OK, I'll ask...

  • Thread starter Thread starter DJ Bjorklund
  • Start date Start date
DJ:
Going from memory which isn't always accurate. In recent history the
8286, 8386 and 8486 were IBM compatible processors, then came the 8586 which
was the Pentium. The maximum was 32-bit on the 8586 series. My
interpretation of x86 means 32-bit or less and x64 is 32-bit and above.
 
OK, I was in the ballpark!
Thanks to all for helping the "old dog, new tricks" beta tester, AKA
me, out ;-)
 
Not quite. The first 64bit processor with backwards x86 instruction set
compatibility was the AMD64. If you look at driver inf files for x64
systems you will see the driver decoration is "AMD64" even though it covers
the EM64T processors too. The reason is that AMD, being the first company
to market with such a cpu wins the right to name the whole family. Intel
founded the Itanium family and that designation is IA64. So if AMD were to
do a compatible processor it too would be referred to as IA64.
 
Colin:
Sorry, I forgot about the IA64 which is also 64-bit with a totally
different architecture.
 
x86 is a throwback to the old 286, 386 and 486 processors. Pentiums were
known informally as 586 chips.

You are correct about x64 and x32.

If you aren't on the Technical Beta, I don't know how you get the x64
version of Vista Beta. I'll let someone using the CPP try to answer that one
for you.
 
For the CPP participants, both the x86 (there is no x32) and x64 editions
shipped on dvd's to those who orded it mailed and the download folder
contained both .iso files.
 
You would think AMD name their chip x172 for twice the number of bits in
address range. X86 seem more powerful than x64. Grins!
 
Len Segal said:
x86 is a throwback to the old 286, 386 and 486 processors. Pentiums were
known informally as 586 chips.
Click to expand...

So what is it up to now, 2086? 20 for Core Dual x86 architecture?
 
Hello!

DJ Bjorklund said:
I assume that "x64" and "x32" mean respectively, 64 and 32 bit
versions of Vista, or any OS for that matter...?

What do you guys (Oops! or gals) mean by "x86"
Click to expand...

x86=32-bit and 16-bit
x64=64-bit and 32-bit

Cheers, Roman
 
The original IBM XT was 4.7Mhz. Later when the XT-compatable clones came
out, they were available at higher speeds.

Same with the Original IBM-AT. It started out at 6Mhz, the later went to
8Mhz. IBM-AT Clones came out and were available at higher clock speeds, as
high as 16Mhz and possibily higher.
 
The original IBM XT was 4.7Mhz. Later when the XT-compatable clones
came out, they were available at higher speeds.
Click to expand...

Yes and had no diskettes only a tape unit and a max of 64 MB memory plus
on board Basic.

ko van Zeeland


 
I'll bet you meant to say "64 KB".

ko van Zeeland said:
Yes and had no diskettes only a tape unit and a max of 64 MB memory plus
on board Basic.
ko van Zeeland
Click to expand...
 
No, the original IBM XT's had floppy drives, not tape.

As far as I can remember even the original IBM PC's (not the later XT's) had
floppy drives although they were full height 5 1/4" single sided.
Cassette tape drives were indeed available and I even have an original IBM
cassette tape of either Diagnostics or DOS (can't remember which) v 1.0 at
home.

I think the Original IBM-PC (again not the later XT) may have had a max of
16K of ram on the motherboard.
 
The first 5150 was available without floppy drives. It booted up to the
Ready prompt in BASIC. It had an audio jack for loading programs from
cassette tape.
 
OK, here we go. I was part right and part wrong.

the original IBM-PC's DID only come with tape and had no floppy drives. That
part I had wrong. They DID only allow 16K of memory on the motherboard. That
one I got right.

Here's a link to the original IBM-PC
http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=274

Here's a link to the original IBM-XT
http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=286

How many people remember the XT 286 that was a product just prior to the
IBM-AT
http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=260
 
I think the Original IBM-PC (again not the later XT) may have had a max
No, the first motherboard was 16K - 64K using up to 4 banks of 16K chips.
The B revision allowed 64K - 256K using 64K chips. I have both models.

Tom lake
 
the original IBM-PC's DID only come with tape and had no floppy drives.
That part I had wrong. They DID only allow 16K of memory on the
motherboard. That one I got right.
Click to expand...

No, they CAME with only 16K but they ALLOWED 64K.

Tom Lake
 
I'll bet you meant to say "64 KB".
Yes you're right, It's so long agoo 1981.

ko van Zeelan
 
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