Microsoft has announced that they will be ending the product life cycle for Windows 2000 client and server support next year. Windows XP SP2 support will also come to an end, and are encouraging users to upgrade to Windows XP SP3, Windows Vista or preferably upgrade to Windows 7.

Microsoft has announced that on July 13, 2010, both Windows XP SP2 and Windows 2000 server and client support will come to an end. Microsoft is offering migration guides for free online to help upgrade from Windows XP and Windows 2000 to Windows 7, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2008 R2.

Windows XP currently holds more than 69% of the operating system market, while Vista currently holds 18.55% and Windows 7 with just over 5% and growing.

Users looking to upgrade to Windows Vista should know that Microsoft is set to support it up until 2012, and have not revealed plans to extend support further. Windows XP users will be happy to know Microsoft will be supporting Windows XP SP3 until 2014.

Those users, however will have to do a “clean” installation of Windows 7, meaning that all data on the machine will be lost.

“Regarding XP, customers can purchase upgrade media and an upgrade license to move from Windows XP to Windows 7,” a company spokeswoman said in an e-mail Tuesday morning. “However, they will need to do a clean installation of Windows 7.”

In a follow-up reply to questions, the spokeswoman fleshed out what Microsoft means by upgrade. “The ‘upgrade’ part is referring to the license,” she said. “You will be able to get the discounted ‘upgrade’ license, but it will include full bits.”

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