News

64-bit Windows Client RTMs

A low-key re-release of a 64-bit desktop version of Windows was quietly Released to Manufacturing on Friday along with the higher profile Windows Server 2003.

Microsoft sent Windows XP 64-Bit Edition Version 2003 to the factory and to OEMs. The new client operating system builds on the 64-bit edition of Windows XP that Microsoft released back in October 2001 along with the general release of the Windows XP client operating systems. It will be generally available on April 24.

The major enhancement in the new client OS is optimization for the Itanium 2 processor, Intel's second-generation attempt at a 64-bit chip. The original 64-bit edition of Windows XP was optimized for the original Itanium.

The new release comes at the same time that Microsoft is sending its first general availability commercial 64-bit server operating systems into the manufacturing pipeline. They are Windows Server 2003 Datacenter Edition for 64-bit Itanium 2 Systems and Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition for 64-bit Itanium 2 Systems. Microsoft is also expected to release an operating system supporting AMD's 64-bit Opteron chip, but the company hasn't committed to a date for that.

The 64-bit desktop operating system is designed for complex scientific problems, developing high-performance design and engineering applications, creating 3-D animations and producing videos.

About the Author

Scott Bekker is editor in chief of Redmond Channel Partner magazine.

Featured

  • Broadcom Revamps VMware Partner Program Again

    Broadcom recently announced a significant update regarding its VMware Cloud Service Provider (VCSP) program, coinciding with the release of VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) 9.0, a key component in Broadcom’s private cloud strategy.

  • Closeup of the new Copilot keyboard key

    Microsoft Updates Copilot To Add Context-Sensitive Agents to Teams, SharePoint

    Microsoft has rolled out a new public preview for collaborative "always on" agents in Microsoft 365 Copilot, bringing enhanced, context-aware tools into Teams channels, meetings, SharePoint sites, Planner workstreams and Viva Engage communities.

  • Windows 365 Cloud Apps Now Available for Public Preview

    Microsoft announced this week that Windows 365 Cloud Apps are now available for public preview. This aims to allow IT administrators to stream individual Windows applications from the cloud, removing the need to assign Cloud PCs to every user.

  • Report: Security Initiatives Can't Keep Pace with Cloud, AI Boom

    The increasingly fast adoption of hybrid, multicloud, and AI systems is easily outgrowing existing security measures, according to a recent global survey by the Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) and exposure management firm Tenable.

Most   Popular