What is "Windows XP Embedded"?

Todd · External Since: Sep 14, 2011 Posts: 32

Hi All,

On a Point of Sale (POS) system I am trying to upgrade,
the software vendor states:

System Requirements
...
Compatible Operating Systems:
Windows XP Professional SP3, WEPOS (Windows XP Embedded for POS),

What is "Windows XP Embedded for POS" and where is it purchased?
(I have access to regular XP-SP3-OEM)

Many thanks,
-T

Chief Scratchum · External Since: Nov 25, 2006 Posts: 2

Todd wrote in

> Hi All,
>
> On a Point of Sale (POS) system I am trying to upgrade,
> the software vendor states:
>
> System Requirements
> ...
> Compatible Operating Systems:
> Windows XP Professional SP3, WEPOS (Windows XP Embedded for POS),
>
> What is "Windows XP Embedded for POS" and where is it purchased?
> (I have access to regular XP-SP3-OEM)

Are you sure that "POS" stands for "Point of Sale"? Smile

---- Sorry, I just couldn't resist ----

VanguardLH · External Since: Jan 22, 2009 Posts: 195

Todd wrote:

> On a Point of Sale (POS) system I am trying to upgrade,
> the software vendor states:
>
> System Requirements
> ...
> Compatible Operating Systems:
> Windows XP Professional SP3, WEPOS (Windows XP Embedded for POS),
>
> What is "Windows XP Embedded for POS" and where is it purchased?
> (I have access to regular XP-SP3-OEM)

Windows XP Embedded
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_xp_embedded#Windows_XP_Embedded

WXP Embedded is minimalized install of that OS because, after all, you
don't need to run Hearts, Paint, Wordpad, and other bloatware on your
electronic cash register.

Depending on just WHAT you have for hardware for your POS terminal, you
could do a full install of Windows XP but I don't know if you can use an
upgrade version to move away from an embedded version. You might have
to buy a full retail or OEM version rather than an upgrade version.

You didn't say to WHAT you intended to upgrade or migrate. You're
posting in a Windows XP newsgroup, so why would you blow away the
Windows XP (embedded) on your POS for a full retail or OEM version of
the same Windows XP? Why would you want all that fluff on your POS
system? It's supposed to be for your business, not to play Solitaire.

Is the shop or jobber that built your POS device no longer in business
or no longer supporting what they sold you? Is that why you're doing
your own support and thinking of replacing a minimalized version that is
optimized for a POS system to wanting to add a lot of non-business bloat
to it? There's some logic missing and why I can't see why you are
trying to move from Windows XP to Windows XP.

Zaphod Beeblebrox · External Since: May 12, 2011 Posts: 25

"Todd" wrote in message

> Hi All,
>
> On a Point of Sale (POS) system I am trying to upgrade,
> the software vendor states:
>
> System Requirements
> ...
> Compatible Operating Systems:
> Windows XP Professional SP3, WEPOS (Windows XP Embedded for
> POS),
>
> What is "Windows XP Embedded for POS" and where is it purchased?
> (I have access to regular XP-SP3-OEM)
>

As VanguardLH said, Windows XP Embedded is a minimized install of
Windows XP, and the Windows XP Embedded for POS is optimized for and
includes drivers for Point of Service applications. WEPOS must be
purchased through a Windows Embedded Distributor; it is not available
through retail channels.

What/why exactly are you upgrading, and why aren't you going through
your POS vendor? Generally, WEPOS updates are available through the
VAR / OEM for your hardware, which is often the vendor of the POS
software as well. Just as often, the software vendor is better able
to service and support your POS if you stick with equipment (both
hardware and OS) that they have provided, making any savings on going
to a third party for either minimal at best... In other words,
without knowing a bit more about the exact circumstances it is hard to
provide any real constructive advice.

--
Zaphod

Vell, Zaphod's just zis guy, ya know? - Gag Halfrunt

Todd · External Since: Sep 14, 2011 Posts: 32

On 09/15/2011 05:14 AM, Zaphod Beeblebrox wrote:
> WEPOS must be
> purchased through a Windows Embedded Distributor; it is not available
> through retail channels.

Exactly what I was looking for. I need to purchase the POS terminal
directly from a POS seller.

Thank you!

-T

billw50 · External Since: Jan 27, 2005 Posts: 615

In news:j4tmmd$gii$2@dont-email.me,
Todd typed:
> On 09/15/2011 05:14 AM, Zaphod Beeblebrox wrote:
>> WEPOS must be
>> purchased through a Windows Embedded Distributor; it is not available
>> through retail channels.
>
> Exactly what I was looking for. I need to purchase the POS terminal
> directly from a POS seller.
>
> Thank you!
>
> -T

120 day trial version can be found here, if you are interested.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsembedded/en-us/downloads/download-wind...-xp-emb

--
Bill
Alienware M9700 ('06 era) - OE-QuoteFix v1.19.2
AMD Turion 64 ML44 2.4GHz - 2GB - Windows XP SP3

Todd · External Since: Sep 14, 2011 Posts: 32

On 09/15/2011 01:31 PM, BillW50 wrote:
> In news:j4tmmd$gii$2@dont-email.me,
> Todd typed:
>> On 09/15/2011 05:14 AM, Zaphod Beeblebrox wrote:
>>> WEPOS must be
>>> purchased through a Windows Embedded Distributor; it is not available
>>> through retail channels.
>>
>> Exactly what I was looking for. I need to purchase the POS terminal
>> directly from a POS seller.
>>
>> Thank you!
>>
>> -T
>
> 120 day trial version can be found here, if you are interested.
>
> http://www.microsoft.com/windowsembedded/en-us/downloads/download-wind...-xp-emb
>

Cool. Then I could use it to upgrade a w2k POS system. The two
POS terminals are really old (8+ yrs), so it may be the better
part of wisdom just to get new ones. But, the quality of
hardware has gone down the toilet since then, so ...

Thank you!

-T

Zaphod Beeblebrox · External Since: May 12, 2011 Posts: 25

"Todd" <Todd.RemoveThis@invalid.com> wrote in message

> On 09/15/2011 01:31 PM, BillW50 wrote:
>> In news:j4tmmd$gii$2@dont-email.me,
>> Todd<Todd.RemoveThis@invalid.com> typed:
>>> On 09/15/2011 05:14 AM, Zaphod Beeblebrox wrote:
>>>> WEPOS must be
>>>> purchased through a Windows Embedded Distributor; it is not
>>>> available
>>>> through retail channels.
>>>
>>> Exactly what I was looking for. I need to purchase the POS
>>> terminal
>>> directly from a POS seller.
>>>
>>> Thank you!
>>>
>>> -T
>>
>> 120 day trial version can be found here, if you are interested.
>>
>> http://www.microsoft.com/windowsembedded/en-us/downloads/download-wind...-xp-emb
>>
>
> Cool. Then I could use it to upgrade a w2k POS system. The two
> POS terminals are really old (8+ yrs), so it may be the better
> part of wisdom just to get new ones. But, the quality of
> hardware has gone down the toilet since then, so ...
>

This isn't just a "drop the CD in and install it on the POS terminal".
You install the development toolkit on a separate PC, design the XP
Embedded image by including the components and services you need,
include the componentized device drivers for the POS terminal (from
either using a Target or driver package from the OEM), build
the image and deploy to the boot device. Here's an overview:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd143251(v=winembedded.5).aspx

Also, images that are built with the eval version expire (after 90
days I think) and the entire toolkit expires after 120 so you won't be
able to build a permanent image.

Food for thought...

--
Zaphod

Vell, Zaphod's just zis guy, ya know? - Gag Halfrunt

Todd · External Since: Sep 14, 2011 Posts: 32

On 09/15/2011 03:23 PM, Zaphod Beeblebrox wrote:
> "Todd"<Todd.DeleteThis@invalid.com> wrote in message
>
>> On 09/15/2011 01:31 PM, BillW50 wrote:
>>> In news:j4tmmd$gii$2@dont-email.me,
>>> Todd<Todd.DeleteThis@invalid.com> typed:
>>>> On 09/15/2011 05:14 AM, Zaphod Beeblebrox wrote:
>>>>> WEPOS must be
>>>>> purchased through a Windows Embedded Distributor; it is not
>>>>> available
>>>>> through retail channels.
>>>>
>>>> Exactly what I was looking for. I need to purchase the POS
>>>> terminal
>>>> directly from a POS seller.
>>>>
>>>> Thank you!
>>>>
>>>> -T
>>>
>>> 120 day trial version can be found here, if you are interested.
>>>
>>> http://www.microsoft.com/windowsembedded/en-us/downloads/download-wind...-xp-emb
>>>
>>
>> Cool. Then I could use it to upgrade a w2k POS system. The two
>> POS terminals are really old (8+ yrs), so it may be the better
>> part of wisdom just to get new ones. But, the quality of
>> hardware has gone down the toilet since then, so ...
>>
>
> This isn't just a "drop the CD in and install it on the POS terminal".
> You install the development toolkit on a separate PC, design the XP
> Embedded image by including the components and services you need,
> include the componentized device drivers for the POS terminal (from
> either using a Target or driver package from the OEM), build
> the image and deploy to the boot device. Here's an overview:
> http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd143251(v=winembedded.5).aspx
>
> Also, images that are built with the eval version expire (after 90
> days I think) and the entire toolkit expires after 120 so you won't be
> able to build a permanent image.
>
> Food for thought...
>

Thank you! Sound like it is better to just buy the whole thing
put together for you by a POS vendor.

-T

Todd · External Since: Sep 14, 2011 Posts: 32

On 09/14/2011 11:04 PM, Chief Scratchum wrote:

>> What is "Windows XP Embedded for POS" and where is it purchased?
>> (I have access to regular XP-SP3-OEM)

> Are you sure that "POS" stands for "Point of Sale"? Smile

>
> ---- Sorry, I just couldn't resist ----

Okay. Scratching my head. Whatever do you mean. Hmmm.
Oh! NO NO NO NO. I am asking about XP. You must
of thought I meant Vista/7

Smile

Humor from the I.T. Crowd:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxIUs-pQBjk

-T