Microsoft is offering free downloads of Windows XP Embedded Service Pack 2. The fact of the matter is that Windows XP Embedded SP2 Evaluation Edition is worth no less than 120-days of free trial since the moment of the deployment. Although the Redmond company is also offering Embedded versions of its latest operating system, Windows Vista, a free test drive edition is not available in this case. Microsoft failed to be equally generous with the Business or Ultimate editions of Windows Vista for Embedded Systems.

Windows XP Embedded SP2 Evaluation Edition is the only version of an embedded Windows operating system from Microsoft offered as a free trial download. In this context Microsoft underscored the fact that the trial version made available is designed exclusively to offer a test drive. The company also pointed out that each evaluation edition is limited to a single machine as far as installation is concerned.

"The Evaluation Edition software enables you to build Windows XP Embedded with Service Pack 2-based operating systems for 120 days from the day of installation. This free downloadable version of Windows XP Embedded with Service Pack 2 is segmented into smaller downloads so you can easily and successfully access the tools to begin evaluating Windows XP Embedded with Service Pack 2 today," Microsoft revealed.

Microsoft has updated Windows XP Embedded SP2 with Rollup 1.0 Feature Pack 2007. At this point in time, Windows XP Embedded SP2 is at the Feature Pack 2008 milestone and in this manner Microsoft has managed to build some of the features of Windows Vista into the operating system. Internet Explorer 7, Windows Media Player 11, User Mode Driver Framework, Remote Desktop Connection 6 and .NET Framework 3.0 are all available on Windows XP Embedded SP2.

"Windows XP Embedded delivers the power of Windows in componentized form to enable device-makers to rapidly build reliable and advanced small-footprint devices such as point-of-service (POS) kiosks, medical systems and thin clients," reads a Microsoft description of XP Embedded SP2.