Farewell to Windows XP

Just today I received my regular OEM Newsletter from Microsoft and the lead story was quite interesting:

Windows XP End-Of-Sales (January 31, 2009)

Microsoft will soon discontinue selling Windows XP through our sales channels. In industry terms this is called "End-Of-Sales" (EOS). The last day Microsoft Authorized OEM Distributors can purchase Windows XP from Microsoft will be January 31, 2009. For major PC manufacturers, this EOS date was June 30, 2008. OEM Distributors can continue to sell Windows XP to their system builder customers subsequent to January 31, 2009, while they work through their existing inventory.

So this is it – Windows XP and all its versions will not be available for purchase through OEM channels as of the end of this week and then once they exhaust their inventory.  I wonder of any OEM’s have made a run on last minute purchases to keep a supply available.  I am thinking based on everything I have read on Windows 7 that XP’ers might be upgrading this time around.

This will be the end of an era for a very popular version of Microsoft’s operating system.

Related Posts

• Windows XP Sales to End on 22 October 2010
• Get XP, Vista and Windows 7 Talking to Each Other on Your Home Network
• How to Install, Reinstall, or Uninstall Windows
• Remove Windows XP from Dual Boot with Windows 7
• Migrating from Windows XP to Windows 7

Richard Hay  (3359 Posts)

Richard is the Owner of WindowsObserver.com and has been involved in tech for over 25 years. His first website – AnotherWin95.com – came online in 1995. Back then he used GeoCities Web Hosting for it and what you see here today is the result of the work he has continued on the site since 1995. In January 2010 his community contributions were recognized by Microsoft when he was awarded the Most Valuable Professional (MVP) Award for Windows Desktop Experience. In January 2011 he was renewed as a Microsoft MVP but in a new category called Windows Expert - Consumer and in January 2012 he received the award for the third time.