Will WindowsXP Run on AMD 64bit Processors?

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Windows XP can run on AMD's 64-bit processors, as these CPUs are designed to be backwards compatible with the x86 architecture, which includes 32-bit and 16-bit software. The AMD64 architecture enhances the 32-bit x86 (IA-32) by adding 64-bit registers while maintaining compatibility with earlier software. This compatibility is a significant advantage over Intel's Itanium, which lacks full backwards compatibility with 32-bit operating systems. Although the Itanium does have an x86 compatibility layer, it does not support all instruction sets, such as SSE2. Overall, AMD's approach to 64-bit processing has allowed it to maintain compatibility while extending the architecture, contrasting with Intel's strategy.
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Hey does anyone know if WindowsXP will run on the new AMD 64bit processors? After all, are AMD processors compatible with pentium (i.e. x86 processors)?
 
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Backwards compatibility of AMD 64-bit CPUs

ramollari said:
Hey does anyone know if WindowsXP will run on the new AMD 64bit processors? After all, are AMD processors compatible with pentium (i.e. x86 processors)?
AMD's 64-bit processors are backwards compatible:

  • AMD64 represents a break with AMD's past behavior of following Intel's standards, but follows Intel's earlier behavior of extending the x86 architecture, from the 16-bit 8086 to the 32-bit 80386 and beyond, without ever removing backwards compatibility. The AMD64 architecture extends the 32-bit x86 architecture (IA-32) by adding 64-bit registers, with full 32-bit and 16-bit compatibility modes for earlier software.

This is why AMD managed to outmaneuver Intel in the 64-bit arena. Intel's 64 bit offering, the Itanium, is not backwards compatible with 32-bit operating systems.
 
This is very interesting indeed! I didn't know that AMD64bit processors are backward compatible.
 
hitssquad said:
AMD's 64-bit processors are backwards compatible:

  • AMD64 represents a break with AMD's past behavior of following Intel's standards, but follows Intel's earlier behavior of extending the x86 architecture, from the 16-bit 8086 to the 32-bit 80386 and beyond, without ever removing backwards compatibility. The AMD64 architecture extends the 32-bit x86 architecture (IA-32) by adding 64-bit registers, with full 32-bit and 16-bit compatibility modes for earlier software.

This is why AMD managed to outmaneuver Intel in the 64-bit arena. Intel's 64 bit offering, the Itanium, is not backwards compatible with 32-bit operating systems.

Yes, the Itanium is backwards compatible with 32-bit operating systems. The implementation is messy, but it does exist.

I should rephrase and state that an x86 compatibility layer does exist. This compatibility layer does include support for 32-bit operating systems. The Itanium does have support for most of the instruction sets present on an x86, with the exclusion of SSE2. I'm not sure about the Itanium2.

I also wouldn't say that AMD "outmanuveured" Intel. Each processor has it's distinct advantages and disadvantages.
 
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