More speculation: Is 32-bit Windows dead?

erpster4 · Jul 16, 2021

SylenThunder said:
Interesting note though. If you go off the plain specs they leave there, my old Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 has double the min spec to run the OS.

though Core 2s (duos & quads) don't have any updated microcodes for meltdown & spectre security protections
yup, MS should have stated which "generations" of Intel & AMD CPUs are officially supported by Win11

back when Win10 first came out, MS did not test 2nd gen (Sandy Bridge) Intel core cpus & older for Win10 compatibility
now I know how users with 6th gen & 7th gen Intel core cpus (and older) feel when attempting to install Win11 on those systems

though getting back on topic, the 32bit only Windows era is almost dead

SmokeMe · Jul 16, 2021

I will keep (one of) my PCs with Windows 10 x86 running on it & updating as long as I can as it's the only newer type of Windows that I can run my 16 bit Journal app on that has 27 years of my entries on it.
I suppose I could just put it on a bootable external drive with no internet exposure once the Windows 10 MS EOL happens.

Bree · Jul 16, 2021

SmokeMe said:
I will keep (one of) my PCs with Windows 10 x86 running on it ... as it's the only newer type of Windows that I can run my 16 bit Journal app...

Welcome to 11 Forum.

On a 64-bit machine you could still run x86 W10 as a virtual machine, either in Hyper-V in Windows 11 Pro, or using VMWare or Virtualbox on Home. You can set up the VM so it doesn't have its own internet connection.

SmokeMe · Jul 16, 2021

Bree said:
Welcome to 11 Forum.
On a 64-bit machine you could still run x86 W10 as a virtual machine, either in Hyper-V in Windows 11 Pro, or using VMWare or Virtualbox on Home.

Thank you Bree,
I will make a note of your suggestion & test it out on a VM.
Getting a 16 bit app to run on a x86 OS involves a few hoops to jump thru but I like to think its fun.

Bree · Jul 16, 2021

SmokeMe said:
Getting a 16 bit app to run on a x86 OS involves a few hoops to jump thru but I like to think its fun.

I know, tried it myself :wink:

If it's a DOS app there's also the possibility of using DOSBox in any 64-bit Windows. Even Windows 3.x (which itself is a 16-bit app) can be installed and run in DOSBox.

Winuser · Jul 16, 2021

IMHO it's time to say goodbye to 32 bit devices. It is time for MS to stop looking backward and start looking forward. Knowing that there is a large number of people who can't afford to upgrade to the newest hardware MS should continue security updates way past the 2025 end of support date for Windows 10.

Winuser · Jul 16, 2021

My last 32bit device was a Lenovo tablet. If I remember correctly it had a Atom processor. It seemed OK when I first bought it. Eventually I realized just how slow it was. Even installing Linux didn't help. It finally got to the point were it wouldn't boot anymore. It would turn on then shut off.

Ernimus Prime · Jul 16, 2021

Seriously though, how many PC's have a 32 bit CPU? It's about time.

badrobot · Jul 16, 2021

If we add TPM and supported CPU to the equation, a lot of existing 64-bit hardware will also be left behind. So, abandoning 32-bit does not look so bad.

Bree · Jul 16, 2021

Ernimus Prime said:
Seriously though, how man PC's have a 32 bit CPU? It's about time.

Not many, but that's not the point. Some cheaper netbooks had a 64-bit CPU, but only a 32-bit BIOS, so can only run a 32-bit OS. Even with a 64-bit BIOS many 64-bit CPUs have a limited RAM address range they can support. My netbook with an Atom N2600 has a maximum limit on installed RAM of 2GB, hence a 32-bit OS is the only sensible option*.

Intel Atom® Processor N2600
Max Memory Size (dependent on memory type) 2.44 GB

Intel Atom® Processor N2600 (1M Cache, 1.6 GHz) Product Specifications

Intel Atom® Processor N2600 (1M Cache, 1.6 GHz) quick reference guide including specifications, features, pricing, compatibility, design documentation, ordering codes, spec codes and more.

ark.intel.com

* didn't stop me trying W11 on it though

RJARRRPCGP · Jul 17, 2021

johnlgalt said:
I was also one of the lucky ones in that my X58 mobo didn't go all stupid when installing OSs with all three DIMMs in place

1366 is made for 3 DIMMs! That would be like 2 for most of the others! My problem was only with the second 1366 motherboard I got and so far, looks like only when I use more than those 3 slots.
(If I use the black auxiliary slots, which was OK with the P6T Deluxe, when I didn't have that 12 GB Corsair Vengeance kit yet, so I used the black slot(s) to get 14 GB or 10 GB.)
That RAM mix, while OK on the P6T Deluxe, results in RAM instability on the P6T6 WS Revolution!

johnlgalt · Jul 17, 2021

Yes, it was triple channel - which I was using, 3* 4 GB DIMMs.

So many people had issues with the X58s and had to install using only a single DIMM slot populated, but I never did.

But I never bought another matching set to move from 12 GB to 24 GB, I kept using 12 right until I built the new rig last year.

RJARRRPCGP · Jul 17, 2021

johnlgalt said:
Yes, it was triple channel - which I was using, 3* 4 GB DIMMs.

So many people had issues with the X58s and had to install using only a single DIMM slot populated, but I never did.

But I never bought another matching set to move from 12 GB to 24 GB, I kept using 12 right until I built the new rig last year.

I used to use mixed sticks with the frequency set manually to 1333 (666/667) and manual known-standard-timings, because I would have only 6 GB otherwise. But that was a total disaster with the P6T6 WS Revolution!

johnlgalt · Jul 17, 2021

Not me. I got a matched set of Mushkin 3 by 4 GB sticks that worked perfectly fine. I had a decent stepping (b0?) on the 985 EE I had in the mobo, and the RAM I bought when I bought the mobo, rather than mixing and matching (I've not mixed and matched since ...gosh, my Pentium 200 MHz machine...).

IIRC, I was also using the XMP profile of those Mushkins, so they were mildly aggressive, but they got the job done.

The one big problem I had was with Linux installs - I had to disable every type of OCing on there - including the default dummy OC in eVGA's BIOS - otherwise Most linus installs would fail with kernel panics, usually while profiling the hardware before any real installation even began.

RJARRRPCGP · Jul 17, 2021

johnlgalt said:
linus installs would fail with kernel panics, usually while profiling the hardware before any real installation even began.

That sounds like a wacky moment that I had with a Linux distro, where it crashed in random spots and that stopped occurring after cleaning the motherboard and reseating all the cards. During the cleaning, which was with my Asus P5QL Pro motherboard, (775) I saw a dust bunny bridging the legs of a capacitor! Often it would freeze and sometimes I got a kernel panic, IIRC. I also randomly received a bogus "no such file or directory" error message. It tended to crash when scanning for hardware, it seemed, during that incident.

johnlgalt · Jul 17, 2021

Definitely was not related to heat in my case. It was only ever solved by disabling OC.

Mind you this was to boot Linux installers of all types - from basic Ubuntu and Mint and such distros to LFS like Gentoo.

And once installed, no issue - but booting generic kernels made for installation never, ever worked with OC enabled.

As for why it was not a heat issue - I stripped and cleaned my machine at least once a year. During the 9+ years I ran it I reapplied TIM to the CPU and to 2 different GPUs as well. It was well aired, with a CPU AIO cooler and .. 5? 6? fans in birdirectional airflow (bottom to top and front to back) - and I used various utilities to keep fans ramped up (I don't care about noise, I care about heat dissipation).

it is what it is. I haven't tried live booting an installer on this rig because I needed it up and working ASAP in order to teach classes, but I serioously doubt I'll have the issues with this rig that I did with the previous one.

RJARRRPCGP · Jul 17, 2021

johnlgalt said:
Definitely was not related to heat in my case.

Wasn't related to heat. I think the dust just screwed with the contacts. It seemed to be dust that moved around when I upgraded the processor to my first Wolfdale, despite it was second-hand. I ended up using a moistened brush to remove that dust!