Windows XP will pass another milestone on the road to retirement next week when Microsoft withdraws mainstream support for the operating system..

As Vista and Windows 7 share the same core code, Microsoft has decided to merely nudge up the version number (Windows Vista was 6) so that applications are tricked into thinking it's Vista they're dealing with

Keen to forget the PR nightmare that was Vista, Microsoft may have committed yet another blunder: Windows XP users will not be able to upgrade to Windows 7 without a totally clean install.

Windows 7 RC arrives along with beta of XP application compatibility tool.

The company promises that Windows 7 will be the best version of its operating system yet, critical acclaim has often eluded Redmond. We've decided to count down the ten best products ever to come out of Redmond, from DOS 5 to Flight Simulator and NT 4.0

Microsoft has published a release candidate of XP Mode for Windows 7

XP is proving to be a golden oldie.

Microsoft has told its system builder partners that they will be allowed to continue to sell XP after the January 31, 2009 cut-off date.

Virtualisation tool will help small firms migrate to next-gen Microsoft OS.

From budget laptops to ultra-tiny netbooks, ultraportables and high performance, we explain the tricks to finding out the ultimate laptop at the right price.

Microsoft has granted Hewlett Packard yet another extension on its long-in-the-tooth licence to supply new computers with the ability to 'downgrade' to Windows XP Pro, according to an Apple Insider report.

Parallels is preparing a new virtualisation tool that will let users continue to run Windows XP applications on Windows 7 systems. The move will make the software a direct competitor for Microsoft's recently announced Windows XP Mode.

Vista felt sluggish, bloated and slovenly, but has Microsoft made Windows 7 any faster for those who crave the ultimate performance from their PC? Here are the benchmark results.

After the disappointment - perceived or otherwise - of Windows Vista, many are pinning their hopes on a revival with Windows 7. And from our first impressions of the pre-beta code, that's exactly what they can expect.

Virtualisation outfit Parallels is making a virtualisation tool that will let users continue to run Windows XP applications on Windows 7 systems. The software will compete directly with the Vole's own Windows XP Mode.

Vista and XP updates will be pushed to users automatically, whether you like it or not.

BitLocker first reared its head in Windows Vista, but the scope of the encryption software has been extended in Windows 7. Since Vista's launch, lost or stolen USB drives have become an enormous security liability.

PC gamers are among those most likely to benefit from any improvement in raw performance, so does Windows 7 bring any glad tidings for 3D action aficionados?