End of NVIDIA Driver Support for 32-bit Operating Systems

[Brink]

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. For more details on product security, see http://www.nvidia.com/security.

Source: End of NVIDIA Driver Support for 32-bit Operating Systems | NVIDIA

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https://www.sevenforums.com/graphic-cards/602-latest-nvidia-forceware-video-drivers-windows-7-a.html

 

[Pete4]

About time, even Phones are 64bit now.

 

[Layback Bear]

I think a lot of companies will be doing away with 32 bit.

Jack

 

[TechnoMage2016]

Unless.....they use custom software that is 32 bit which cannot be replaced by 64 bit software.

I have several programs that I use every day that will absolutely NOT run on any 64 bit machine.
So I happily run Windows 7/x86 and I'm very satisfied with it.

Windows 7....Live long and prosper!

 

[RoasterMen]

Or...just use a 64-bit version because 64-bit version of Windows runs x86 software.

 

[Pete4]

Some custom 32bit poorly written software may not work under Win64 (could it possibly have 16 bit code inside? I came across
couple programs like this years ago), but I would question updating graphic drivers on non gaming, business computer to begin with. I have 5 year old Dell laptop and Intel didn't update driver for it since 2014 or something, but I don't care, everything works fine and since can't play graphic intensive games on it anyway, I wouldn't bother updating drivers, even if they had them.

 

[LMiller7]

Some custom 32bit poorly written software may not work under Win64 (could it possibly have 16 bit code inside? I came across
couple programs like this years ago), but I would question updating graphic drivers on non gaming, business computer to begin with. I have 5 year old Dell laptop and Intel didn't update driver for it since 2014 or something, but I don't care, everything works fine and since can't play graphic intensive games on it anyway, I wouldn't bother updating drivers, even if they had them.

Some older 32 bit applications had 16 bit installers which cannot run under a 64 bit OS. However, if Windows detects that the application is using one of a few supported 16 bit installers it will use a compatible 32 bit version. If the installer is not one of these few the application will not install.

Developing and maintaining drivers for a device as complex as a modern video system is far from simple and involves considerable expense. This is more complex than application development. As each year passes the cost of maintaining 32 bit support increases while the numbers of those using them continued to drop. That cannot continue indefinitely, particularly in a highly competitive market. There eventually comes a time when the cost can no longer be justified. Dropping 32 bit support frees resources that be used for 64 bit driver which will benefit a much larger market.