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Windows 8 To Be 128 Bit?

Everton | Oct 08, 2009 | Comments

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Windows 7 when it launched on October 22nd will include versions for both 32 bit and 64 bit users. It’s successor Windows 8 expected in 2011 was expected to only come in a 64 bit version, because Windows Server 2008 R2 was released in 64 bit form only and the next Windows OS was expected to follow suit.

However it is now believed that Windows 8 might ship in 64bit AND 128 bit versions, based on the linkedin profile of Microsoft employee Robert Morgan:

Working in high security department for research and development involving strategic planning for medium and longterm projects. Research & Development projects including 128bit architecture compatibility with the Windows 8 kernel and Windows 9 project plan. Forming relationships with major partners: Intel, AMD, HP, and IBM.
Robert Morgan is working to get IA-128 working backwards with full binary compatibility on the existing IA-64 instructions in the hardware simulation to work for Windows 8 and definitely Windows 9.

Whether or not Windows 8 will support 128bit remains to be seen, but at this stage Microsoft are at least considering it. I’m not sure how likely this will be though; 64 bit adoption is still low and although this will increase by 2011 I just fear that adding 128bit to Windows 8 will create a poor customer experience like Vista 64 bit, where driver availability was poor.

Eight Forums have manged to track down Robert via linkedin and they claim that he’s agreed to give them an interview and he’s letting their readers ask questions. Questions have to be submitted by October 11th. If he really has agreed to do the interview, I’d be amazed if he still had a job at Microsoft on October 12th as news on Windows 8 is clearly embargoed at the moment.

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Filed Under: Featured • News • Rumours

Tags: 128-bit • 64-bit • LinkedIN • windows 9 • windows server 2008 r2

About the Author: Everton is based in London and has worked in the internet and mobile space for over ten years now, and before that worked in corporate strategy and consulting. He has a degree in Economics from Cambridge University, and currently runs the Portal and online operations for one of the largest ISPs in the UK.He also writes for Windows 7 News, Connected Internet and One Tip A Day.

alex_wright
Err, just out of curiosity, why? The upper memory limit on a 64 bit architecture is 16 exabytes. Although, at least on AMD64 chips the physical memory address limit and virtual address space are 52 bits and 48 bits respectively. That's 4 petabytes and 256 petabytes each. I don't currently see any system in the next 10 years utilizing the full 16 exabytes. So I guess the question is, will it deliver better performance? Or will it just lend itself to another difficult transition for business and home users and the companies that have to write new drivers for the hardware? 64 bit archs have been around a long time now, but Vista was the first widespread 64 bit Windows, and that OS has only been with us a little over two years. Give it some time before making the jump. 64 bit adoption is still not where it should be to make that switch, and tons of users are still stuck on 32 bit. I think it would be best to hold off on this one.

Rob
I think and hope that people are moving onto 64bit when they upgrade to Windows 7, yes I would say 4gb+ machines are a good idea as 64bit OS's use abit more memory than 32bit. Have you seen Dell's budget PC's and Laptops recently? even alot of them are coming pre installed with 64bit W7. I personally use W7 Pro 64bit on both my laptop and PC, really fast with WMP12 x64 and CoreAVC x64 codec. PhotoShop CS4 x64 and Office 2010 x64 is very smooth and fast as well.

As I said above, 64/128bit OS's for Windows 8 would be fine, however I kind of hope its 64bit only, just so we can get more apps x64, such as flash (which will be followed by more mainstream use of x64 browsers).

If you can go 64bit, you should (unless your still on XP, don't go x64 haha).

Desktop
In 2011 if we have 50-70% of all PC that support x64 architecture it will be good. The 128bit architecture will not be implemented in hardware, so windows build under this architecture...hmm... i don't think so.

Patrick
i think we will have more then 70% of the pc's supporting 64bit , we already have now ... don't forget they have been around for 6 years now and all cpu's that came out in that time are 64bit , my former pc and AMD athlon 64 already did , and thats 5 years ago :)

Rob
Don't be so sure, netbooks are huge sellers at the moment and only the dual core ones are 64bit, the older N270's are only single core 32bit.

Andy Williams
as I understand 64 bit is recommended for installations on computers w/ 4GB+ memory for various performance reasons. With 128 bit should we expect recommended memory requirements to be 8GB+?
memory ceiling for 32 bit- 4GB
memory ceiling for 64 bit- 264 addresses, equivalent to approximately 17.2 billion gigabytes, 16.8 million terabytes, or 16 exabytes of RAM
source: wikipedia

um... are we entering a dawn of 16+ exabytes of RAM already? oh puleez

Reinout
Windows 8 allready 'comon windows 7 has just been released .. MS thinks everybody has money enough to buy a new OS every year -_-

Rob
Whats wrong with Windows 7 64bit? been using it since pre beta and its been perfect and fast! ofc 128bit is to much to ask (and silly for M$) if they make W8 128bit only, but 64/128bit will be fine.

nomadewolf
128Bit, WTF? MS can't even make a decent 64Bit OS and they're already going for 128... Get 64Bit right first, learn from your mistakes, THEN think about 128...

Glen
mm seems you have been reading.. http://msftkitchen.com/2009/10/exclusive-window...

nice if you came up with some of your own work!!!

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Windows 8 To Be 128 Bit?

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