| WES downloadable now |
Oct. 27, 2008
 Microsoft's newest embedded operating system is now available in a free 120-day evaluation edition. The company has released a downloadable version of Windows Embedded Standard (WES) 2009, and provided a new video demonstrating some of the product's key features.
Released to product manufacturers two weeks ago, Windows Embedded Standard 2009 is still based on the Windows XP codebase, not Windows Vista or its recently named successor, Windows 7, company officials acknowledge. A "componentized" version of these newer OSes -- required to enable embedded developers to whittle down storage, memory, and CPU requirements, while tightening security and reliability -- will not be released for several years, company officials have previously stated.
The Windows Embedded Standard installer
(Click to enlarge)
However, WES 2009 represents more than just a new name for the outgoing Windows XP Embedded (XPe). According to Microsoft, WES provides customers with Service Pack 3 (SP3), a collection of updates that were previously released for standard desktop editions of Windows XP. It also includes the following additional features, according to Microsoft:WES release history
Microsoft released a CTP (community technology preview) version of WES 2009, in the form of a downloadable .ISO DVD image, in early June. This was followed by an August update, said to add an "improved setup experience and migration support from XPe," additional device drivers, and a "Client Prereq Macro" for the System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM).
Subsequently, Microsoft released the final code for WES 2009 to device manufacturers several weeks ago, as mentioned above. Now, the operating system is available to the rest of us too, via a set of seven downloads from Microsoft's website.
The 120-day evaluation version, free to anyone who's willing to supply their email address and answer several questions about how they'd use the OS, requires the following hardware and software to install, according to the company:- Windows XP Professional SP2 or Windows Server 2003 Standard, with a CPU clocked at 728MHz or faster, and at least 512MB of RAM
- or Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008 Standard, with a CPU clocked at 1GHz or faster, and at least 1GB of RAM
The download consists of all of the following:- 700MB .exe file
- Five 700MB .rar files
- one 200MB .rar file
Running the .exe file will combine the other files into an .ISO image designed to be burned onto a DVD, the company says. The resulting installation DVD will include an integrated version of SQL Server 2005 Express, the installable database platform for the Windows Embedded Standard suite of tools, says Microsoft. While WES 2009 is not a 64-bit operating system, it will install and run on 64-bit platforms, the company adds.
Separately, Microsoft's Windows Embedded Standard team posted a video on its blog that demonstrates some of the new features in WES 2009. The video, which runs eight minutes and 43 seconds, showcases some new drivers that are only available in WES, not Windows XP Embedded, the company says.
Further information
For more information on Windows XP Service Pack see our earlier coverage, here. For more information on Windows Embedded Standard 2009, see our earlier coverage, here.
Windows Embedded Standard 2009 costs device manufacturers $995 for the required development tools, plus a $90 license for each shipping device based on it. Developers who purchased XPe from June 2008 onwards will be eligible for a free upgrade, Microsoft adds.
To download the 120-day WES 2009 trial, see the company's website, here. To see the Windows Embedded Standard team's video demonstrating new WES 2009 features, see the company's website, here.
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