Microsoft's Windows for Thin PCs Hits RC Stage

By Marcus Yam
published

Thindows?

Microsoft has another new version of Windows coming up, but it doesn't end in the number 8. The Windows Team just released an RC of Windows Thin PC, or WinTPC, for more specific of restricted applications.

Microsoft's Karri Alexion-Tiernan blogged about some of WinTPC's virtues:

Customers like the reduced footprint of WinTPC – the machines they will likely use it on often have less disk space than brand new machines and WinTPC helps to ensure they will have adequate space. They also like the write filters which are helping customers to secure the device running WinTPC by preventing them from saving data or installing applications locally and they’re also pleased they can leverage their existing System Center products for management and deployment.

Windows Thin PC is expected to hit RTM sometime before summer.

Marcus Yam
Marcus Yam
Marcus Yam served as Tom's Hardware News Director during 2008-2014. He entered tech media in the late 90s and fondly remembers the days when an overclocked Celeron 300A and Voodoo2 SLI comprised a gaming rig with the ultimate street cred.
29 Comments Comment from the forums
  • hoofhearted
    Less bloat. This would work well for even high-end PCs.
    Reply
  • pelov
    windows without all the system hog?

    Skeptical user is skeptical.
    Reply
  • damianrobertjones
    There was also a version for XP. I've been testing the various releases and the stuff you can remove is fantastic, but the options are sometimes less than obvious so TESTING would be essential for anyone considering an install. The option to 'return' a computer to a fresh state after a restart is fantastic, especially for those people that like to 'browse' 'those' types of sites infected with malware.
    Reply
  • damianrobertjones
    pelovwindows without all the system hog?Skeptical user is skeptical.
    Join the Microsoft Connect site and you can test yourself...
    Reply
  • Camikazi
    This is very interesting, I got a few PCs that don't do much then run one or two programs and don't need all those extra features... I want.
    Reply
  • damianrobertjones
    As long as MS offer the software with a FULL description of each 'module', they could sell to consumers, but this isn't FOR consumers. Shame
    Reply
  • burnley14
    As long as it costs less than half what a normal copy of Windows does, I'm interested.
    Reply
  • virtualban
    By the looks of it, this version will not live long enough to reach 2014, so, why bother? *wink wink*
    Reply
  • scook9
    This could be popular with smaller sized SSDs
    Reply
  • Wisecracker
    I'm wunderin' how this might play on the Zacate/Brazos APUs and the Atom. The WP says ....

    Can I run applications on Windows Thin PC?Yes, you can only run applications that fall into one of the following
    categories:
    • Remote desktop clients
    • Management
    • Security
    • Media players

    I'd say that's good :)
    Reply