Windows
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Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems created by Microsoft. The first version was released on November 20, 1985. Currently, Windows 10 is one of the most popular operating systems around the world.
Because of its heavy usage around the world, and since pretty much everyone knows how to use it, Windows is a popular choice for use with hosting a VM on CollabVM.
Versions
Keep in mind that this list is sorted chronologically and not by codebase as you would expect. You can fix that by clicking the sort button on the "Codebase" column.
| Version | Type | GA [1] | End of support | Codebase | Architectures | Codename | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Windows 1.01 |
Consumer | 11/20/1985 | 12/31/2001 | 1.x/2.x | 16-bit | Interface Manager
|
The very first Windows release. Longest supported version of Windows at 16 years. |
| Windows 1.02 |
Consumer | 05/14/1986 | 12/31/2001 | 1.x/2.x | 16-bit | None
|
Adds international keyboards |
| Windows 1.03 |
Consumer | 08/21/1986 | 12/31/2001 | 1.x/2.x | 16-bit | None
|
Updates some programs |
| Windows 1.04 |
Consumer | 04/10/1987 | 12/31/2001 | 1.x/2.x | 16-bit | None
|
Minor changes and bug fixes. First version to support VGA and PS/2 Mouse. Template:Shititation needed |
| Windows 2.03 |
Consumer | 12/09/1987 | 12/31/2001 | 1.x/2.x | 16-bit | None
|
First version to have tiled windows. Last version to run off a floppy. |
| Windows 2.1 |
Consumer | 05/27/1988 | 12/31/2001 | 1.x/2.x | 16-bit | None
|
Designed to take advantage of Intel HMA |
| Windows 2.11 |
Consumer | 03/13/1989 | 12/31/2001 | 1.x/2.x | 16-bit | None
|
First version to add support for AppleTalk, as well as some minor changes to memory management and updates to the printing stack. |
| Windows 3.0 |
Consumer | 05/22/1990 | 12/31/2001 | 3.x | 16-bit | None
|
First widely-used version of Windows, sound support could be added thru the MME upgrade. |
 Windows 3.1 |
Consumer | 04/06/1992 | 12/31/2001 | 3.x | 16-bit | Janus
|
First version to be distributed on CD-ROM (Template:Shititation needed), sound support was included in this release. |
| Windows NT 3.1 |
Business | 07/27/1993 | 12/31/2000 | NT | x86, Alpha, MIPS | Razzle
|
First version of Windows NT. |
| Windows Cairo |
Business | Unreleased | Unreleased | NT | x86 | Cairo
|
Unreleased version of Windows with a early Windows NT 4.0 Explorer. |
| Windows 3.11 |
Consumer | 11/08/1993 | 12/31/2001 | 3.x | 16-bit | None
|
No comment. |
| Windows 3.2 |
Consumer (China) | 11/22/1993 | 12/31/2001 | 3.x | 16-bit | None
|
Only in Simplified Chinese. Final version of Windows to be 16-bit. |
| Windows NT 3.5 |
Business | 09/21/1994 | 12/31/2001 | NT | x86, Alpha, MIPS, PowerPC | Daytona
|
Another version of Windows with a early Windows NT 4.0 Explorer. This time you get it with the NewShell update. |
| Windows NT 3.51 |
Business | 05/30/1995 | 12/31/2001 | NT | x86, Alpha, MIPS, PowerPC | Daytona
|
Final version of Windows to include a 3.1-style GUI. |
 Windows 95 |
Consumer | 08/24/1995 | 12/31/2001 | 9x | 16-bit/x86 | Chicago
|
First version to include the taskbar, start menu, and Explorer. |
| Windows 96 |
Consumer | Unreleased | Unreleased | 9x | 16-bit/x86 | Nashville
|
This is the unreleased version of Windows that first introduced IE Shell integration. |
| Windows NT 4.0 |
Business | 08/24/1996 | 06/30/2004 | NT | x86, Alpha, MIPS, PowerPC | Shell Update Release
|
Final version of Windows to support MIPS, PowerPC, and Alpha. MIPS and PowerPC were dropped early on. |
 Windows CE 1.0 |
Embedded | 11/16/1996 | 12/31/2001 | CE | x86, ARM, MIPS, SuperH | Pegasus, Alder
|
Possibly the first Windows Phone entry. It's a portable PC and it also powered the Sega Dreamcast. |
| Windows CE 2.0 |
Embedded | 09/29/1997 | 09/30/2005 | CE | x86, ARM, MIPS, SuperH | Jupiter, Birch
|
Another Windows Phone release, but it has a Windows 98 style UI. |
| Windows 98 |
Consumer | 06/25/1998 | 07/11/2006 | 9x | x86 | Memphis
|
First version of Windows to include Disk Cleanup, Windows Update, multi-monitor support, and the infamous IE shell. |
| Windows 98 SE |
Consumer | 05/05/1999 | 07/11/2006 | 9x | x86 | None
|
Slightly improved version of Windows 98 that isn't as bad. Still has the IE shell though. |
| Windows 2000 |
Business | 02/17/2000 | 07/13/2010 | NT | x86 | Windows NT 5.0
|
Support for the Alpha architecture was dropped right before release. Final version to support the 486. |
| Windows Neptune |
Consumer | Unreleased | Unreleased | NT | x86 | Neptune
|
First version to include the logon screen. |
| Windows Odyssey |
Business | Unreleased | Unreleased | NT | x86 (presumably) | Odyssey
|
Windows Neptune for businesses. |
| Pocket PC 2000 |
Mobile | 04/19/2000 | 09/10/2007 | CE | ARM | Rapier
|
No comment. |
| Windows CE 3.0 |
Embedded | 06/15/2000 | 10/09/2007 | CE | x86, ARM, MIPS, SuperH | Cedar
|
Yet another Phone release. |
| Windows ME |
Consumer | 09/14/2000 | 07/11/2006 | 9x | x86 | Millennium
|
Final version to be based around MS-DOS. Introduced Windows Movie Maker. |
 Pocket PC 2002 |
Mobile | 10/04/2001 | 10/14/2008 | CE | ARM | Merlin
|
Pocket PC 2000 with a different UI. |
| Windows XP |
Consumer | 10/25/2001 | 04/08/2014 | NT | x86, amd64, Itanium |  Whistler
|
First commercial version to not be based around MS-DOS. First version to include ClearType and fast-user switching. Technically the longest supported version of Windows if POSReady 2009 is counted. |
| Windows CE 4.0 |
Embedded | 01/07/2002 | 07/10/2012 | CE | x86, ARM, MIPS, SuperH | Talisker
|
Windows CE 3.0 but with a Windows XP style UI. |
| Windows XP MCE |
Consumer | 10/29/2002 | 04/08/2014 | NT | x86 | Freestyle
|
No comment. |
| Windows Server 2003 |
Business | 04/24/2003 | 07/14/2015 | NT | x86, amd64, Itanium | Whistler Server
|
No comment. |
| Windows Mobile 2003 |
Mobile | 06/23/2003 | 07/08/2014 | CE | ARM | Ozone
|
No comment. |
| Windows Mobile 2003 R2 |
Mobile | 03/24/2004 | 07/08/2014 | CE | ARM | None
|
No comment. |
| Windows CE 5.0 |
Embedded | 07/09/2004 | 10/14/2014 | CE | x86, ARM, MIPS, SuperH | Macallan
|
No comment. |
| Windows Mobile 5.0 |
Mobile | 05/09/2005 | 10/13/2015 | CE | ARM | Magneto
|
No comment. |
| Windows Server 2003 R2 |
Business | 12/06/2005 | 07/14/2015 | NT | x86, amd64, Itanium | None
|
No comment. |
| Windows FLP |
Business | 07/08/2006 | 04/08/2014 | NT | x86 | Eiger |
No comment. |
| Windows CE 6.0 |
Embedded | 11/01/2006 | 04/10/2018 | CE | x86, ARM, MIPS, SuperH | Yamazaki
|
No comment. |
 Windows Vista |
Consumer | 01/30/2007 | 04/11/2017 | NT | x86, amd64 |  Longhorn
|
First version to include "Aero", Flip 3D, and many other tools. |
| Windows Mobile 6.0 |
Mobile | 02/12/2007 | 01/08/2013 | CE | ARM | Crossbow
|
No comment. |
| Windows Server 2008 |
Business | 02/27/2008 | 01/14/2020 -- 01/10/2023 (paid updates) | NT | x86, amd64, Itanium | Longhorn Server
|
Final version of Windows Server to support x86. Final version to support the classic Start Menu. |
| Windows Mobile 6.1 |
Mobile | 04/01/2008 | 01/08/2013 | CE | ARM | None
|
No comment. |
| Windows Embedded POSReady 2009 |
Embedded | 12/09/2008 | 04/09/2019 | NT | x86 | None
|
XP-based Embedded OS released in late 2008. Notable for outlasting XP's EOL by nearly 4 years. |
| Windows Mobile 6.5 |
Mobile | 05/11/2009 | 01/08/2013 | CE | ARM | None
|
No comment. |
| Windows 7 |
Consumer | 10/22/2009 | 01/14/2020 -- 01/10/2023 (paid updates) | NT | x86, amd64 | Windows 7
|
First version to include the "Superbar", Task Progress, and Direct3D 11. Final version to support the classic theme. |
| Windows Server 2008 R2 |
Business | 10/22/2009 | 01/14/2020 -- 01/10/2023 (paid updates) | NT | x86, amd64, Itanium | Server 7
|
Final version of Windows to support the Itanium processor. |
| Windows Phone 7 |
Mobile | 10/21/2010 | 10/14/2014 | CE | ARM | None
|
No comment. |
| Windows EC 7 |
Embedded | 03/01/2011 | 04/13/2021 | CE | x86, ARM, MIPS | Chelan
|
No comment. |
| Windows Phone 7.5 |
Mobile | 09/27/2011 | 10/14/2014 | CE | ARM | Mango
|
No comment. |
 Windows Server 2012 |
Business | 09/04/2012 | 10/10/2023 -- 10/13/2026 (paid updates) | NT | amd64 |  Server 8
|
First version of Windows Server without the classic theme. |
 Windows 8 |
Consumer | 10/26/2012 | 01/12/2016 | NT | x86, amd64 | Windows 8
|
First and only version since Windows 95 to not have a start button. First version to have the Windows Store. |
| Windows RT 8 |
Consumer | 10/26/2012 | 01/12/2016 | NT | ARM | Blue
|
No comment. |
| Windows Phone 7.8 |
Mobile | 10/29/2012 | 10/14/2014 | CE | ARM | None
|
No comment. |
| Windows Phone 8 |
Mobile | 10/29/2012 | 07/08/2014 | NT | ARM | None
|
No comment. |
| Windows EC 2013 |
Embedded | 06/13/2013 | 10/10/2023 | CE | x86, ARM, MIPS | None
|
No comment. |
| Windows 8.1 |
Consumer | 10/17/2013 | 01/10/2023 | NT | x86, amd64 | Blue
|
Final version to support "Games Explorer". Last version to have no start menu, Syskey, and "3D Builder". |
| Windows RT 8.1 |
Consumer | 10/17/2013 | 01/10/2023 | NT | ARM | Blue
|
Later versions have a Start Menu added to it. |
| Windows Server 2012 R2 |
Business | 10/17/2013 | 10/10/2023 -- 10/13/2026 (paid updates) | NT | amd64 | Server 2012 R2
|
No comment. |
| Windows Phone 8.1 |
Mobile | 08/04/2014 | 07/11/2017 | NT | ARM | None
|
No comment. |
| Windows 10 |
Consumer | 07/29/2015 | 10/14/2025 | NT | x86, amd64, ARM | Threshold
|
First version to include DirectX 12, a full-screen command prompt, and Cortana. Final version of Windows that supports x86. |
| Windows 10 IoT Core |
Embedded | 07/29/2015 | 01/09/2029 (LTSC) | CE | x86, x64, ARM | Athens
|
No comment. |
| Windows 10 Mobile |
Mobile | 03/17/2016 | 01/14/2020 | NT | x86, amd64, ARM | None
|
Final version of Windows Mobile. |
| Windows Server 2016 |
Business | 10/12/2016 | 01/12/2027 | NT | amd64 | Server 2016
|
No comment. |
| Windows Server 2019 |
Business | 11/13/2018 | 01/09/2029 | NT | amd64 | Server 2019
|
Final version of Windows to not require TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot. Final version to include Internet Explorer. |
 Windows 10X |
Consumer | Unreleased | Unreleased | NT | x86, amd64 | Santorini
|
Cancelled, but many features were transfered to Windows 11. |
| Windows Server 2022 |
Business | 09/27/2021 | 10/14/2031 | NT | amd64 | Server 2022
|
Final version of Windows to not require UEFI. |
 Windows 11 21H2 |
Consumer | 10/05/2021 | 10/10/2023 | NT | amd64, ARM | Sun Valley
|
Removes many taskbar customization features, removes 3D Viewer, Cortana, Internet Explorer, Paint 3D, and Skype. |
| Windows 11 22H2 |
Consumer | 09/20/2022 | 10/08/2024 | NT | amd64, ARM | Sun Valley 2
|
Feature update to Windows 11 |
| Windows 11 23H2 |
Consumer | TBA | In development | NT | amd64, ARM | Zinc
|
Currently in development stage. |
- ↑ GA stands for "General Availability." That is the day when you can buy the operating system by itself without needing to buy a new computer.