Microsoft will no longer release 32-bit (x86) Windows 10 to OEMs

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  1. Posts : 13,898
    Win10 Version 22H2 Pro and Home, Win11 Pro and Home
       #10

    Try3 said:
    @eLPuSHeR
    I'm sorry but your title Microsoft to kill support for x86 w10 is seriously misleading.
    @Try3
    I agree, such blanket statements do tend to install a scare tactic. But then there's a lot on the Internet that are similar and too frequent with computing. I think I have only 2 Win10 Notebooks still on 32-bit plus a WinXP Desktop and a WinVista Notebook.
      My Computers


  2. Posts : 68,668
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
       #11
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 800
    Windows 10 Home x64
       #12

    Bree said:
    A machine may be 64 bit capable, but if the maximum memory that can be installed is only 2GB then 32 bits is the only practical option. Many older CPUs cannot address more than 2GB, some Intel Atoms for example.
    Intel Atom(R) Processor N2600 (1M Cache, 1.6 GHz) Product Specifications
    To be precise: 32-bit (x86) OS memory limits generally hovers around 4GB (give or take, with PAE support that most normal CPUs support).
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  4. Posts : 13,898
    Win10 Version 22H2 Pro and Home, Win11 Pro and Home
       #13

    krzemien said:
    To be precise: 32-bit (x86) OS memory limits generally hovers around 4GB (give or take, with PAE support that most normal CPUs support).
    I have a couple of Notebooks running x86 Win10 [1 Pro and 1 Home] and both have 4GB RAM installed but as is typical with 32-bit only show 3.4 in System Info even though the BIOS accepts the full 4GB, whether the OS is using all 4GB is sometimes difficult to determine but is immaterial on a system that requires only 1GB RAM. The amount not being displayed is much more than my first computer had, 4MB and the first update was to 8MB, HDD was 120MB and next update was to 210MB.
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  5. Posts : 31,471
    10 Home x64 (22H2) (10 Pro on 2nd pc)
       #14

    krzemien said:
    To be precise: 32-bit (x86) OS memory limits generally hovers around 4GB (give or take, with PAE support that most normal CPUs support).
    Although 4GB is the maximum address range for a 32-bit address, not all CPUs can handle the whole of this range. The cpu chipset can impose a lower limit. in the case of the Intel Atom in my example (commonly used in netbooks) the CPU cannot address more than 2GB according to Intel's own product spec.
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  6. Posts : 800
    Windows 10 Home x64
       #15

    Bree said:
    Although 4GB is the maximum address range for a 32-bit address, not all CPUs can handle the whole of this range. The cpu chipset can impose a lower limit. in the case of the Intel Atom in my example (commonly used in netbooks) the CPU cannot address more than 2GB according to Intel's own product spec.
    Yeah, but my late (now) computer based on Pentium 4 3.2 GHz (HT) - built in 2004 and serving me well up until 2017 - was able to handle 3.something GB (nearly 4 GB, I think? I forget) without issues.

    So your quoted example is an exception here rather than a rule - which inevitably and unconsciously but equally wrongfully diminishes the usability of 32-bit OS.
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  7. Posts : 7,128
    Windows 10 Pro Insider
       #16

    f14tomcat said:
    I'd be curious to know what updates popped up if connect to the 'Net.
    Before I checked for updates it was running build 1703. It is now installing build 1903. So yes it did it's share of updates.
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  8. Posts : 56,806
    Multi-boot Windows 10/11 - RTM, RP, Beta, and Insider
       #17

    Winuser said:
    Before I checked for updates it was running build 1703. It is now installing build 1903. So yes it did it's share of updates.
    Thanks! Boy, it's still chuggin' along!
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  9. Posts : 31,471
    10 Home x64 (22H2) (10 Pro on 2nd pc)
       #18

    Winuser said:
    Before I checked for updates it was running build 1703. It is now installing build 1903. So yes it did it's share of updates.
    I've notice that on my test machine when running older builds. Any build up to 1809 is offered 1903 first. Then when that's done your 1903 will be offered 1909 as an optional update. Makes sense, as the 1909 update is only a minor enablement package from 1903, but to get to 1903 you need a full upgrade.
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  10. Posts : 520
    Windows 10
       #19

    jimbo45 said:
    Hi there
    If people want to use old legacy hardware they can just keep running old versions of the OS -- people complaining about x86 support being dropped perhaps are still decrying that support for the old cpu's e.g 20186 and earlier were dropped.

    Getting rid of x86 stuff makes the OS and its applications far easier to build, run, maintain and debug as you don't need a level of implied virtualisation.

    In any case speaking of virtualisation - those that want to run legacy software (or even where possible legacy hardware) on modern gear can easily continue to do so until the end of the life of the Universe by simply running Virtual machines.

    Ms should have dropped x86 support a long time ago -- the most obvious time was at the introduction of W10 -- I suspect the fact they didn't was rather more political than technological --especially with the hideous problems with Windows 8. Ms didn't want people to stop on W7 indefinitely so they had to make it as easy as possible to switch to W10 --even now I think the "Free upgrade" which should have expired years ago still works --haven't tried it recently but it was certainly woprking in January.

    (Most Linux distros these days have stopped shipping with X86 support by default although you can still get versions with x86 support built in) -- There's been no outrcry from these users - especially as you can run Linux on incredibly ancient hardware.

    IMHO if you've got modern hardware why would you want to hobble it by running software designed for hardware made 20 years earlier !!!!.

    Cheers
    jimbo
    To drop the ability to run 32 bit apps would be crazy. It would ensure Windows 10 would be a disaster. Want to know how many 32 bit apps you have installed? Just look under C:\Program Files (x86) and see all the applications.
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