Windows Fundamentals For Legacy PCs

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Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs
Screenshot
Developer
Microsoft
Web site: Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs
Release information
Release date:	8 July 2006 [citation needed]
Current version:	5.1.2600.5512 Service Pack 3 (SP3), 07 October 2008; 42 days ago info
Source model:	Shared source
License:	Microsoft EULA
Kernel type:	Hybrid kernel
Platform support:	x86
Support status
Current
Further reading
Windows XP editions

Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs ("WinFLP") is a thin client operating system from Microsoft, based on Windows XP Embedded, but optimized for older, less powerful hardware. It was released on 8 July 2006. Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs is not a full-fledged general purpose operating system. It includes only certain functionality for local workloads such as security, management, document viewing related tasks and the .NET Framework. It is designed to work as a client-server solution with RDP clients or other third party clients such as Citrix ICA.

History

WinFLP was originally announced with codenames "Eiger" and "Mönch" (names of mountains in the Swiss Alps) in mid-2005.

The RTM version of Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs was released on 8 July 2006.

Technical specifications

Features

Microsoft positions WinFLP as an operating system that provides basic computing services on older hardware, while still providing core management features of more recent Windows releases, such as Windows Firewall, Group Policy, Automatic Updates, and other management services. However, it is not considered to be a general-purpose OS by Microsoft.^[1]

Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs is a Windows XP Embedded derivative and, as such, is optimized for legacy PCs. It requires significantly fewer system resources than the fully-featured Windows XP.^[2]

WinFLP supports most Windows XP/2000 applications and drivers. It also features basic networking, extended peripheral support, DirectX, and the ability to launch the remote desktop clients from compact discs. In addition, WinFLP offers support for local applications, as well as those hosted on a remote server using Remote Desktop. It can be installed on a local hard drive, or configured to run on a diskless workstation.

The installer for WinFLP uses an image-based installation system similar to Vista's installer.

Advantages

In addition to giving better performance on older machines, the reduced number of files increases boot speed, and the reduced number of services also improves security, and responsiveness. People with old hardware unable to run an updated version of Windows XP usefully (and who therefore have been using an un-updated version of Windows) have the opportunity to use Windows without the security issues which come with using an operating system without the latest security fixes.

Issues and limitations

Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs, as the name suggests, has a smaller feature set than a full Windows XP install. For example, some software, such as Outlook Express, is unavailable, even with a full install. Some system tools are also excluded from WinFLP,^[3] however, these utilities are rarely used by end users, and are generally replaceable with free tools (or potentially with files from a full XP install). In addition, the operating system does not include full support for terminal-based connections.

Software

Windows FLP does not normally include several applications, including Solitaire and other games, or MSPaint, but does include the Calculator, Wordpad and Notepad.

Availability

Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs is exclusively available to Software Assurance customers, as it is designed to be an inexpensive upgrade option for corporations that have a number of Windows 9x computers, but lack the hardware necessary to support the latest Windows. It is not available through retail or OEM channels.

On October 7, 2008, Service Pack 3 for the Windows XP series was made available for WinFLP. The same package services Windows Embedded for Point of Service.^[4]

Hardware requirements

Despite being optimized for older PCs, the hardware requirements are similar to Windows XP, whilst perhaps being more realistic. This also ignores the fact that this compares the original 2001 release of Windows XP with an SP2 equivalent of WinFLP, and that this version includes the .NET framework.

References

External links

• Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs Home Page - Information from Microsoft on this release
• Terminal Server Progress and Commitment - PDF presentation; WinFLP is described at the end
• Exclusive: Microsoft Windows XP Codenames: "Eiger" and "Mönch" - partial specs on Eiger and Mōnch.
• Test of Microsoft's Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs at Bink.nu
• Screenshot gallery at Bink.nu
• HDD only installation - How to install WinFLP without a bootable CDROM drive.
• Review of Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PC's
• Service Pack 3 for Windows Embedded for Point of Service and Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs
• NUL Missing on WinFLP - How to get NULL to work on WinFLP