Support for Windows 2000 and Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) Ends on July 13, 2010

Microsoft would like to remind customers that support for two key Microsoft products, Windows 2000 and Windows XP Service Pack 2, has come to an end. This transition date marks the natural progression in the support of these products, and is in accordance with the Microsoft Support Lifecycle policy.

The Windows 2000 End-of-Support Solution Center is a starting point for planning your migration strategy from Windows 2000 to Windows 7, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2008 R2. For users of Windows XP with Service Pack 2 (SP2), to ensure that you will receive all important security updates for Windows you need to upgrade to Windows XP with Service Pack 3 (SP3) or later versions such as Windows 7. For more information, see Support is ending for some versions of Windows.

Windows 2000

On July 13, 2010, the Extended Support phase for all editions of Windows 2000 Server and Windows 2000 Professional (including Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server, Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server, Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional Edition, and, Microsoft Windows 2000 Server) ended.

Microsoft will no longer issue security updates or non-security hotfixes for Windows 2000. In addition, assisted support is no longer available for this product.

Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2)

Support for Windows XP SP2 has also ended on July 13, 2010. This date was established when Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) was released on April 21, 2008.

Microsoft will no longer issue security updates or non-security hotfixes for Windows XP SP2.

Please note, the terms of the Service Pack Support policy do not impact the Mainstream Support phase or Extended Support phase dates for Windows XP. Windows XP transitioned from the Mainstream Support phase to the Extended Support phase on April 14, 2009. During the Extended Support phase for Windows XP, Microsoft will continue to provide paid support and security updates at no additional charge. Extended Support for Windows XP will retire on April 8, 2014, as per the policy.

Note: Customers must be on a supported service pack to be eligible for Extended Support for Windows XP. Since support for Windows XP SP2 retired on July 13, 2010, customers must be on Windows XP SP3 to receive Extended Support.

What does “End-of-Support” mean for Windows 2000?

At the end of the Extended Support phase for Windows 2000, customers will not have access to the following:

• New security updates
• Non-security hotfixes
• Free or paid assisted support options
• Option to engage Microsoft’s product development resources
• Updates to online content (Knowledge Base articles, etc.)

Support options for Windows 2000 after July 13, 2010:

• Existing online content may be available to resolve common issues, if the product is still within the Online Self-Help Support phase.
• Custom Support is also available for purchase for those customers who have not been able to complete their migration to a supported product, and absolutely need additional support from Microsoft. The Custom Support offerings include access to security hotfixes and are specifically designed to help customers bridge the support gap while they complete their migration.
  Note: To enroll in Custom Support, customers must have a Premier Support contract. Additionally, customers are required to have a migration plan in place, prior to purchasing Custom Support.

What does “End-of-Support” mean for Windows XP SP2?

For service packs, the end of support is 12 or 24 months after a new service pack is released. Support for the previous service pack is either 12 or 24 months, depending on the product family. At the end of support for a service pack, customers will not have access to the following:

• New security updates
• Non-security hotfixes
• Option to engage Microsoft’s product development resources

Support options for Windows XP SP2 after July 13, 2010:

• Customers will have access to limited break/fix troubleshooting for Windows XP SP2.
  Note: If the support incident requires escalation to the product development teams for further guidance, requires a hotfix, or requires a security update, customers will be asked to upgrade to a supported service pack.
• Customers with a Premier Support agreement also have the option of purchasing Custom Support while they migrate to a supported product or service pack. The Custom Support offerings include access to security hotfixes.

Guidance for customers

Unsupported products or service packs pose a significant risk to your computer’s security. Therefore, Microsoft advises customers to migrate to the latest supported service pack and/or product prior to the end of support. Our latest products, such as Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2, provide greater security, reliability, environment-friendly features, and a host of other benefits.

Customers that need more information on product support and/or migration assistance are requested to contact their Microsoft Technical Account Manager or Account Representative.

Microsoft Support Lifecycle

The Microsoft Support Lifecycle (MSL) policy provides transparent and predictable information about the support lifecycle of Microsoft products. More information is available on the following MSL Web site:
http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle.