whats the difference?

what is the main diffenernce in xp x64 and xp pro w/ sp2?
just wondering.

Colin
Mon Nov 28 20:43:51 CST 2005

XP Pro x64 and XP Pro SP2 are nearly feature identical. However, XP Pro x64
runs only on 64-bit machines while XP Pro SP2 runs on both x64 and x86
machines (as a 32-bit OS of course). Technically, x64 is built on the same
codebase that Server 2003 x64 is and x64 is very stable as a result. XP Pro
x64 can address huge amounts of memory compared to x86. The drawback to x64
right now is that the user has to carefully choose devices that have 64-bit
drivers available. Programs that use software drivers need to have
64-drivers available also. 16-bit software does not run at all on x64.
Some 32-bit applications have 16-bit installers and so won't install. It is
a great system if you prepare for it carefully or plan to use it in a
multiboot scenario or on a second system where you have a help computer to
compensate for incompatibilities until the third party vendors catch up to
the 64-bit world.

--
Colin Barnhorst [MVP Windows - Virtual Machine]
(Reply to the group only unless otherwise requested)
"UnknownTBeast" <UnknownTBeast@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:37CBF067-0D00-4574-BEC0-FB54512B724E@microsoft.com...
> what is the main diffenernce in xp x64 and xp pro w/ sp2?
> just wondering.

Charlie
Tue Nov 29 08:03:13 CST 2005

You might find the web cast I did on x64 Edition gives you a good idea of
what's new in x64 and what to expect.
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=909753

Also, an FAQ I did a while back may be useful as well.
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/64bit/russel_x64faq.mspx


--
Charlie.
http://msmvps.com/xperts64

UnknownTBeast wrote:
> what is the main diffenernce in xp x64 and xp pro w/ sp2?
> just wondering.

UnknownTBeast
Tue Nov 29 21:16:04 CST 2005

Thanks for the information, sounds interesting.
Now qiute how do you tell the difference in the type of system, x64 or x86?
From what I saw in the FAQ its the processor, right? And Colin, you said that
xp pro w/ sp 2 can run both on x64 and x86, but as a 32-bit, thats the same
as x32 I thought, making it work only for x32 machines.

Thank you much,
Randall

"UnknownTBeast" wrote:

> what is the main diffenernce in xp x64 and xp pro w/ sp2?
> just wondering.

Colin
Tue Nov 29 22:05:54 CST 2005

Just to get the terminology right, there is no "x32". What you are calling
x32 is by convention called x86 (after the family of Intel processors that
started with the 8086). x86 is currently used to describe 32-bit operating
systems that run on Intel and compatible x86 processors.

x64 is named after the AMD64 family of processors that were the first 64-bit
processors that were backwards compatible with x86 instructions sets. x64
is used to describe 64-bit operating systems that run on the AMD64 and Intel
EM64T processors. (There is another Intel 64-bit processor, the Itanium,
that is called IA64 and is not compatible with either x86 or x64
processors.)

The result: All 32-bit Windows for x86 processors run on x64 processors as
well. But they run as 32-bit operating systems. To get the full capability
of an x64 processor you need to run Windows x64.

--
Colin Barnhorst [MVP Windows - Virtual Machine]
(Reply to the group only unless otherwise requested)
"UnknownTBeast" <UnknownTBeast@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:8475883C-971D-4293-AE1F-5BF5DD66DAA5@microsoft.com...
> Thanks for the information, sounds interesting.
> Now qiute how do you tell the difference in the type of system, x64 or
> x86?
> From what I saw in the FAQ its the processor, right? And Colin, you said
> that
> xp pro w/ sp 2 can run both on x64 and x86, but as a 32-bit, thats the
> same
> as x32 I thought, making it work only for x32 machines.
>
> Thank you much,
> Randall
>
> "UnknownTBeast" wrote:
>
>> what is the main diffenernce in xp x64 and xp pro w/ sp2?
>> just wondering.