Windows 2000, launched in Professional, Server, Advanced Server, and Datacenter Server flavors, began its development in late 1996 with a projected launch date sometime in 1997. This, though, was a long shot because there were lots of features that required to be added, removed, or fixed to Windows NT, like improved directory services, plug-and-play support, andFAT32 support, just to name a few.

The first Windows NT 5.0 beta was launched in 1997. A lot of new features were displayed, and Microsoft's aim at the time was to make NT 5 the ideal Operating System, a must-have upgrade to any previous version of Windows. There was just one issue...problems arose when trying to upgrade 9x to NT 5, as they had alarmed. Trying ever-so-hard to work all the features they would like into the Operating System, the launch date kept getting pushed farther and farther back.

Tiresome to make a late 1998 launch date, Microsoft would probably cut a few features from the Operating System. Features like IntelliMirror and Active Directory were the features in question, but found their way into NT 5 in the end. At this time, it was also set that the future of Windows would lie in the hands of Windows NT. NT 5 was hoping to be the unification of the home and business OS around the NT kernel.

Beside the way, it was decided that Internet Explorer 5.0 would be incorporated into Windows NT 5, now post pond a launch date in early 1999. NT was now to have a faultless integration of DirectX and the Internet and advanced storage features, among other features that want not be mentioned. Also, in May of 1998, the Active Directory was finally being completed.

Assures were still being made that Beta 2 would show in June, but unfortunately, that did not occur. It was determined that NT 5 Beta 2 would not be launched with almost as a lot of features as the Windows development team would have wanted, but this just made way for a Beta 3 launch to follow it up, hopefully to fill in the holes left by Beta 2.

Finally in August of 1998, Beta 2 was launched. The features showcased in this build were the Personalized Start Menu, better hardware support, and a definite end to what became known as "DLL Hell". Also at around this time, Microsoft came to the recognition that Windows NT 5 would be a strictly business-oriented OS. Trying to add some of the features from Windows 98, for example, WebTV for Windows, among others, was becoming more of a pain and accordingly, more of a delay.

In September of 1998, the release date was post pond to late 1999, if not early 2000, and in October, the name "Windows 2000" was selected for the Operating System.

In early 1999, it was decided that Windows 2000 would get no more extra features, and so, a launch date of October 6th was in order. Beta 3 was due to be launched in mid-April, and it was supposed to be a quite steady OS, also determined to be the best laptop Operating System on the market. Beta 3 was launched on April 30th, and was, indeed, a quite solid OS. Launch candidates were right around the corner.

3 launch candidates later, and on December 14, 1999, Windows 2000 build 2195 was selected as the last build of Windows 2000.
Microsoft Windows 2000 SP1 in a Nutshell
• gives users with updated driver sets
• Corrects lots of reliability problem like data corruption and memory loss
• Fixes a lot of Windows 2000 installation issues
• Y2K compliance
• Latest security hole fixes (Hot fixes)

Microsoft Windows 2000 SP2 in a Nutshell
• Fixes many DHCP issues
• Corrects SP1 setup issues
• Installs 128-bit encryption
• Latest security hole fixes (Hot fixes)

Microsoft Windows 2000 SP3 in a Nutshell
• Adds 48-bit LBA Support for ATAPI Disk Drives in Windows 2000
• Corrects SP2 printer issues
• Latest security hole fixes (Hot fixes)
Microsoft Windows 2000 SP4 in a Nutshell
• Improved program compatibility
• Many access violations and stop errors fixed
• Improvements to Active Directory
• Latest security hole fixes (Hot fixes)

In the Windows 2000 development, Windows XP was being planned. XP is an Operating System that is taken one of two ways: a Windows 2000 clone filled with eye candy, or the greatest embodiment of Windows ever created. I would not essentially agree completely with the latter, but Windows XP is quite a good Operating System bringing home and business users similar to the NT kernel.

Plans for Windows XP, then codename Neptune (for the home) and codename Odyssey (for the business), started in early 1999. It was thought that this version of Windows would be the one that would end the days of the Win9x kernel. The NT kernel was now here to stay. After one development launches of Neptune, both Neptune and Odyssey were scrapped. Not much came out of this other than "feature" addition between Windows 2000 and Windows ME.

On October 31, 2000, Beta 1 was launched to testers. It was also learned that Microsoft would be adding media player and instant messaging technologies into the Operating System. Except that, there is not truly much to say about Beta 1. Though, early in January of 2001, Microsoft launched Whistler build 2410, the build that launched Windows Product Activation. This build also launched the addition of Windows Media Player and Windows Messenger.

On August 24, 2001, Windows XP, both home and professional Edition, were launched to manufacturing, and on October 25, 2001 in New York City, the operating system was launched.

Microsoft Windows XP SP1 in a Nutshell
• Improved program compatibility
• USB 2.0 support added
• Improved FireWire support
• Many stop errors addressed
• Latest security hole fixes (Hot fixes)
Microsoft Windows XP SP2 in a Nutshell
• More improved program compatibility
• Security issues with Internet Explorer addressed
• Microsoft's Security Center ensure your computer is not vulnerable to viruses and exploits
• Internet Explorer now incorporates pop-up blocking and ActiveX blocking
• Many more stop errors addressed
• Latest security hole fixes (Hot fixes)