EARLY SALES OF Windows XP have exceeded those of some previous Microsoft desktop operating systems, boosting PC-related industries, the company said Thursday, citing independent research figures.

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Since the Oct. 25 official release of Windows XP, more upgrades and copies of the software have been sold compared to the same period following the launches of Windows 95 and Windows ME (Millennium Edition), Microsoft said. The new operating system is "keeping pace" with Windows 98, it added.

In the three days following the official launch of Windows XP, U.S. retailers sold more than 300,000 copies of the new operating system, according to data from NPD Intelect, a sales tracking firm for the consumer electronics industry that gathers sales estimates from major retailers and mail-order companies. In the comparable period, Windows ME recorded more than 200,000 copies sold, and Windows 98 sold about 400,000 copies, according to NPD Intelect, which is based in Port Washington, N.Y.

Along with retail sales of Windows XP, sales of new personal computers and compatible devices such as MP3 players and digital cameras have also increased, NPD Intelect research showed. Similarly, software sales rose more than 50 percent in the week following the launch of Windows XP.

Microsoft and its industry partners didn't reveal exact figures for PC sales and other hardware since Oct. 25. Sales of Hewlett-Packard (HP) machines loaded with Windows XP have been "encouraging," HP's worldwide business manager, Rob Wait, said in a statement Thursday.

With PC sales declining to new lows, according to market research, and a continued decrease in corporate spending, some analysts offered dismal expectations for Windows XP sales and income in the overall PC industry.

Research firm Gartner issued a report following the launch of Windows XP that pegged corporate users to start adopting the new operating system in substantial numbers sometime in 2004. Home users are expected to upgrade to the new operating system next year. Even Microsoft has set a low bar for Windows XP, with company officials saying they don't expect sales to pick up until the PC market rebounds.