2008 Not Backward Compatible?

[Guest AndreZ]

Hello,

 

I'm pretty new to the 64bit world, ok so new I've never installed it yet.

My original understanding is that 2008 would have compatabilty support for

32bit programs. But what i've been reading here It does not seem that way.

Can someone please point me in the direction that has some clarity?

 

I'm considering going to a 64bit TS application server with 2008, and for

the most part all of our programs should work fine. However there are a few

small programs of which I'm uncertain. They are not complex programs, pretty

much accounting or Record of employment programs.. but I'm worried they

won't work....

 

Any tips/direction will be appreciated.

 

Thanks

Andre

[Guest Colin Barnhorst]

Re: 2008 Not Backward Compatible?

 

Perhaps there is some confusion on the meaning of compatibility.

32bit-software will run fine on a 64bit OS. However, as with any 64-bit

Windows, 64-bit drivers are required so if the software relies on a driver

it has to be a 64-bit driver. If any element of a program is 16-bit, such

as the installer, that will not work on any 64-bit system. But there is not

a general compatibility problem such as you might find between, say, Windows

and Linux.

 

I recommend you start with

http://www.microsoft.com/servers/64bit/overview.mspx

 

 

"AndreZ" <shmoes@hotmail.com> wrote in message

news:%23yO50lHXIHA.4532@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

> Hello,

>

> I'm pretty new to the 64bit world, ok so new I've never installed it yet.

> My original understanding is that 2008 would have compatabilty support for

> 32bit programs. But what i've been reading here It does not seem that way.

> Can someone please point me in the direction that has some clarity?

>

> I'm considering going to a 64bit TS application server with 2008, and for

> the most part all of our programs should work fine. However there are a

> few

> small programs of which I'm uncertain. They are not complex programs,

> pretty

> much accounting or Record of employment programs.. but I'm worried they

> won't work....

>

> Any tips/direction will be appreciated.

>

> Thanks

> Andre

>

>

[Guest Charlie Russel - MVP]

Re: 2008 Not Backward Compatible?

 

The rules for compatibility haven't changed from Windows Server 2003 to

Windows Server 2008, in general. Most 32-bit applications should work fine.

The exceptions are those 32-bit applications that require a system level

driver and don't have a signed, 64-bit driver available. And those 32-bit

applications that have a 16-bit installer. There is NO support for 16-bit

applications in any 64-bit MS operating system.

 

See

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/techinfo/overview/x64benefits.mspx

for some useful background on 64-bit from a Server perspective.

 

--

Charlie.

http://msmvps.com/xperts64

http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/charlie.russel

 

 

"AndreZ" <shmoes@hotmail.com> wrote in message

news:%23yO50lHXIHA.4532@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

> Hello,

>

> I'm pretty new to the 64bit world, ok so new I've never installed it yet.

> My original understanding is that 2008 would have compatabilty support for

> 32bit programs. But what i've been reading here It does not seem that way.

> Can someone please point me in the direction that has some clarity?

>

> I'm considering going to a 64bit TS application server with 2008, and for

> the most part all of our programs should work fine. However there are a

> few

> small programs of which I'm uncertain. They are not complex programs,

> pretty

> much accounting or Record of employment programs.. but I'm worried they

> won't work....

>

> Any tips/direction will be appreciated.

>

> Thanks

> Andre

>

>

[Guest Chuck Walbourn [MSFT]]

Re: 2008 Not Backward Compatible?

 

It is worth nothing that there is usually a different triage bar for

appcompat problems between the Server and non-Server versions of Windows, so

some software might not work on Windows Server 2008 x64 but will work on

Windows Vista x64 for example. In general though, the codebases are all very

similiar these days.

 

--

Chuck Walbourn

SDE, XNA Developer Connection

 

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

[Guest Charlie Russel - MVP]

Re: 2008 Not Backward Compatible?

 

That's a good point, and is true of hardware as well. I've got several old

Intel NICs that simply will NOT work in Server 2k3 x64. Work fine in XP x64,

which is the same code base. Too bad, they're all dual port Server grade

NICs, if only 10/100.

 

--

Charlie.

http://msmvps.com/xperts64

http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/charlie.russel

 

 

"Chuck Walbourn [MSFT]" <chuckw@online.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:%23u2KduIXIHA.5340@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

> It is worth nothing that there is usually a different triage bar for

> appcompat problems between the Server and non-Server versions of Windows,

> so some software might not work on Windows Server 2008 x64 but will work

> on Windows Vista x64 for example. In general though, the codebases are all

> very similiar these days.

>

> --

> Chuck Walbourn

> SDE, XNA Developer Connection

>

> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no

> rights.

>

[Guest AndreZ]

Re: 2008 Not Backward Compatible?

 

Thank you

 

Colin, Charlie and Chuck, you've all been very helpful! :)

 

 

"Charlie Russel - MVP" <charlie@mvKILLALLSPAMMERSps.org> wrote in message

news:%23RVF3EJXIHA.4196@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

> That's a good point, and is true of hardware as well. I've got several old

> Intel NICs that simply will NOT work in Server 2k3 x64. Work fine in XP

x64,

> which is the same code base. Too bad, they're all dual port Server grade

> NICs, if only 10/100.

>

> --

> Charlie.

> http://msmvps.com/xperts64

> http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/charlie.russel

>

>

> "Chuck Walbourn [MSFT]" <chuckw@online.microsoft.com> wrote in message

> news:%23u2KduIXIHA.5340@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

> > It is worth nothing that there is usually a different triage bar for

> > appcompat problems between the Server and non-Server versions of

Windows,

> > so some software might not work on Windows Server 2008 x64 but will work

> > on Windows Vista x64 for example. In general though, the codebases are

all

> > very similiar these days.

> >

> > --

> > Chuck Walbourn

> > SDE, XNA Developer Connection

> >

> > This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no

> > rights.

> >

>