XP is the version of Windows that came before Vista, 7, 8, and 10. It was designed to update the user interface and add new features.
During installation you will be asked if you want to create a partition or install on an existing one. It is recommended that you choose NTFS as the file system, which offers better security and support for large files.
Features
The Windows XP operating system includes a wide range of enhancements compared to the older Microsoft systems such as Windows 2000 and Windows Me. These include a more user-friendly interface for security permissions; the ability to search files that have been categorised into “Documents” or “Pictures, music and video”.
New APIs allow applications to preserve original short file names and to retrieve a list of mount points (drive letters and mounted folder paths) for a specified volume. The valid data length of files can also be set without force-writing zeroes up to the maximum value.
Input devices are able to use ClearType sub-pixel font anti-aliasing which makes onscreen text smoother and more readable on LCD/TFT-based screens but does reduce performance. The Windows XP kernel uses protected memory to prevent an unstable program from crashing a perfectly functioning application or even the entire operating system. Windows XP also supports a larger system virtual address space of up to 1.3 GB beyond which large pages are enabled for improved memory translation speed.
Installation
Windows XP is the first version of Microsoft’s operating system to use the Windows NT kernel, and was designed for both consumer and business markets. It also introduced product activation, which helped combat software piracy. Developed in the late 1990s and code-named “Neptune”, it was a significant advance over previous versions of the OS such as MS-DOS and Windows 95.
Multiple users can access a single computer running XP by creating their own computer accounts. Each account tracks the user’s personal settings and documents. In addition, the XP system allows for quick switching between different users by clicking the Start menu and selecting Switch User or Log Off.
The minimum requirements for XP include a 233 megahertz processor and 256 megabytes of memory, though Microsoft recommends a much higher configuration. Additionally, XP enables you to connect remotely to another XP computer via Remote Desktop. This feature helps you to provide assistance or troubleshoot. The XP system supports various audio and video formats.
Compatibility
While newer versions of Windows require more computing power to operate, many users are unwilling or unable to upgrade and continue to use XP. This is often due to older hardware that only works with XP, or other applications that do not run correctly on later operating systems.
To make XP compatible with older software, it uses’shared system’ folders to store commonly used files that are shared between all programs, and ‘private assemblies’ that are stored in each program’s own folder. This prevents a newer version of a common file overwriting an older one, causing other applications to fail or even Windows itself to crash.
Some programs may still experience problems if they have been incorrectly set to compatibility mode. Symptoms of this can include unresponsive mouse pointers, USB errors and complete software lockups. These issues can usually be resolved by right-clicking on the application’s main EXE file (or, more easily, its shortcut in the Start menu or desktop) and selecting Properties. The ‘Compatibility’ tab includes the option to enable or disable the ‘Run this program in Compatibility Mode’ tick box.
Security
Despite Microsoft ending support for the operating system in April, there are still many computers out there running windows xp. The operating system is an easy target for hackers, who exploit the weaknesses and holes in the software to access private information.
One of the most common ways attackers get into windows xp systems is through phishing attacks, where they send URLs of malicious sites to users. Attackers also use email and instant messaging to send malware files and attachments to xp computers.
For organizations that must keep a Windows XP system for business-critical applications, the ESET Security Team has published a white paper on securing XP. Some steps recommended in the paper include using a dummy administrative account with no privileges, and deploying privilege management software. Also, never assign the “Everyone” group permission to file shares or printers, and make sure to set up auditing so that you can see when something is tampered with.