Windows XP Embedded? Hmmmm…

On our way to another MSDN session to be held at Microsoft Philippines head office, Christopher and I decided to drop by at Jollibee to have our snack first before going to the session.  We ordered a value meal, sat on a table, ate our meal while exchanging stories and opinions on anything that pops out into our mind. The suddenly something caught our attention.  A nearby flat screen monitor displays a log-on screen “Windows XP Embedded.” We were both intrigue, is there really a Windows XP Embedded edition? For all we know Windows XP has only Professional and Home editions, how come we are seeing here Embedded?  Is this legit or a cracked version?  This calls for an investigation.

At the session we asked some of our friends in the windows7ako community about this Embedded edition.  They too are intrigued, is there really such edition?

When I arrived home I took the initiative to research.  Could there be really a Windows XP Embedded edition?  Well here’s the result of my query:

From Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_XP_editions#Editions_for_embedded_systems)

Windows XP Embedded

Windows XP Embedded, commonly abbreviated "XPe", is a componentized version of the Professional edition of Windows XP. An original equipment manufacturer is free to choose only the components needed thereby reducing operating system footprint and also reducing attack area as compared with XP Professional. Unlike Windows CE, Microsoft's operating system for portable devices and consumer electronics, XP Embedded provides the full Windows API, and support for the full range of applications and device drivers written for Microsoft Windows. The system requirements state that XPe can run on devices with at least 32MB Compact Flash, 32MB RAM and a P-200 microprocessor. XPe was released on November 28, 2001. As of October 2008, the newest release is Windows XP Embedded Service Pack 3.

The devices targeted for XPe have included automatic teller machines, arcade games, slot machines, cash registers, industrial robotics, thin clients, set-top boxes, network attached storage (NAS), time clocks, navigation devices, railroad locomotives, etc.^[33] Custom versions of the OS can be deployed onto anything but a full-fledged PC; even though XPe supports the same hardware that XP Professional supports (x86 architecture), licensing restrictions prevent it from being deployed on to standard PCs. However, Microsoft has made some exceptions to this rule, allowing XPe alongside a standard OEM install of Windows. Some Dell notebooks contain an embedded XP installation as part of the MediaDirect 2.0 feature, and they were also found on some Acer ones.

Windows Embedded Standard 2009 succeeded XPe in 2H 2008. Windows Embedded Standard 2009 is derived from Windows XP Embedded since Microsoft at the time of its development did not have a componentized version of Windows Vista. ^[34] Windows Embedded Standard 2009 includes Silverlight, .NET Framework 3.5, Internet Explorer 7, Windows Media Player 11, RDP 6.1, Network Access Protection, Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer and support for being managed by Windows Server Update Services and System Center Configuration Manager. ^[35]

Windows Embedded Standard 2011 will succeed Windows Embedded 2009 and will be a componentized version of Windows 7.

It appears that my investigation was a success for my question was answered in just a few clicks of my mouse!  Now I know that Embedded edition does exists! As weird as it sounds, my ignorance amuses me! hahaha Windows XP days is near to an end and yet here comes my new discovery :)  Admit it, this might be the first time that you hear about Windows XP Embedded Edition! :)