Windows ME
Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition | |
Codename Preliminary name |
Millennium |
---|---|
Kernel version | 16/32 bit hybrid, ver. 4.90 |
CPU architecture | x86 |
Release date | September 14, 2000 |
Support end | Expired 11 July 2006 |
Preceded by | 98 |
Succeeded by | none |
Windows Millennium Edition (ME) was the last 16/32 bit hybrid version of Windows. It was introduced on September 14, 2000. Many regarded this as a highly unstable OS. Some components of Windows NT such as the TCP/IP stack were ported to ME.
Prior to release, Microsoft had Windows Neptune planned as a home edition of Windows NT which would have been the successor to Windows 98 and Windows NT 5.0 (Windows 2000). However, in early '99 Microsoft changed plans and decided to release another 16/32-bit hybrid OS named "Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition" and Neptune was postponed to be released after it. Later, the Neptune project was scrapped and 9X line was succeeded by Windows XP (codenamed Whistler). It is also worth noting that some features planned for Microsoft Neptune were included with pre-release Millennium builds; namely the Activity Centers (though only a few were included in the RTM build).
Builds
- No information available
- Existence doubtful
- Information or pictures available
- Leaked or released
Alpha
- Millennium Build 2332.2 - Developer Release 1
- Millennium Build 2348 - Developer Release 2
- Millennium Build 2350.3
- Millennium Build 2358 - Developer Release 3
- Millennium Build 2368
Beta 1
- Millennium Build 2380.2 - official beta 1
- Millennium Build 2394
Beta 2
- Millennium Build 2419 - official beta 2
- Millennium Build 2452 - official beta 2 Refresh
- Millennium Build 2460
- Millennium Build 2470
- Millennium Build 2476
- Millennium Build 2481
Beta 3
- Millennium Build 2491
- Millennium Build 2495
- Millennium Build 2499.3
- Millennium Build 2499.7 - official beta 3
- Millennium Build 2509
- Millennium Build 2513
- Millennium Build 2516
Release Candidate
- Millennium Build 2525.6 - Release Candidate 0
- Millennium Build 2535 - Release Candidate 2