Windows 2.1x

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Windows 2.1x
A version of the Microsoft Windows operating system
Windows logo and wordmark - 1985.svg
Windows 2.1.png
Screenshot of Windows 2.1
DeveloperMicrosoft
Source modelClosed source
Released to
manufacturing		May 27, 1988; 33 years ago (1988-05-27)
Latest release2.11 / March 13, 1989; 32 years ago (1989-03-13)[1]
LicenseCommercial software
Preceded byWindows 2.0x (1987)
Succeeded byWindows 3.0 (1990)
Support status
Unsupported as of December 31, 2001

Windows 2.1x (also known as Windows/286 or Windows/386) is a historical version of Windows graphical user interface-based operating systems.

Windows/286 2.10 and Windows/386 2.10 were released on May 27, 1988, less than six months after the release of Windows 2.0. This is the first version of Windows to require a hard disk drive.[2]

On December 31, 2001, Microsoft declared Windows 2.1x obsolete and stopped providing support and updates for the system.

Editions[]

Like Windows 2.0, two editions of Windows 2.1x were released with differing CPU compatibility. However, the naming convention was changed to Windows/286 and Windows/386.

Like Windows 2.0, the 286 edition would run on 8086 hardware, but without HMA support. A few PC vendors shipped Windows/286 with 8086 hardware; one such example was IBM's PS/2 Model 25, which included Windows/286, resulting in some customer confusion.[3]

Windows 2.11[]

On March 13, 1989, Windows 2.11 was released in Windows/286 and Windows/386 editions, with some minor changes in memory management, AppleTalk support, and faster printing with updated printer drivers.[4]

Windows 2.11 was superseded by Windows 3.0 in May 1990, but supported by Microsoft for twelve years, until December 31, 2001.[5]

Successor[]

Main article: Windows 3.0

A successor to Windows 2.1x, Windows 3.0, was released on May 22, 1990, and the latest release, 3.00a, was released in October 1991. Microsoft had intended to make Windows 3.0 appealing to the general public. The company's "Entry Team", assigned to that task, was concerned that the public might perceive it to be no more than a tool for large enterprises, due to the software's high system requirements. Major game publishers did not see it as a potential gaming platform, instead sticking to DOS.

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Windows Version History". Support. Microsoft. July 19, 2005.
  2. ^ Seth Sibangan (August 4, 2013). "Kellys". SlideShare. Seth Sibangan. Retrieved August 7, 2013.
  3. ^ "Microsoft Windows/286". www.oldcomputermuseum.com. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
  4. ^ "Microsoft Windows/286 v2.11". Old Computer Museum. Retrieved August 15, 2013.
  5. ^ "Microsoft Support, Obsolete Products". Microsoft. Archived from the original on August 14, 2005.

Further reading[]

External links[]

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