Windows NT facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Windows NT

Company / developer	Microsoft
Programmed in	C, Assembly language (core) C++ (user mode applications, kernel graphical subsystem) C# (user mode applications)
Working state	Current
Source model	Closed-source Source-available (through Shared Source Initiative)
Initial release	July 27, 1993; 31 years ago (1993-07-27) (as Windows NT 3.1)
Update method	Windows Update, Windows Server Update Services
Supported platforms	IA-32, x86-64, ARM and ARM64 (and historically Intel i860, DEC Alpha, Itanium, MIPS, and PowerPC)
Kernel type	Hybrid (NT)
Influenced by	RSX-11, VAXELN, OpenVMS, MICA, Mach (kernel) MS-DOS, OS/2, Windows 3.1x (userland)
Default user interface	Graphical (Windows shell)
License	Depending on version, edition or customer choice: Trialware, commercial software, volume licensing, OEM-only, SaaS, S+S

Windows NT is a special type of operating system made by Microsoft. It's like the hidden engine that powers most modern Windows versions, even Windows 11! It first came out on July 27, 1993.

The "NT" in its name stood for "New Technology." It brought big improvements to Windows. For example, it fixed old limits on how computers could use their memory. Even though the "NT" name isn't used in Windows names anymore (like Windows 10), its technology is still there.

Windows NT introduced many cool features, including:

• Multiprocessing: This means it can use many computer processors (CPUs) at the same time. This makes your computer faster!
• Multi-user: Many people can use the same computer at the same time, even if they are in different places.
• Pure 32-bit memory access: This is a fancy way of saying it uses your computer's memory in a much more advanced and efficient way. Older Windows versions were a mix of 16-bit and 32-bit.
• Works on different computer chips: Windows NT was designed to run on many types of computer processors, not just Intel ones. Today, it mostly runs on Intel/AMD (x86) and ARM chips.
• Many built-in tools: It has lots of important parts like the Windows shell (what you see on your screen), NTFS (a secure way to store files), and Windows Update (which keeps your computer safe).

What is the Windows NT Family?

Windows NT is like a big family of operating systems. It's a special group within the larger Windows family.

The first version, Windows NT 3.1, was made for powerful workstation computers and servers. It was mostly for businesses, not for home users. Back then, home computers used simpler Windows versions based on MS-DOS.

In 1996, Windows NT 4.0 came out. It looked more like the popular Windows 95 that many people used at home.

Eventually, Microsoft decided to use the strong Windows NT technology for all Windows computers, even home ones. Starting with Windows 2000, they stopped using "NT" in the product name. But the "NT" technology was still deep inside the system.

How is Windows NT Installed?

You install versions of Windows NT using something called Windows Setup. For newer versions, starting with Windows Vista, this setup uses a small, simple version of Windows NT called the Windows Preinstallation Environment. It's like a mini-Windows that helps you get the full Windows installed.

Where Did the Name "NT" Come From?

The name "NT" has a few stories! Some people thought it was a secret code from the name "VMS" (another operating system), where each letter was shifted by one.

However, one of the original developers, Mark Lucovsky, said the name came from the first computer chip they planned to use, the Intel i860, which was code-named "N10" (N-Ten).

Later, Bill Gates said that "NT" used to mean "New Technology," but it didn't have a specific meaning anymore. Even so, Microsoft often said that products like Windows 2000 were "Built on NT Technology."

Key Features of Windows NT

One of the main goals of Windows NT was to work on different computer parts and with different software. It was designed to be very flexible.

Windows NT was one of the first Windows versions to use a special way of handling memory called "32-bit flat virtual memory addressing." This made computers much more powerful and able to run bigger programs.

It also had strong security features. It could control who had access to files and other parts of the system. This was very important for businesses and servers.

Windows NT 3.1 had a core part called the "kernel" that managed everything. It also had different "environments" for running programs, including a new one called Win32. This allowed it to run many tasks at the same time without slowing down the computer.

In Windows NT 4, some parts that handled things like video and printing were moved into the core system to make them faster. Also, Windows NT 4's look and feel were updated to match the popular Windows 95, with its taskbar and Start menu.

A very important feature of Windows NT is NTFS. This is a modern, secure, and reliable way to organize and store files on your computer.

How Windows NT Was Made

Original Windows NT wordmark

Microsoft decided to create a powerful, flexible operating system in 1988. It was first planned to be the next version of OS/2, an operating system Microsoft was developing with IBM.

But then, Microsoft's Windows 3.0 became very popular. So, Microsoft decided to change the new OS/2 (which was then called "NT OS/2") to work better with Windows programs. This caused problems with IBM, and they stopped working together.

Microsoft then continued to develop what became Windows NT on its own. It eventually became much more successful than OS/2.

Microsoft hired a team of experts led by Dave Cutler to build Windows NT. Many ideas for Windows NT came from Cutler's earlier work on other operating systems like VMS.

Windows 2000 architecture

Windows NT's core system is designed in layers. It has a "kernel mode" that has full control over the computer's hardware, and a "user mode" where programs run with limited access. This layered design helps keep the system stable and secure.

What Programming Languages Were Used?

Windows NT is mostly written in C and C++. C is used for the core parts of the system, and C++ is used for programs you interact with. They tried to use very little Assembly language so that Windows NT could easily work on different types of computer chips.

Windows NT Releases Over Time

Here are some of the main versions of Windows that use Windows NT technology:

Early Windows NT versions (3.1 to 3.51) used the "Program Manager" and "File Manager" from older Windows. But Windows NT 4.0 and later switched to the "Windows Explorer" design, which included the taskbar and Start menu we know today.

The first release was called version 3.1 to match the Windows version at the time. This made it seem more reliable than a brand-new "version 1.0."

Even though the "NT" version numbers aren't used for marketing anymore, they are still used inside the system. For example, Windows 10 actually has a version number of 10.0.

What Computers Can Run Windows NT?

32-bit Computers

To make sure Windows NT could work on many different computers, it was first built on non-Intel chips. Then, it was adapted to work on Intel chips.

Windows NT 3.1 could run on Intel x86 computers, as well as DEC Alpha and MIPS computers. Later, support for PowerPC chips was added.

Windows NT 4.0 was the last major version to support Alpha, MIPS, or PowerPC chips.

In 2011, Microsoft announced that future Windows NT versions would support ARM chips. This led to Windows RT (a version of Windows 8 for ARM) and the use of Windows NT in Windows Phone 8.

It's a common misunderstanding that the original Xbox and Xbox 360 used a modified Windows 2000. They actually had their own operating system. However, the Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S do use a special version of Windows 10.

Windows 11 is the first version of Windows for regular computers that does not support older 32-bit chips.

64-bit Computers

Microsoft also made 64-bit versions of Windows NT. These were first planned for Itanium and DEC Alpha chips.

While Windows 2000 only worked on 32-bit Intel chips, later versions like Windows XP and Server 2003 had special editions for Itanium.

Microsoft adopted x64 (a type of 64-bit chip) much more widely. Every version of Windows since Windows XP has x64 versions.

The first version of Windows NT to support ARM64 chips (like those from Qualcomm) was Windows 10, version 1709. This was a full version of Windows, not the simpler Windows RT.

What Your Computer Needs to Run Windows NT

The minimum requirements for Windows NT have changed a lot over time. Newer versions need much more disk space and memory. For example, Windows Vista needed 10 times more disk space than the version before it! And Windows 11 (from 2021) needs fairly new computer parts.

See also

In Spanish: Windows NT para niños

• F6 disk
• Windows domain
• ReactOS (an open source project that tries to work like Windows NT)
• Windows Preinstallation Environment
• Microsoft Servers