Windows XP was released by Microsoft in 2001 and became one of the most widely used operating systems of the 2000s, which made its logon and shutdown chimes instantly recognisable worldwide. This alternate logon variant circulated through system sound folders, soundboards and early video edits alongside the Windows error sound. As XP aged, its interface sounds shifted from everyday background noise to shorthand for retro computing online. The chime is now reused in memes, nostalgia compilations and tech videos whenever a creator needs viewers to recognise an old PC in seconds.