XP 32bit > XP 64bit

[champ2005]

Lets say i bought an AMD Athlon64 system today with an OEM copy of Windows XP Professional. When the final Windows XP for 64-bit Extended Systems is released, will Microsoft give you a free upgrade, or will you have to shell out another AU$300?

 

[Glaanieboy]

Because it's an entirely different OS (32bit vs 64bit), I don't think MS will hand out free upgrades. Maybe in an upgradeform for which you have to pay, say 50% of the new-price, like they have now.

 

[NetRyder]

Actually, Microsoft's current plans are to offer a free exchange program to customers who own AMD64/Intel EM64T systems with licensed versions of the 32-bit OS.

Oldroyd also discussed Microsoft's plans to let customers who purchase AMD64 or Intel EM64T systems now exchange their existing 32-bit Windows 2003 CD-ROMs for 64-bit versions when the OS becomes available. "We haven't figured out all the details yet," he said. "But we're going to have a technology exchange program. We're going to offer to customers who purchased an X64 system with a 32-bit version of Windows Server an exchange for an x64 version of Windows Server when that becomes available in 2005. The price to [PC makers] is the same, so it will be an even exchange." Customers can start ordering the x64 Windows 2003 beta from the Microsoft Web site today.

Oldroyd said that he sees the exchange program as a customer benefit because people who evaluate new 64-bit hardware today won't be locked into using the 32-bit version of Windows that now ships with those systems.

Source: http://www.winnetmag.com/windowspaulthurrott/Article/ArticleID/43413/windowspaulthurrott_43413.html

Also see:
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1629804,00.asp
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/zd/20040818/tc_zd/133690
http://www.anandtech.com/news/shownews.aspx?i=22770

 

[Electronic Punk]

Lets hope it is painless.

 

[Glaanieboy]

But that is for 2k3! not for XP.

 

[NetRyder]

Lets hope it is painless.

...or there's no change of plans. That would really bite.