Moving onward from windows xp service Pack 3 and windows vista Service Pack 1 to Windows 7, Microsoft is gearing up for the death of 32-bit versions of the Windows client. On the server-side, Window's transition to 64-bit only architectures is almost complete, with Windows Server 2008 being the last server operating system from Microsoft with support for 32-bit CPUs.


On the client-side, the evolution from x86 to x64 is still a long way from the finish line, but the Redmond company is starting to witness the first signs. According to the software giant, the adoption of x64 Vista is growing at a pace superior of x86, a trend which is predicted to accelerate.

"We've been tracking the change by looking at the percentage of 64-bit PCs connecting to windows update, and have seen a dramatic increase in recent months. The installed base of 64-bit Windows Vista PCs, as a percentage of all Windows Vista systems, has more than tripled in the U.S. in the last three months, while worldwide adoption has more than doubled during the same period. Another view shows that 20% of new Windows Vista PCs in the U.S. connecting to Windows Update in June were 64-bit PCs, up from just 3% in March," explained Christopher Flores, Director Windows Communications.

Microsoft is giving credit not to end users for the increasing shift to 64-bit Vista operating systems, but to its channel partners, especially original equipment manufacturers, who are making the jump to x64 CPUs and machines preloaded with the analog variant of the latest Windows version. The main advantage of 64-bit Vista over its 32-bit equivalent is the ability to handle RAM in excess of 4 GB, and on top of the extra system memory, to also manage a larger number of CPU intensive applications simultaneously. In the end, the user experience will simply benefit from the added performance that 64-bit Vista SKUs will deliver.

"What started out as a gradual (some would say "glacial") movement toward 64-bit PCs, driven primarily by technology enthusiasts, seems to have turned into a swift transition, likely fueled by the falling cost of memory and consumers' desire to get the most out of their PCs," Flores indicated. Still, the transition is far from over. In fact, Microsoft has already confirmed that Windows 7, the successor of Windows Vista, would also be made available in 32-bit and 64-bit flavors. In this context, it seems, Microsoft will only deliver 64-bit exclusive versions with Windows 7 Server and maybe Windows 8, on the client-side.

For the time being, Microsoft is claiming that x64 Windows Vista is growing, and said nothing about the 64-bit version of Windows XP SP2. XP SP3 is of course only available for 32-bit machines.

Two security bulletins, from December 2007 and from June 2008 respectively, affecting the DirectX components of a wide range of Windows operating systems including Windows Vista Service Pack 1 and Windows XP service Pack 3, have been updated. 

In the TalkBack section on my post looking at SP3 benchmarks, _deitrich asked a really good question: Adrian, how about a comparison of XP SP3 vs Vista SP1? Oui? C’est possible?

The Windows Vista vs. Windows XP face-off is far from over. Not only that, but the smackdown of the two operating systems is about to enter into its next stage of evolution with Microsoft launching the latest service packs for both platforms.

By maintaining the parallel availability of Windows Vista and Windows XP, Microsoft is successfully offering inhouse competition to its own products.

The Redmond company is in fact stretched between pushing Vista on all fronts, and pouring all of its efforts into its latest operating system, and continuing to offer and support Windows XP due to the consistent feedback coming from consumers, system builders and original equipment manufacturers. At the same time, Microsoft is cooking the next stages of evolution for both Vista and XP. In fact, the service packs for the two operating systems are almost synchronized and both scheduled for the first half of 2008. But while almost 80% of users still run XP with just over 7% having switched to Vista, is XP SP3 a valid option rather than Vista SP1? Well, not really…

First off, Windows XP was introduced in late 2001, and updated in 2004 with Service Pack 2. In this context, SP3 will not make XP any less expired. Of course that Microsoft does not consider XP obsolete, and it will breathe life into the Home, Media Center and Professional editions of the platform throughout 2014, as it extended support before Vista hit the market. On top of this, it will also sell the operating system through retail and OEM channels until mid 2008, and via system builders until February 2009. Still, opting for XP SP3 rather than Vista and its SP1 means that you will have to ride XP for all it’s got until 2010. Only in three years’ time will you be able to upgrade XP to Windows 7 (Seven), Vista’s successor. By 2010, you will be running a nine-year-old operating system… It’s the same as thinking that you could still be using Windows 98 today.

Secondly, XP SP2 will not be a repeat of XP SP2. Microsoft made it clear that the second service pack for Windows XP was an exception brought about by a specific context. The third and final refresh for XP will be a standard service pack cumulating updates, security patches, hotfixes and just a sprinkle of added functionality and features. That’s right, XP SP3 will be getting a taste of Windows Vista, but nothing more, and certainly not enough to justify ignoring Vista. No matter the expectations of XP SP3, currently planned for the first half of 2008, Microsoft will deliver little satisfaction with the refresh beyond what users experience with XP SP2.

The third reason is none other than the first service pack for Windows Vista. Microsoft’s latest operating system was released at the time when the environment of devices, applications and hardware was not fully ready for it. By Vista SP1, in the first quarter of 2008, the ecosystem orbiting the operating system will be mature enough to deliver full support and compatibility. Now, there is little doubt that Vista is a superior product to XP. However, a few glitches have held the platform back and generated a plethora of mixed reviews. With SP1, Microsoft will soften all of Vista’s rough corners in terms of reliability, performance and compatibility. Will all the details taken care of, SP1 will indeed recommend upgrading from XP.
source: news.softpedia.com