Support is ending for some versions of Windows

Support for Windows Vista without any service packs will end on April 13, 2010.
Support for Windows XP with Service Pack 2 (SP2) will end on July 13, 2010.*

If you're running one of these versions after support ends, you won't get security updates for Windows. it will keep the pop-ups.

Which version of the Windows operating system am I running?

Finding out which version of Windows you're running can help you determine which features are available on your computer. Here's how to check.

Click the Start button , type winver in the search box, and then press Enter.

Note

If the steps above don't work on your computer, you might be running a previous version of Windows. To check, click Start, click Run, type winver, and then press Enter.

The About Windows window showing Windows XP Professional edition with Service Pack 3

This window displays the version and edition of Windows you're running. Each version of Windows comes in different editions with different features. This window also displays a service pack number if your version of Windows has been upgraded with a service pack.

The About Windows window showing Windows Vista Ultimate edition with Service Pack 1

Each version and edition of Windows also comes in a 32-bit or 64-bit version. To find out what version you're running, see Is my PC running the 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows?

For information about features available in different versions of Windows, see Which one is right for you? For information about upgrading to the latest version of Windows, go to the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor webpage.

If you're already running Windows 7 but aren't sure which edition you have, see Find which edition of Windows 7 you are using.

What does it mean if my version of Windows is no longer supported?

An unsupported version of Windows will no longer receive software updates from Windows Update. These include security updates that can help protect your PC from harmful viruses, spyware, and other malicious software, which can steal your personal information. Windows Update also installs the latest software updates to improve the reliability of Windows—new drivers for your hardware and more.

You should always install the latest service packs from Microsoft for your version of Windows. You can download and install these through Windows Update.

For information about using Windows Update in Windows XP, see Stay up to date automatically.
For information about using Windows Update in Windows Vista, see Install Windows updates.
For information about using Windows Update in Windows 7, see Install Windows updates.

Support end dates

Here are the dates when support will end for PCs running Windows XP and Windows Vista without the latest service packs:

Support for Windows Vista without any service packs will end on April 13, 2010. To continue support, make sure you've installed Windows Vista SP2.
Support for Windows XP with Service Pack 2 (SP2) will end on July 13, 2010. To continue support, make sure you've installed Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3).

Note

There's no SP3 for the 64-bit version of Windows XP. If you're running the 64-bit version of Windows XP with SP2, you have the latest service pack and will continue to be eligible for support and receive updates until April 8, 2014. To find out what version you're running, see Is my PC running the 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows?.

Windows 7 is the newest version of Windows and is fully supported. It currently doesn't have any service packs.

For more information, see End of support for Windows XP with Service Pack (SP2) and Windows Vista without service packs.

Windows will continue to run

Even if you have an unsupported version of Windows XP or Windows Vista without any service packs, Windows will continue to start and run as usual.

For full details about the support policy, see the Microsoft Support Lifecycle Policy FAQ.

Contact Microsoft for help

Upgrade to Windows 7

Moving to Windows 7 helps you simplify everyday tasks, helps make your PC safer, and makes new things possible.

Check your PC

Download Upgrade Advisor to see if your PC can run Windows 7.

Get Upgrade Advisor

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See why moving to Windows 7 makes sense.

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Buy it

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choices.

Buy Windows 7

Not ready for Windows 7? Get the latest service pack.

Windows XP SP3 Windows Vista SP2

If you're running Windows XP with Service Pack 2 (SP2) and you're not ready to upgrade to Windows 7, you should install Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3), a free update.

Install Windows XP SP3

Windows XP SP3 includes all previously released updates and a small number of new updates. It won't significantly change the Windows XP experience.

Get the service pack

* Note: There's no SP3 for the 64-bit version of Windows XP. If you’re running the 64-bit version of Windows XP with SP2, you have the latest service pack and will continue to be eligible for support and receive updates until April 8, 2014.