Microsoft has just released a downloadable version of the “evaluation edition” of Windows XP Embedded with Service Pack 1. Previously, the evaluation edition was available in CD/DVD format only, and had to be ordered from Microsoft for a nominal charge. The first downloadable evaluation version of Windows CE was made available earlier this year.
Free Download of Windows XP Embedded Evaluation Edition
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Eugenia Loli
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The title of the story just made me wonder what Microsoft would be doing w/o Open Source encroaching some of its markets.
“Microsoft has just released a downloadable version of the “evaluation edition” of Windows XP Embedded with Service Pack 1. Previously, the evaluation edition was available in CD format only, and had to be ordered from Microsoft for a nominal charge.”
I have to pay for a limited-time evaluation copy of a buggy, closed and proprietary OS, which woks only for x86 hardware ??!!
N.T. (No, Thanks). I prefer linux embedded.
Too bad XP Embedded is targeted mainly to specialized device developers. Hopefully XPlite and 2000lite will soon provide more control for regular users too.
BTW has anyone ever heard about something similar to 2000-XPlite but for free? If such utility doesn’t exist yet I would really like to help to create it. In fact about week ago I have started building component removal utility using NSIS installer. It’s ugly, untested and limited only to Windows 2000 but maybe somebody fill find this useful: http://gndzer0.webpark.pl/ntslim/ .
Is it possible to run normal Windows apps with this? I would really like to have an XP installation without all the insecure crap such as IE. This will be cracked anyway so that isn’t a problem. (Most of my Windows installs are messed up and unusable before 120 days anyway though.)
Yes, it’s completely binary-compatible with applications and drivers that work in XP Pro/Home. I ran an XP Embedded image that was roughly 100mb and gave me all the functionality of the core OS without the bloatware for that 120 day period last year. Of course I was too lazy to re-setup everything again after the period was over and went back to Linux.
You’ve been able to download WinCE for evaluation for quite a while. MS may not have packaged and advertised it as an evaluation version of WinCE.NET, but it’s still been available- in the form of the SDKs for WinCE, Handheld PC, Palm-sized PC and PocketPC. With those SDKs, you both got a device emulator that would run the x86 version of your app (it didn’t emulate the CPU, so you weren’t running the ARM or MIPS binary itself) *and* a standalone version of WinCE you could boot from DOS. Quite slick actually- I was running for a while on my work PC- WinCE 3.0 for x86 has a decent web browser *and* could run Squeak… What more could I ask for!
Yes, but the license agreement doesn’t allow anyone to build a general purpose system using XP embedded. Only special-purpose devices are allowed.
However, you could use XP embedded to create a thin client system to run apps from a server.
There is a site somewhere around the net telling how to get XP down below 100M i believe
Do you have a download link? Or else what search term do we use to find it?
Sheesh.. Erm… Click on the word ‘released’ in the article. You’ll get there.
Anyhoo I was wondering, in the same school of dumb questions perhaps, if anyone can help me install Windows XP Embedded Remote Boot Server? It’s not included in the downloadable free trial version, but is freely avaiable via MS’ XP Embedded update site.
On the cd the startcd.ini there is an entry:
[Option5]
Caption=Remote Boot &Setup
DataText1=Step 5: Set Up the Remote Boot Server
DataText2=The Remote Boot service allows you to download operating system images from the server to multiple devices. You can use the Remote Boot manager and PXE and TFTP services to help you easily update devices from a remote location.%NEWLINE%%NEWLINE%If you are using the remote boot option, select this option to install and configure the TFTP and PXE servers
DataText3=
Cmd=msiexec.exe
CmdParameters=/i “%RootDir%NBSWindows XP Embedded Remote Boot Server.msi”
ErrorSoln=Check to make sure that this file is accessible. If you still have problems, try opening the file from its original location.
Action=OPEN
Location=Volume1″
Now in my own setup all the XP Embedded files are located at: E:Windows Embeddeddisk1 (moving the database files to the initial directory saves some unneeded double clicking).
But in my own primitive understanding I assumed what the cdsetup.ini was saying is that I should set out my directory as follows: E:Windows Embeddeddisk1NBSEmbedded Remote Boot Server.msi Obviusly however this is not correct as this returns an error “file not found”.
Where must I put this file in order to start the GUI installer and for it to be able to find it and install it normally?
Also when I try to install any updates (several of which as required if I am to be able to do an effective assesment) I always get an error message saying:
“A new platform object needs to be installed before this update can be installed. Please download the latest platform update from <http://www.microsoft.com/embedded> and install it before attempting to install this QFE.
Setup cannot continue.”
What does this mean and where can I get this updated platform object, or whatever it is?
Thanks.
Q