel-mode components. Programs and subsystems running in user mode have restrictions on access to system resources. Kernel mode has unrestricted access to system memory and external devices. The NT system kernel is called a hybrid kernel or macrokernel. The architecture includes the kernel itself, the hardware abstraction layer (HAL), drivers and a number of services (Executives) that operate in kernel mode (Kernel-mode drivers) or in user mode (User-mode drivers).

Custom Windows mode NT consists of subsystems that pass I/O requests to the appropriate kernel mode driver via an I/O manager. There are two subsystems at the user level: the environment subsystem (runs applications written for different operating systems) and the integrated subsystem (manages special system functions on behalf of the environment subsystem). Kernel mode has full access to the computer's hardware and system resources. And it also prevents access to critical areas of the system by user services and applications.

Differences between Windows 2000 and NT 4.0

Some of the most significant improvements in Windows 2000 over Windows NT 4.0 are:

Service support Active directories Directory. The Active Directory server side comes with Server, Advanced Server, and Datacenter Server editions, while full client-side service support is provided by the Professional edition.

Internet Information Services version 5.0. Compared to IIS 4.0, this version includes, among other things, version 3.0 of the ASP web programming system.

File NTFS system version 3.0 (also called NTFS 5.0 according to the internal version of Windows 2000 - NT 5.0). In this version of NTFS, support for quotas appeared for the first time, that is, restrictions on the maximum volume of stored files for each user.

Updated user interface including Internet-based Active Desktop Explorer versions 5 and thus similar to the Windows 98 interface. The color scheme has been redesigned.

Language integration: Previous versions of Windows came in three flavors - European languages ​​(single-byte characters, left-to-right only), Far Eastern languages ​​(multi-byte characters), and Middle Eastern languages ​​(right-to-left with contextual letter variations). Windows 2000 combines these capabilities; all its localized versions are made on a single basis.

EFS encrypted file system, which can be used to encrypt files and folders.

Key FeaturesWindowsXP

operating system Microsoft Windows XP is based on NT technology and is a direct successor to Windows 2000. However, all the best innovations included in Windows Me can be found in Windows XP. While maintaining high levels of reliability, security and performance, the system has become easier to learn, and many tools have appeared in it designed for individual home users.

The system is available in several versions, tailored to different application features. Microsoft version Windows XP Home Edition is intended for individual users, most often working on home computer. In this version, special emphasis is placed on working with drawings, audio and video. The Microsoft Windows XP Professional version is intended, as the name suggests, for professionals. This version is most commonly used in organizations. If you do complex work at home, such as creating and editing images, modeling and design, or any other complex work, then this version is suitable for your home computer. The Microsoft Windows XP Server version is intended for installation on a server - a powerful computer that allows multiple users to work on a computer network. Work in local networks is beyond the scope of this book, so we will not consider the server version. The book describes the main version of the operating system - Windows XP Professional. The version of Windows XP Home Edition is practically no different from it. Any minor differences will be specifically noted.

It should be noted that to work effectively with the Windows XP operating system, you need a fairly powerful modern computer. First of all, your computer must have at least 128 megabytes of memory installed. It is better to install 256 megabytes to make the system run faster. Any processor can be used, but not too old. If clock frequency processor of at least 300 megahertz, then it will do. Although it is better, of course, to use a processor with a frequency of more than one gigahertz. HDD must accommodate not only operating system files and temporary files, but also have enough free space, for example, to create a CD image before burning it. In reality, a disk size of at least two to three gigabytes is required. And if you consider that you need to install other programs on the disk and leave space for various documents, then a 10 gigabyte disk cannot be called too large.

In the version of Windows XP, the appearance of the system has changed greatly. Buttons, icons, panels now look a little different. Even the main thing Windows menu has changed. The interface changes are the most significant since the transition from Windows 3.1 to Windows 95. However, it is possible to use the old interface if you are used to it. Of particular note is the operation of programs in compatibility mode with previous versions of Windows. You can work with a program that is written for Windows 95, and does not work in Windows 2000. All versions of Windows XP have many innovations. A much wider variety of devices are supported. The system allows you to easily and conveniently process videos, photographs, drawings, music and songs. Now with using Windows Anyone can build XP home network based on two or three computers, providing sharing of files, folders, printer, fax and Internet access.

When working with Windows XP, you don't need to install additional programs to burn information to recordable and rewritable CDs. You can burn a CD directly from Windows Explorer. By the way, the conductor has changed a lot. In addition to support for compressed folders, special folders for storing pictures, music and videos, a panel has been added with commands, the composition of which changes depending on the actions you perform.

A useful component of the system is the video editor. Now you can perform professional non-linear editing of your amateur films. It has become much easier to work with digital cameras and scanners. You don't need any additional software to enter a photo into your computer, slightly transform it, and print it out. The universal audio and video player now supports more formats and allows you to change your appearance. You can create it yourself sound files in the popular MP3 format. The universal player also supports digital video disc (DVD) playback, allowing you to enjoy the highest quality picture and sound when watching today's movies. For entertainment, Windows XP includes several new games, some of which allow you to play online.

System security has also been significantly improved. Now, if you accidentally delete important system files, they will be automatically restored. It is possible to restore the system to an earlier state after installing new programs and equipment. Improved support for Plug & Play technology allows you to connect many modern household appliances to your computer.

Tools for working with the Internet have also received further development. The help system has been significantly redesigned and the security system has been improved. Numerous changes have affected the means of administration and management of the work of many users on a local computer network.

There are many other innovations in the system that you will learn about as you read the book and get to know Windows XP. However, before you start working with the system, we recommend that you become familiar with the basic concepts used in Windows XP. If you are familiar with previous versions of Windows, most of the concepts will be familiar to you.

WindowsVista

Windows Vista is an operating system in the Microsoft Windows NT family, a line of operating systems used on consumer personal computers. At the development stage, this operating system was codenamed “Longhorn”.

In the Windows NT product line, Windows Vista is version 6.0 (Windows 2000 - 5.0, Windows XP - 5.1, Windows Server 2003 - 5.2). The abbreviation "WinVI" is sometimes used to refer to "Windows Vista", which combines the name "Vista" and the version number written in Roman numerals.

Windows Vista, like Windows XP, is a client-only system. Microsoft also released a server version of Windows Vista - Windows Server 2008.

On November 30, 2006, Microsoft officially released Windows Vista and Office 2007 for enterprise customers. On January 30, 2007, sales of the system began in the CIS for ordinary users.

According to web analytics from W3Schools, as of October 2012, Windows Vista's market share is ▼ 3.0%; this value peaked at 18.6% in October 2009.

Windows 7

Windows 7 is an operating system in the Windows NT family, following Windows Vista. The next system after Windows 7 in the Windows 8 line. In the Windows NT line, the system has version number 6.1 (Windows 2000 - 5.0, Windows XP - 5.1, Windows Server 2003 - 5.2, Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 - 6.0). The server version is Windows Server 2008 R2, the version for integrated systems (built from Windows components) - Windows Embedded Standard 2011 (Quebec), mobile - Windows Embedded Compact 2011 (Chelan, Windows CE 7.0).

The operating system went on sale on October 22, 2009, less than three years after the release of the previous operating system, Windows Vista. Partners and clients with a Volume Licensing license were granted access to RTM on July 24, 2009. The original installation images of the final version of the system have been available on the Internet since July 21, 2009.

According to web analytics from W3Schools (English), as of October 2012, the share of Windows 7 among the operating systems used in the world for accessing the Internet was ▲ 56.8%. By this criterion, it is in first place, surpassing the previous leader - Windows XP - in August 2011.

File systemNTFS

NTFS (from the English New Technology File System - “new technology file system”) is the standard file system for the operating system family Microsoft systems Windows NT.

The HPFS file system was first used for the OS/2 1.2 operating system to provide access to the large disk drives that were appearing on the market at the time. In addition, there is a need to expand the existing naming system, improve organization and security to meet the growing needs of the network server market. The HPFS file system supports the FAT directory structure and adds sorting of files by name. The file name can contain up to 254 double-byte characters. A file consists of "data" and special attributes, which creates additional opportunities to support other types of file names and improve security. In addition, the smallest block for storing data is now equal to the size of the physical sector (512 bytes), which reduces wastage of disk space.

NTFS replaced that used in MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows file FAT system. NTFS supports a metadata system and uses specialized data structures to store file information to improve performance, reliability, and disk space efficiency. NTFS stores information about files in the Master File Table (MFT). NTFS has built-in capabilities to limit access to data for different users and user groups (Access Control Lists (ACLs)), as well as assign quotas (restrictions on the maximum amount of disk space occupied by certain users). NTFS uses the USN journaling system to improve file system reliability.

NTFS is developed on the basis of the HPFS file system (High Performance File System), created by Microsoft together with IBM for the OS/2 operating system. But, having received such undoubtedly useful innovations as quotas, logging, access control and auditing, it has largely lost [source not specified 242 days] the very high performance of file operations inherent in its ancestor (HPFS).

There are several versions of NTFS: v1.2 is used in Windows NT 3.51 and Windows NT 4.0, v3.0 comes with Windows 2000, v3.1 comes with Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2.

File system specifications are proprietary. This creates certain difficulties when implementing its support in third-party products that do not belong to Microsoft - in particular, developers of drivers for free operating systems have to reverse engineer the system.

HPFS file system directory entries contain more information than FAT. Along with file attributes, information about creation and modification, as well as the date and time of access, is stored here. HPFS file system directory entries point to FNODE rather than to the first cluster of the file. FNODE may contain file data, pointers to file data, or other structures pointing to file data. HPFS tries to place file data in contiguous sectors whenever possible. This results in increased speed of sequential file processing. HPFS divides the disk into blocks of 8 MB each and always tries to write a file within the same block. For each block, 2 KB is reserved for the allocation table, which contains information about the written and free sectors within the block. Blocking leads to improved performance because the disk head must return not to the logical beginning of the disk (usually cylinder zero) but to the allocation table of the nearest block to determine where to save the file. Additionally, the HPFS file system contains two unique data objects.

In this article we will look at the types of Windows NT operating systems. Windows NT is not Windows2000 or anything else. This is a series, or rather a platform, on the basis of which OS development is carried out. Almost the entire Windows family is based on this platform. In addition to NT, there is also the 9x platform, which includes Windows95, Windows98 and WindowsME.

Due to the fact that there were concerns about the incorrect operation of programs written taking into account older versions of the OS, the 10th version of the operating system was released immediately after the eighth. Otherwise, version 9 could be interpreted by the program as an operating system of the 9 series. Details about what NT is are in this article.

Windows NT(colloquially simply NT) is a line of operating systems (OS) produced by Microsoft Corporation and the name of the first versions of the OS. Windows NT was developed after the end of collaboration between Microsoft and IBM on OS/2, and developed separately from other operating systems of the Windows family (Windows 3.x and Windows 9x).

Unlike Windows 3.x and Windows 9x, Windows NT was positioned as a reliable solution for workstations (Windows NT Workstation) and servers (Windows NT Server). Windows NT gave rise to a family of operating systems, which includes: Windows NT itself, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows 7, Windows 8. Information from the article Windows NT, Wikipedia.

Windows OS name

NT version number

Windows NT 4.0 4.0.1381
5.0.2195
Windows XP 5.1.2600
6.0.6000
Windows 7 6.1.7600

The number that comes after the letters NT- this is the serial number of the development of an NT-based OS. Now Windows7 (Windows NT6.1) is being released, the seventh development based on NT. Vista - NT6.0, XP - NT5.1, Windows2000 - NT5.0. Win2K is simply a physical interpretation of the number (2K=2000). Windows NT- this is a whole family of OS. You often encounter this when downloading installation and configuration guides or device drivers.

Since Windows95, the operating system interface has not fundamentally changed much. Of course, it has become better, more sophisticated and more convenient, and many new functions have appeared. But a person who worked on Windows 2000 will quite easily get used to subsequent versions of the Windows OS (if we talk about the system interface as a whole). Technically, systems differ from each other, and methods for solving user problems on different systems also differ.

In general, if we describe this OS family, we can say that the history of the Windows OS is divided into 2 parts - before the release of Windows Vista and after. Microsoft developers did not introduce anything fundamentally new (except for visual effects) into the interface of this version of their OS, but the core of the system was completely rewritten.

Due to the new kernel, compatibility with older programs (the development of which stopped before the release of Vista) and drivers for older devices was lost. This largely explains the notoriety and unpopularity of this version of Windows. In Windows7, the developers took into account the errors; software and hardware manufacturers already had the opportunity to release software and hardware taking into account the new OS requirements, but most old programs and old hardware are no longer supported by this operating system.

Windows version compatibility

To get out of the situation (many industrial programs do not work in Windows7), in the versions of Windows7 Professional, Enterprise and Ultimate it is possible to run programs from under XP-Mode. XP-Mode is virtual machine and an image of a licensed WindowsXP. Is it true graphic capabilities emulations are at the level of S3 Trio64 without 3D support, that is, the bare minimum.

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