End of support for Windows XP SP2 and Windows Vista RTM

End of support for Windows XP SP2 and Windows Vista RTM


As we announced in 2008, support for Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) will end on July 13, 2010. Support for Windows 2000 will end on the same date. Support for Windows Vista Release to Manufacturing (RTM) will end on April 13, 2010.

NOTE: There is no Service Pack 3 for the 64-bit version of Windows XP. If you are running the 64-bit version of Windows XP with Service Pack 2, you are on the latest service pack and will continue to be eligible for support and receive updates until April 8, 2014.

To find out if you are running the 64-bit version of Windows XP, right-click My Computer, then click Properties. If you do not see "64-bit" listed, then you are running the 32-bit version and you need to install Service Pack 3 . If "64-bit" is listed under System, then you are running the 64-bit version.

Customers running an unsupported version of Windows or service pack will not be eligible for any of our support options. Updates, including security updates released with bulletins from the Microsoft Security Response Center, will be reviewed and built for the supported versions and service packs only. The most current service packs are available to organizations, and they are easily deployed via Windows Update, Windows Server Update Services/Microsoft System Center, and the Microsoft Download Center. To better understand the Microsoft Support Lifecycle Policy and your support options visit the Microsoft Support Lifecycle page.

There is no supported migration path from Windows 2000 to Windows 7 using the Windows User State Migration Tool (USMT). You will need to upgrade to Windows XP and then migrate to Windows 7 using USMT 4.0, a tool included with the Windows Automated Installation Kit (AIK). For more information on Windows 2000 and Windows 2000 Server End of Support visit Windows 2000 End of Support Solution Center.

Updating your Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 2000 PCs before the end of mainstream support dates will ensure your PCs stay supported and receive security updates. The best way to be secure and supported is by migrating to Windows 7.

■Small and midsize businesses should migrate to Windows 7 Professional, which is designed to help you work the way you want, help you get more done, and safeguard your work.

■Larger organizations should migrate to Windows 7 Enterprise, which enables enterprise users to be more productive from anywhere, manage risk through enhanced security and control, and reduce costs through streamlined PC management.

■There are tools to help test and mitigate application compatibility issues, including the Microsoft Application Compatibility Toolkit, Windows XP Mode, and Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization (MED-V) to help migration. To learn more about these tools, visit the Springboard Series on TechNet.

■Upgrading to Internet Explorer 8 improves the level of protection against current and emerging online threats