It seems that the answer to this question might just be yes.
Windows SteadyState is a piece of software that allows you to maintain a standard footprint on computers such as those in an Internet Café or Public Library. It is a piece of software that was very handy in those situations as well as in your home if you have children and you want the ability to easily take a desktop back to a standard configuration after it gets messed up.
Well based on this Knowledge Base article – http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2390706 – Windows SteadyState will be phased out effective 31 December 2010:
Microsoft Windows® SteadyState™ will be phased out effective December 31, 2010. Microsoft will no longer support Windows SteadyState after June 30, 2011.
Further info is available at the Microsoft Download Center page for Windows SteadyState:
Windows SteadyState will continue to be available for download through December 31, 2010. Support for Windows SteadyState will continue to be available through the Microsoft Knowledge Base portal through June 30, 2011.
This announcement does not affect your right to continue to use Windows SteadyState.
That last line is good news as you will be able to use the software well past its last date of download availability and even still be able to get support until the end of June 2011.
You might want to grab that download and store it away for future use once it is no longer available for download.
Here is the basic description of Windows SteadyState from the download page:
Windows® SteadyState™ 2.5 is now available on Windows XP and Windows Vista. Whether you manage computers in a school computer lab or an Internet café, a library, or even in your home, Windows SteadyState helps make it easy for you to keep your computers running the way you want them to, no matter who uses them.
Windows SteadyState runs on genuine copies of Windows XP Professional, Windows XP Home Edition, Windows XP Tablet PC Edition, Windows Vista Business, Windows Vista Ultimate, Windows Vista Home Basic, Windows Vista Home Premium, and Windows Vista Starter.
Windows SteadyState is offered free of charge to Windows Genuine Advantage customers!
I would be very interested in hearing if you use Windows SteadyState and how your putting it to use in your setup.
