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Nvidia to abandon 32-bit OS driver support from release 390

by Mark Tyson on 22 December 2017, 13:01

Tags: NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA)

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Nvidia will abandon driver support for 32-bit OSes after release 390 it has announced. While support for new hardware and the expansion and optimisation of software features for 32-bit systems will cease, Nvidia promises to deliver critical driver security fixes until January 2019.

In the last week it was observed that the new Titan V graphics card only supported 64-bit editions of Windows 7 and Windows 10 operating systems – with no claimed support for Windows 8.1. Linux 32-bit users were still furnished with a driver. However, the notice of intent to cease all 32-bit OS support going forward encompasses Linux and FreeBSD too.

The full notice from Nvidia is posted below, to avoid any misinterpretation:

After Release 390, Nvidia will no longer release drivers for 32-bit operating systems1 for any GPU architecture. Later driver release versions will not operate, nor install, on 32-bit operating systems. Driver enhancements, driver optimizations, and operating system features in driver versions after Release 390 will not be incorporated back into Release 390 or earlier versions. This impacts the following operating systems:
  • Microsoft Windows 7
  • Microsoft Windows 8/8.1
  • Microsoft Windows 10
  • Linux
  • FreeBSD
Nvidia intends to support critical driver security fixes until January 2019.

The above is a change in policy for Nvidia, which for so many years supported all its GPUs on all OSes still supported by Microsoft. Windows 7 and 8.1 32-bit will be supported by Microsoft until 2020 and 2023 respectively and Windows 10 32-bit doesn’t even have a date for any planned end of support.

In other Nvidia support news, the firm has given notice for the end of support for NVS 310 and 315 products, and Select Nvidia Quad-buffered Stereo Features (bar security updates). These events are also timed to kick-in after Release 390.

Thanks for the email tip from an anonymous HEXUS reader.



HEXUS Forums :: 16 Comments

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Can't they also get rid of all the PUP's they force people to install like their telemetry services and Ansel.
How about ARM? nvidia.com has 32-bit ARM drivers, but not not 64-bit (even though Tegra dev boards ship with a 64-bit ARM GeForce driver)
honestly, im so tired of 32bit support of anything. And, i am sick of seeing the double folders in windows to support “WOW” (program files X86)

BE GONE already, MOVE the hell ON. its almost 2018. And to all the people who hold back the industry because your too lazy or you company is too cheap to up grade, screw U. I am very close to dumping windows for good and go apple, at least apple woke up and took the chance and went full 64bit years ago. Come on Microsoft grow some balls, put out a native 64bit OS.
ETR316
Come on Microsoft grow some balls, put out a native 64bit OS.

Windows is native 64bit, the 32bit stuff is for backwards compatibility with 32bit applications.
ETR316
honestly, im so tired of 32bit support of anything. And, i am sick of seeing the double folders in windows to support “WOW” (program files X86)

BE GONE already, MOVE the hell ON. its almost 2018. And to all the people who hold back the industry because your too lazy or you company is too cheap to up grade, screw U. I am very close to dumping windows for good and go apple, at least apple woke up and took the chance and went full 64bit years ago. Come on Microsoft grow some balls, put out a native 64bit OS.

I half agree with you, but it's not quite as simple as that. MS has a MUCH, MUCH larger user base, particularly with big corps with masses of systems and (possibly) legacy/32-bit only software, whereas Crapple only have numb-nuts' like “graphic designers” who think an iMac is somehow better (or more powerful LOLz) for their work, plus they tend to replace their machines (and phones) more often making it A LOT easier for Crapple to “phase things out”.