WinHEC 2004: Microsoft Sells 210 Million Copies of Windows XP

The day before opening the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference (WinHEC) 2004 trade show in Seattle, Microsoft announced that it has sold 210 million copies of Windows XP, most of which were bundled with new PCs. However, the company also noted that XP use is far higher than that number because its sales figures don't include copies of XP that are bundled with new machines under corporate licenses.

Microsoft last released XP sales figures in July 2003, when the company announced that it had sold 130 million copies of the OS. Microsoft notes that it's now selling about 10 million copies of XP every month and that sales are accelerating month over month; last year, the company averaged 6 million copies each month.

Although Microsoft's efforts to prep XP Service Pack 2 (SP2), a major upgrade, have stalled in recent days, the company has released an impressive number of XP upgrades since the OS first shipped in October 2001. In addition, Microsoft has augmented the original releases of XP Home Edition and XP Professional Edition with other software versions, including XP Tablet PC Edition, XP Media Center Edition (XP MCE), and various releases for 64-bit hardware.

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I hate the way that you *must* have XP when you buy a laptop/new desktop. It's a crime that you can't get a refund afterwards and you could certainly knock a few million of those sales off if people had ever been given a choice of what operating system they wanted with their PC.

Lee May 04, 2004

However, the company also noted that XP use is far higher than that number because its sales figures don't include copies of XP that are bundled with new machines under corporate licenses. 

Take it from me that this figure wouldn't have increased sales by very much at all. You'll see a handful of XP machines dotted around, because you don't get a choice, but you won't see any mass upgrades in the corporate arena. 

If I was being cynical, I would say that Microsoft didn't include any figures on corporate sales because it would have shown up just how terrible corporate uptake of XP has been :). People have 98, NT4 and possibly 2000. No one can be bothered. 

Microsoft last released XP sales figures in July 2003, when the company announced that it had sold 130 million copies of the OS. Microsoft notes that it's now selling about 10 million copies of XP every month and that sales are accelerating month over month; last year, the company averaged 6 million copies each month. 

You make it sound as if people are rushing out to buy Windows XP. They don't. They buy a computer and it just happens to have XP on it, whether they like it or not. 

...including XP Tablet PC Edition, XP Media Center Edition (XP MCE), and various releases for 64-bit hardware. 

Yer. Like people know what they are.

David May 04, 2004

I agree that you should have choice but it is possible to buy pre-built systems that do not include an operating system in a lot of stores. Personally I have tried many operating systems and will happily stick with XP.

cat May 04, 2004

Lee... Couldn't agree more

I find that Windows 2000 is more appropiate than XP in numerous situations, and I don't think it should be acceptable for OEMs not to provide an earlier version of Windows at a discounted, or even increased, price

But we're still a long way off from ever seeing Slackware (powerful Linux distro) on Dells, for shame

W3bbo May 04, 2004

I have always enjoyed the complaints about bundling practices. A local restaurant here offers a fixed-price dinner for two of an appetizer, main course, dessert and a bottle of wine. If you don't drink alcohol, there's no discount. It's an all-or-nothing package deal.

Why don't people make the same complaints when purchasing an iBook? You get MacOS as your only choice.

Besides - what other OS do you want on your desktop/laptop? Linux? BeOS? Amiga?

Chris May 04, 2004

I am not sure why you would want anything but XP. You can make it look like 2000 if you want and it has a longer support life than 2000. Not to mention all of the features that are better. I could see an argument right when XP came out though.

Jason May 05, 2004

@Chris
It should be a choice for the consumer, Dell (for example) offer customisation of hardware, you choose how much RAM you have, what hard drive you have and whether you have a webcam with it. Why is it that when it comes to the operating system you can't take the price of XP off, and download Fedora for yourself? Or have Windows ME if you prefer it to the later Windows versions, or have Windows 2000?
I find it strange that you can't get a refund for the unwanted operating system.
I have to add that I am primarily an XP user with a bit of Suse/Fedora on the side, so I'm not some 'Linux fanboy' or anything.

Lee May 07, 2004

I've tried FreeBSD; numerous flavours of Linux and iterations; UNIX SVR4. and I'm happy to stick with MS Windows XP.
Simple to install and update.

R Crook May 08, 2004

"Why don't people make the same complaints when purchasing an iBook? You get MacOS as your only choice."
The difference is that there is no other widely accepted operating system for the Mac. With PCs, you have a choice of Windows, Linux, or another more obscure distribution. With Macs, just MacOS.

"Besides - what other OS do you want on your desktop/laptop? Linux? BeOS? Amiga?"
Yes. That's what I want. (sneers)

Arnold S. Hay May 09, 2004

Xp stands for eXperimental!!!

Just as I thought Microsoft was straightening itself out despite the fact that it is getting away with absolutely everything (with a simple slap on a wrist) after ripping us consumers off for years, they have to go and kick me in the gonads.

I just built a killer machine. I took the old processor and hard drives out of my Dell. But as I have a couple of spare hard drives and wanted to upgrade to a DVD Burner, I decided not to use my OEM version of Windows XP that came with my Dell (where it would still prove useful after I replace the processor).

So yesterday I went out and bought a copy of Windows XP Professional (full version - complete install) at Staples. This is not a small investment for me and although I don't believe this software package is worth this ridiculous price tag, I pride myself in keeping my business software legit. I want to get this machine all set for my business. That means I need a legit copy of this Windows XPerimental OS installed before I can load up all my other software.

I went to install it right away, too! It was kind of a problem booting to the CDROM because I only had a second during bootup to press a key to boot to the CDROM. Geez, you would think that Microsloth would be smart enough to realize that if the Windows XP install disk is in the drive, there is a reason (either I need to install the OS, or I need to fix and install... DUH!). After some aggrevation, I boot to the CD and it loads all sorts of drivers. Then it says it is starting Windows (yeah, right, that's a joke, it's starting the installer for Windows, not "Windows"). Then the screen goes black and a blue screen of death appears.

Funny, why would that be? I try a different CD from the Dell, an OEM Home XP CD with SP1, and that installs JUST fine. But I can't activate the CD key because I'll get another processor for the Dell and have another new computer for $200.00 after I finish paying off this huge $300.00 price tag for Windows XPerimental.

So, I get another CD. This one is Windows XP Professional (full install) from another computer I have here. This one installs JUST FINE. Again, I cannot activate the CD key, as it's in use on another computer. I try another computer's CD and still don't get a blue screen of death. But both of these CD-ROMs don't come with Service Pack 1 as part of the install.

So now I rush out and borrow a freind's Windows XP Pro install CD-ROM with the SP1 already on it. I don't ask for his CD Key, nor does he offer it, he understands that I just want to see if it will work on my computer. Alas, it does.

I spent the whole morning explaining this to Microsoft on MY dime. No matter how many times I explain it, he doesn't get it. Yes, this CDROM seems to work on another machine I have (it shows the setup/repair option screen instead of a big blue screen of death), so this CD-ROM does work, but NOT with my system, the one I bought it for. But, all these other versions of Windows XP work fine with my system.

He explained that sometimes Windows XP doesn't work with 120 GB HD. Well, I have a 120 GB HD, but I'm not pulling it out of the system, this is the Hard Drive I intend to install to and I know for a FACT that all these other versions of Windows XP work great, anyway. Just send me an older version. I don't care if it doesn't even have SP1 with it. Besides, the only other HD I have is 160 GB at the moment, and that's going to be for other stuff.

Then he indicated that other guys had a problem installing Windows XP with a DVD burner attached. I explained to him that I wasn't about to disconnect my DVD burner everytime I had to boot to this CD-ROM. I have plenty of copies of Windows XP that DO install correctly and easily to THIS computer. I bought this installation for this computer and want a legitimate working CD-ROM for this computer JUST LIKE THE OTHERS THAT WORK ON THIS COMPUTER.

But as I said, it was all morning, trying to convince him that I needed a working copy of Windows XP. Finally, he authorised the replacememnt of this CD-ROM. But, I had to call another number to get a copy that would work.

So, after spending all morning with him (on my call and my time), I call this other number. The gal that answers the phone refuses to give me a replacement CD that would work, saying to go back to the store where I got it yesterday. No, that would be the same version, I want one that works with my machine. I have 4 copies that work with my machine, just send me an older version.

"We can't do that."

Microsloth is sending old an obscelete software to education systems all over the country and they can't find ONE previous version of the XP Pro install CD-ROM to send to a paying customer?

"We don't do that. All we send out are the same versions as what are in the stores. We DON'T HAVE ANYTHING OLDER."

Yeah, right.

Corporations can be so cruel. Yet again, the little business is considered irrelevant to such a big giant conglomerate who loves doing this sort of thing.

I gave up. You can only deal with idiocy for so long.

Anyone know where I can find a new LEGIT copy of the full version of Windows XP Professional that was released previous to the current lot on the shelves now?

I returned that last copy to the store where I got it and got my money back. Even the blue screen of death told me to get better support for my hardware, which previous versions of the Windows XP Pro CD provide.

Yes, I hate Microsoft, for some very obvious reasons. But I still need to run a business, whether Microsoft cares about it or not, I do damn good work using their broken down OS.

I am serious about getting this taken care of. Microsoft won't help (big surprise), but I know if I can get an older install of Windows XP I'll be just fine.

-Thanks... Doug Peters, Symbiotic Design

Symbiotic Design June 08, 2004

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