Microsoft operating system (Vista)

I'll get a copy on one of my home pc's shortly after it's released to have a play with. At work we're only just completing the migration from NT4 to XP. We'll probably get a few systems running Vista for software testing but would expect most users to stay on XP for at least 2-3 years yet.
 
Psyk said:
I was thinking of some kind of emulation. I know you just can't use a 32bit driver on a 64bit system but there must be some sort of emulation possible. As I said it doesn't matter if it works well (after all stuff like graphics cards will have plenty of 64bit support) as long as the hardware is useable.
Click to expand...
It's not that the 32-bit/64-bit emulation isn't "possible", it's that old drivers are simply incompatible with Vista. 90% of drivers in Vista will be in user mode, not kernel mode (hence a 90% less likelihood of BSODs in Vista) There's a whole new framework for developing drivers called Windows Driver Framework (unsurprisingly ;)).
 
NathanE said:
It's not that the 32-bit/64-bit emulation isn't "possible", it's that old drivers are simply incompatible with Vista. 90% of drivers in Vista will be in user mode, not kernel mode (hence a 90% less likelihood of BSODs in Vista) There's a whole new framework for developing drivers called Windows Driver Framework (unsurprisingly ;)).
Click to expand...
Ah I see. Not much chance of getting my GBA flash linker to work then :(
Oh well the silver lining is that it'll be more stable.

If vista is mainstream at least that means 95% of hardware will be compatible. The problem with xp64 is there isn't good enough driver support for me to make the switch.
 
XP x64 Edition isn't mainstream though. Really it's for highly specialised applications and not much else. That's why drivers are few and far between.

Vista is a mainstream OS (or soon will be). You'll find around June/July time that manufacturers will kick it up into high gear and start churning out Vista drivers like no tomorrow. It's hard for them to commit resources to that task right now because it's still in Beta. Once it hits the Release Candidate (RC) stages then they know Microsoft is getting serious about releasing it so they scramble and allocate development resources to produce new drivers.

That said, there will be two editions of Vista (albeit on the same DVD), so it remains to be seen if the 64-bit edition receives the same level of enthusiasm that the 32-bit edition does. Since most drivers will need to be rewritten anyway (i.e. to make them use WDF and/or turn them into user mode drivers) I am pretty sure the vast majority of manufacturers will jump at the opportunity to also write in good 64-bit support too.

Also Microsoft has a massive internal driver development team. They write all the compatibility drivers for old'ish hardware. So things like SB Live sound cards and all that will still work fine with Vista, even with a proper user mode driver.

Also all drivers in Vista will require a digital certificate (signing). So that'll prevent people installing leaked buggy drivers as Nvidia often does. Previously this was optional in Windows but now it is being enforced because Microsoft is fed up with people blaming them for BSODs. Microsoft hasn't said yet whether or not they will be personally testing each driver or whether it will just be on a per-company basis that the certificate is issued. However one thing is for sure, not many company's will allow their certificate to be used on anything but a fully tested driver. This policy will also aid security because it will be difficult for a script kiddie to get a certificate for his root kit driver :p
 
Last edited:
Yeah that's what I was getting at about xp64 not being mainstream. Don't like the sound of enforced driver signing, I hope there's a way to turn it off. Sometimes I use drivers made by amateur coders so it'd be a shame to make it impossible to use them. But having it on by default will force companies to make better drivers since your average user will just leave driver signing on.
 
Last edited:
I forgot to mention it only applies to Vista x64.

There's an overview and whitepaper on the matter published here: http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/system/platform/64bit/kmsigning.mspx

What this means for software publishers. For vendors who publish kernel-mode software, this policy has the following effects:

• For any kernel-mode component that is not already signed, publishers must obtain and use a PIC to sign all 64-bit kernel-mode software that will run on x64-based systems running Windows Vista. This includes kernel-mode services software.

• Publishers who provide 64-bit device driver or other kernel-mode software that is already signed through the Windows Logo Program or that has a Driver Reliability Signature do not need to take additional steps— except for the special case of boot-start drivers.

• Drivers for boot-start devices must include an embedded PIC. This requirement applies for these devices: CD-ROM, disk drivers, ATA/ATAPI controllers, mouse and other pointing devices, SCSI and RAID controllers, and system devices.
Click to expand...
 
Here's something that's going to please you Dirtydog (and myself)!

http://windowsconnected.com/blogs/joshs_blog/archive/2006/01/26/622.aspx

Q: [60] The rumors said, there is a special team (another ms shell/GUI team), which develop a new/cooler/better GUI/interface beside of AERO? Is that true and can we expect this surface in Vista final release?

A: There are going to be GUI changes in Vista by the time the final release comes, but it'll be from the Shell, not any top secret *Mission Shell* team
Click to expand...

Q: [103] There has been a lot of talk about what we are currently seeing in the most recent build of Windows Vista is the final user interface, is this true or is there more to expect by BETA 2 or RTM?

A: There will be more UI changes before RTM, stay tuned
Click to expand...

So it would appear the news coming out of Microsoft the other week about the GUI being final were false.
 
Last edited:
NathanE said:
That said, there will be two editions of Vista (albeit on the same DVD), so it remains to be seen if the 64-bit edition receives the same level of enthusiasm that the 32-bit edition does.
Click to expand...
I had heard rumours that there would be a 32-bit version of Vista but I didn't know that it was true! :eek:
 
CurlyWhirly said:
I had heard rumours that there would be a 32-bit version of Vista but I didn't know that it was true! :eek:
Click to expand...

It would seem odd to release an OS that a large number of your potential customers can't use. There must be a huge amount of people, probably the majority of PC users, who only have 32-bit processors. I'm one of them.
 
I have been able to get hold of a beta version of vista from Microsoft, I decided to Install it on a laptop to see if it could cope with a low spec laptop.

During the installation Vista crashed to a BSOD. Was so funny tried it on a number of pc's and got BSOD on them to, so I emailed Microsoft's beta team to ask what I was doing wrong, and for system requirements document so I could at least test the OS and have a play around with it.

Best thing is the CD that vista came on was just a average burnt cd with a licence key, even Microsoft are Pirating there own OS :D
 
dirtydog said:
It would seem odd to release an OS that a large number of your potential customers can't use. There must be a huge amount of people, probably the majority of PC users, who only have 32-bit processors. I'm one of them.
Click to expand...
Yeah you are right as I forgot to take that into account.

Personally I am going to upgrade to the 64 bit version of Vista as if I got the 32 bit Vista version, I may as well stick with XP!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom