64-Bit Windows Releases Now Available

SimplyJeff writes "Athlon 64 users rejoice! Today at WinHEC 2005 in Seattle, Microsoft announced availability of the 64-bit editions of Windows XP and Windows Server 2003. Strangely (and possibly a sign the drivers aren't yet up to snuff), Microsoft will not sell the 64-bit releases in retail outlets. For now, only new PC buys can get Windows x64 Edition as an option. However, those who purchased Windows XP after March 31, 2003, can trade in their copy for the 64-bit version at a cost of $12 and a voided warranty. Although, x64 users will get one free support call to Microsoft." Reader bonch adds a link to CNET's review of the OS.

Comments

Re:Uh ...

[km790816]

You can get it on a machine and Microsoft will support you. Doesn't sound like Beta to me.

If you were Microsoft, would you like to deal with the long line of tech support calls explaining why the new version of Windows doesn't work on a Pentium Pro.

For the market they are targetting, their sales strategy makes perfect sense.

Re:Applications?

[ink]

Well, you should be able to run Win32 apps as quickly as you did on your 32-bit version of XP. As 64-bit apps make an appearance, they should run just fine alongside their elder bretheren. I wonder if we'll see the marketing blitz for "Win64" or "Certified for 64-bit Windows" applications this time around. When Microsoft moved from win16 to win32, everyone had to upgrade all their apps to take advantage of Windows 95, Win32S and NT 3.5. It was quite a money grab for the application developers; many simply had to re-compile against the 32-bit libraries and do some minor tweaks to release their preemptive-enabled applications. People bought it up.

New Paintshop Pro 64! Now able to address 16TB of RAM! J00 need it!!

Re:PR

[Anonymous Coward]

(A) 64-bit XP has already been shipping for a long time (Itanium)
(B) Tiger isn't fully 64-bit, so there's no dicksize race with Apple here.
(C) The crossover between OS X and Win64 customers is tiny anyway
(D) Windows x64 went "gold" before Apple even announced Tigers release date, so it's entirely a coincidence the dates are so close.
(E) Probably 80% of Windows sales is through OEMs, so this ain't "limted availabiity" in the slightest.
(F) Destroying every aspect of your post is getting boring.

Re:Applications?

[StillAnonymous]

What about games that utilize commercial protection schemes (safedisc, securom, starforce)? These all use 32-bit drivers to do their low-down and dirty work.

Will they work on XP64?

I have a feeling it'll be another case where the cracked version is more compatible than the original..

Re:Unlike Linux, which also had no drivers and app

[Lumpy]

I call Bullshit.

i have been running linux on a dual Opteron for 4 months now with NO problems. granted I went Nvidia, and they care about releasing drives for linux people so I had no problems there... UT2004 in 64 bit (yup the 64 bit version of the linux app is on the install CD's) is screaming fast. All drivers are there in 64 bit goodness, SATA is happy as well as my u320 Scsi raid.

Care to actually list the hardware you claim that there was no support for? Myself and several others in the LUG have no problems with 64bit linux. Also anyone having a shit fit over an office app running in 32 bit mode really needs to get a life. We have been using Suse 9.2 and it runs all the 32 bit apps happily on the 64 bit system. If you were a real gentoo user you would have known how to get 32 bit emulation turned on.

here, waht help? this obscure website

Suse has it set up for you already, but as a Gentoo user you must be an advanced linux pro to choose it over a newbie distro like Suse that configures everything for you already.

this is NOT a dig on Gentoo users, you guys typically are levels above the "I hate text files" crowd, I just know that the parent is lying and am trying to make a point about it.

if the parent is actually truthful i strongly suggest he choose a distro that has more automatic configurations and is ready for 64 bit like Suse.