"Customers can now purchase workstations using Intel Corp.'s Nocona Xeon processor, with 64-bit extensions to the x86 instruction set, but they can't run the beta 64-bit version of Windows designed for those extensions on the new workstations."

Basically, the publicly available version of Windows XP 64-Bit, which is still in beta, can only be used with AMD Operton and Athlon 64 based platforms. Its not possible to install the OS on anything other than an AMD.

So, basically it looks like if you are the lucky owner of a Nocona Xeon, then you still have some waiting to do. However, you will be pleased to know that a beta version of Windows compatible with Intel's 64-bit extensions technology is due within weeks.

Would you like to know more?

It's happened before. Instead of making the software probe for certain instruction sets, they just ask the CPU its name.

The MS logic goes like this : CPU !=AMD -> x86-64 = 0

It was the same problem when you would try to get the Windows Movie Maker to recognize that the AthlonXP had SSE instructions. They had coded the software to disable use of SSE if you were using anything other then a Pentium.

GO MS GO !!!