We all know that Windows XP lasted from its release in 2001 until its final security patch in 2014. But did you know that a variant of XP—Windows Embedded POSReady 2009—was supported all the way until 2019? That’s 18 years of official support for Windows XP and its derivatives.
That makes Windows XP the longest-supported version of Windows, right? Or does it?
The original Xbox ran a variant of Windows 2000. The Xbox 360? It also used a heavily customized version of Windows 2000—this time adapted for a PowerPC processor.
Now, let’s do some quick math. The Xbox 360 launched in late 2005, and its most recent system update arrived in July/August 2024. Windows 2000 originally debuted in February 2000.
That means some form of Windows 2000 received updates for over 24 years. That’s a remarkably long lifespan for an operating system.
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