64-Bit Windows XP Released To Manufacturing

Finally, for all of those that have a need for a 64 bit operating system…you have been heard. Microsoft has announced that it will be releasing their 64 bit OS’ here in April. Then again on the eve of April 1st, could this be a prank and we are to wait even longer?

Microsoft Corp. said Thursday that it has released a number of 64-bit operating systems to manufacturing, including Windows XP Professional, in time for a scheduled release in late April.

As expected, the company also released Windows Server 2003 Server Pack 1, the basis for the 64-bit updates.

Specifically, Microsoft said that Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Standard x64 Edition, Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise x64 Edition, Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Datacenter x64 Edition, and Windows XP Professional x64 Edition all had been released to manufacturing. Further details will be released at the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference (WinHEC) later this month.

The 64-bit operating system has been long awaited by both Intel and especially Advanced Micro Devices, whose 64-bit Athlon and Opteron microprocessors have been forced to run on beta versions of the operating system. Linux distribution vendors, on the other hand, have offered 64-bit versions for months. [Read the rest]