Microsoft is offering an open beta version of its Windows Server 2003 for systems using the Advanced Micro Devices 64-bit Opteron processor. The beta version of Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition for 64-Bit Extended Systems has been available to a small group of testers in a “technical beta” since October. With this release, the software is available to anyone interested in trying it out through a customer preview program, says John Borozan, a Microsoft product manager.
Microsoft Expands Opteron Windows Test
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So will Opteron rock? Will it suck? Anyone tried it?
I wonder why Intel is asleep…
I’ve had Opteron servers running Linux for a while now. Stable and fast but they do produce a lot of heat.
You say they produce a lot of heat. Is this in relative terms to other boxes/cases? I haven’t seen it.
My 1.6 GHz and 1.8GHz Opteron servers are running cooler than any comparable systems we have tried for five months straight and like your own, stable,unbelievably quick and incident free. I’d be interested to know your setup to determine why you have a lot of heat.
Doesn’t Microsoft usually charge for their beta products when they are officially released?
They might not charge for beta products(They do expire I think after a few months anyway), but they charge an odd amount of money for shipping(Like $20 for a CD).
for shipping….
I don’t have an opteron, but I have an athlon64 and I tested out the beta. One of the more interesting things about the beta is that they say not to ever BOTHER with anything that depends on the .NET framework. There isn’t a 64bit version for amd64, and the 32bit version just wont work… I guess they need to work on their WOW environment, or there is something about .NET that just doesn’t work under a WOW system. I didn’t really get to test it out much since there are drivers available for almost none of my hardware, including network interface card, but my experience so far with my amd64 box is that it’s the greatest desktop I’ll never be able to use… Every linux dist except gentoo has issues with my IDE chipset and proceeds to defacate all over my disk, and there isn’t a usable version of windows (and things arent looking hopefull for when it is out).
The opteron server machines are probably a /completely/ different story, but as for the athlon 64 desktop systems, I’ve even had troubles with some 32bit OSes. It’s what I get for buying new hardware with only experimental support. I guess I’ll just have to wait a bit to use anything other than XP.
so, it probably rocks… just not yet for desktop users. for server users that can benefit from a 64bit system, you’re probably not looking into windows (at least I wouldn’t think so). as for the beta, it’s a beta. and it’s many faults can easily be blamed on it being a beta right now, so it’s pointless to point out that it sucks.
I have an Athlon64 FX51, and i’m using the beta of WindowsXP 64bit edition. I’m also using Visual Studio .NET on it, which is very dependent on the .NET framework, as it uses it itself for all the wizards, add-ins, etc. So bearing all that in mind, i think what you said is rather off base. If you’re speaking of a 64bit .NET implementation (which it may come with, i haven’t checked), then ignore this post.
I cannot wait to get a hold of mine, I should be testing next week and have some results.
I have some 1U Newisys 2100’s with dual AMD Opteron 240’s (2.0Ghz). They run fine but the output of the power supply feels like a hair dryer. A hair dryer at a moderately high setting. Nothing our cooled server room can’t handle but I’d be a bit concerned if they weren’t in a climate controlled room. That much CPU in a 1U enclosure probably has a lot to do with it, might be pushing things a bit.
The $20 isn’t just for shipping, it also covers tech support and any special documentation/packaging product preview customers receive (also sometimes covers multiple shipments).
I guess they need to work on their WOW environment, or there is something about .NET that just doesn’t work under a WOW system.
WoW is for running win16 code on NT. It’s got nothing to do with .NET.
drsmithy: WoW is for running win16 code on NT
On 64-bit-extended Windows there is a version of WoW that lets you run 32-bit code. That’s what he was talking about when he was trying to run the 32-bit .NET framework.
.NET doesn’t run under WoW. WoW is not for running .NET.
Sure it’s probably possible, but that’s not the path they are taking with it. They are writing a native version.
If you badly want to run .NET apps on an Opteron, just use the x86-32 backwards compatibilty and run regular Win XP or 2003. That’s why these chips were designed like they were.
nice to hear, more of this microsoft. Open up a little please.
This is a story about the windows server 2003 for 64bit extended systems beta, not windows xp 64bit. I dont have an MSDN subscription… I just had access to the server beta, which is freely available.
As for WOW, I was talking about something in their release notes… they make it a point to warn you RIGHT AWAY that .NET isn’t available in any way, not even under WOW. I made the conclusion that they need to work on their WOW system from this… but I dont know enough about .NET to know why it wont work for the server beta.
If .NET works on the windows xp 64bit betas, that is also interesting… wonder why it doesnt work on the server version.
Every 1U server I’ve come across and all the ones in our data center run very, very warm. In a 1U chasis there’s just no room for the heat to go, its a good thing that it IS exhausting that warm air…if you felt anything else then I’d probably be concerned. Compared to the Athlon systems though, the Opteron is like a cool breeze. Especially since it can properly throttle itself instead of just shutting down.
“Pricing for all 64-bit versions of Windows Server 2003 will be the same as for the comparable versions of the product’s 32-bit entries: $999 for Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition, which includes five client-access licenses, and $3999 for Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition, which includes 25 licenses.”
that is too much for people wanting to run UT2004 in March.