No offense trooper11, but while it's clear that you are reading the information, it is also just as clear that you aren't <i>understanding</i> it.
The two x86-64 instruction sets are functionally identical enough that the initial 64-bit beta for Windows <i>would</i> run on Nocona. That wasn't the problem. The problem was that the <i>installer</i> was specifically written to check for an AMD chip before installing. There was no instruction set incompatability preventing even the first beta from running on Nocona.
Furthermore there was no functional difference between the two x86-64 instruction sets that prevented it from running on Linux either. What prevented the proper Linux kernel from running Nocona was <i>not</i> an EMT64 instruction set problem. It wasn't even a CPU problem. It was a <i>northbridge</i> problem in that Intel implemented a solution different from IOMMU to solve the >4GB DMA memory addressing 'problem'. A 'problem' which frankly isn't really a problem at all.
What's more, <i>all</i> of the M$ and Linux experts agree on these things.
And in fact even right now Nocona <i>can</i> run the 64-bit beta of Windows, it just doesn't have the drivers needed to run a proper graphics card. And the Linux kernel <i>can</i> run Nocona as soon as either Intel releases a northbridge with IOMMU or the Linux programmers spend the many long hours to remove the IOMMU dependancy. (Which, Linux programmers being the purists that they are, they may not even do because of the possible problems that doing so could theoretically - but not realisticly - create.)
Again, not a single expert disagrees with any of this, so why are you seeing nonexistent incompatability problems when no expert is saying that there are any?
oh come on, give me a break, you actaully think that its taht hard to switch the tags for amd64 to allow em64t to be used if they were so closely compatible as intel has said countless times.
Considering that Intel implemented the instruction set according to AMD's white papers, the only possible incompatabilities that could arise would be those created by AMD when they didn't follow their own white papers.
and come on, intel knew they were releasing this, and this was a big deal, dont you think they would have sent out reviewing hardware AND software , wether it be in beta form or not, for the 64bit additions?
Again, you prove that you understand nothing. Intel <i>did</i> send out hardware and software for review. This used the onboard graphics and a pre-install of M$'s 64-bit beta. No reviewer wanted to touch a review without good gaming benches. Worse, reviewers only had that hardware while M$'s <i>public</i> 64-bit beta install was hardcoded to install only on an AMD system and they were too cynical to trust the pre-install provided by Intel.
you dont seme them promoting 64bit anything on the xeon.
<sarcasm hat>Right. That's why on their Xeon website they specifically mention "<font color=blue>Intel® Extended Memory 64 Technology</font color=blue>". It's because Intel <i>isn't</i> promoting it in any way, shape, or form. Yeah.</sarcasm hat>
Seriously though, what does Intel really have to gain from trying to promote Nocona? No released 64-bit Linux distro runs it. No released 64-bit retail Windows OS runs it. So no OS that <i>any</i> business would trust their precious server to runs with Nocona's EMT64. Even if a business got it running on betas, there would be absolutely no support for them because it would be running on betas. So what could Intel possibly gain by pushing the EMT64 aspect of the CPU? No OEM will dare drop that into a server without reliable software, and buisinesses can't buy what OEMs don't sell. Why waste money advertising something that no one can (or should) use yet?
What is important is that it's a fast 32-bit Xeon, and until the software is there that's all that Intel will really benefit from pushing it as.
amd was able ot have some software available soon after luanch, youd think intel could muscle someone into having some beta ready to showcase its new feature.
Again, you miss this little thing called <i>reality</i>. Intel <i>did</i> have M$'s beta pre-installed on the hardware that they sent out for testing. It was lacking PCI Express video card drivers. Intel doesn't write those. M$ doesn't write those. Blame nVidia and ATI for that.
So again, there is no x86-64 instruction set incompatability causing the review delays. It is that the graphics drivers are missing for Windows, and that the Linux kernel is still dependant on a <i>northbridge</i> instruction missing from Intel's chipsets. There's no conspiracy. There's no instruction incompatability. It's just simply a software mess.
"I admit it's kind of eerie, but this proves my chaos theory" - Weird Al Yankovic, Jurassic Park
<pre><b><font color=red>"Build a man a fire and he's warm for the rest of the evening.
Set a man on fire and he's warm for the rest of his life." - Steve Taylor</font color=red></b></pre><p>