NEWZ: 64-Bit Windows Available End Of April

Server 2003, Windows XP, and Windows 2000 are all different generations of kernels.

Server 2003 is best thought of simply as Windows 2003. Windows XP is best thought of simply as Windows 2001.

Windows 2000 Server and Windows 2000 Workstation have the same kernel. The latest Workstation (XP) and Server (Server 2003) releases don't use the same generation of kernels. Microsoft's long term plan is to get the Server and Workstation kernels synchronised -- once again -- with "Longhorn."

Later this year, there will be a midlife upgrade of Windows 2003 Server with Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1.
 
sechs said:
Win2k is Windows 5.0
WinXP is Windows 5.1
Win2k3 is Windows 5.2
Click to expand...

Yes! I should have mentioned that.

Sun has been doing nearly the same thing all these years with Solaris (I suspect Microsoft has been mimicking Sun in this respect):

Solaris 1.0 = SunOS 4.1; Solaris 2.0 = SunOS 2.0... The classic Solaris 2.5.1 = SunOS 5.5.1; Solaris 2.6 = SunOS 5.6.

Then suddenly, Solaris 7 = SunOS 5.7; Solaris 8 = SunOS 5.8; Solaris 9 = SunOS 5.9; And the latest, Solaris 10 = SunOS 5.10.
 
Windows XP 64-bit (for X86) is now officially here. Here's a overview.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1788843,00.asp
  • Most 32-bit programs that engage the operating system at a low level just won't run under XP64...




What they don't mention in this article is WHY some of these programs won't work -- in particular some of the disc utilities.

The reason is that the NTFS partition structure that has been in use with NTFS all these years -- on the X86 platform -- has changed significantly. MBR (Master Boot record) is out and GPT (GUID Partition Table, or Globally Unique IDentifier Partition Table) is in. You can still use MBR volumes in XP64 for X86, but you MUST use at least a GPT volume to boot on. GPT has been in use in XP64 for Itanium, so it's not really new. GPT should be compatible with your current X86 BIOS, but it has historically been used by EFI (Extensible Firmware Interface) on the Itanium to boot to disc volumes.

I think I once talked about EFI briefly last year to someone that was wondering about the future of the PC BIOS (CougTech?). Just to rephrase that, just think of EFI as the replacement for the creaky old derelict BIOS that the X86 PC just can't seem to shake off. The PC has evolved beyond parallel ports, the ISA bus, the AT form factor mobo, and MFM hard drives, but the idiotic BIOS is still with us from the early 1980s!!! EFI can give you a hell of a lot of capabilities that you can only do in software at the application level now -- such as advanced setup, maintenance, and troubleshooting. EFI can provide these things without booting up or even without an operating system present because it can all be built into the firmware. That could even include the ability to fix the operating system without actually booting up the operating system, whereas you now have to run in Windows' "Safe Mode" to fix certain Windows problems.
 
1. I've installed it. Driver support is LOUSY. I'm talking 10-year-old x86 commercial unix lousy.
2. You can't upgrade to it. Has to be a fresh install on a different partition from 32-bit Windows.
3. No more 16-bit Windows or 8-bit DOS programs. I didn't have a problem with this, but apparently a lot of 32-bit Windows programs use 16-bit installers (Why?)
4. No, nothing seemed faster or slower.

In short, there really isn't a good reason for anyone to use it at this point.
 
new_breaknews_22.gif



  • 64-Bit Office 12 In The Works

    Microsoft is planning a 64-bit version of its Office product franchise, although it remains mum on details....

    Even as the company's top dogs last week talked up the newly shipping 64-bit Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP, insiders confirmed plans for a 64-bit version of Office 12, the successor to Office 2003....

The whole enchilada (severed finger not included):


http://www.crn.com/sections/breakingnews/breakingnews.jhtml?articleId=162100194


 
Buck said:
...On a side note, Matrox has 64-bit drivers available.
Click to expand...

iGary mentioned that above. Those drivers -- and nVidia's -- became "available" on the official release day.

One would have to surmise that ATI is still trying to figure out this brave new world of 64 bits.

(Overheard during lunchtime at a Burger King near the ATI factory: 64 bits. 32 x 2 = 64. Does this means that it's supposed to be twice as good?!? Seems like having to deal with all those damned pesky bits is really goin' to slow things down a lot. Why can't they just leave things alone. Always stirring up trouble. OK, I give up already. See if I care.)

 
ATi's 64-bit drivers have been out for some time. Or I illegally downloaded them from the driver area of the ATi website.

One or t'other.
 
sechs said:
ATi's 64-bit drivers have been out for some time. Or I illegally downloaded them from the driver area of the ATi website.
Click to expand...

Gotta You Are Ell for those at Ay Tee Eye?

I didn't see any mention last week (27/April-ish) at ATI's web-hosted download area. I didn't bother digging around at their FTP site, where they tend to have everything. Maybe ATI is just going with what's on the XP64 distribution CD-ROM at this point in time.
 
Interesting reading, indeed:


Gates: 64-Bit Transition Will Happen 'Rapidly'

http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1789337,00.asp



= / = / = / = /= / = /= / = /= / = /= / = /= / = /= / = /= / = /= / = /= / =



Dangers Lurk Along Windows' 64-Bit Upgrade Path
Updated: Microsoft says PC customers could void their warranties
by upgrading to its new 64-bit Windows XP Professional OS.

(i.e. -- jackass computer vendors working hard at being total jackasses)

http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1812036,00.asp

 
Computer Generated Baby said:
I didn't see any mention last week (27/April-ish) at ATI's web-hosted download area.
Click to expand...

1. Go to http://www.ati.com/
2. Click on "Drivers & Software"
3. Choose seventh option down, "Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Drivers and Software"
 
I can happily report that Microsoft is as prompt as ever. My technology advancement order was placed Apr 27, 2005 and is still pending. I contacted Microsoft via the email address provided 2 weeks after ordering and was told that they were back ordered but expected to start shipping the kits at the end of May. Perhaps I'll be running it by Christmas :). The last component for my system arrives today though so I guess I will be installing the 32 bit version. If the order numbers are chronological, I placed the 2244th and 2247th order :cry: .

Free
 
People who need access to more than 4GB of RAM need it now, not two years down the road when Longhorn pops out of the womb. I just need 2GB DIMMS to drop a little in pricing.
 
Pradeep said:
People who need access to more than 4GB of RAM need it now, not two years down the road when Longhorn pops out of the womb. I just need 2GB DIMMS to drop a little in pricing.
Click to expand...
Time to evaluate OS (and app) choices, then.
 
64 bit Windows didn't work for me, didn't work with a Gigabyte motherboard.

Suggest Nvidia 4 or later motherboards. Didn't work with either Nvidia 3, 939
socket board I tried.

s
 
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