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:
Nvidia intends to support critical driver security fixes until January 2019.
- Microsoft Windows 7
- Microsoft Windows 8/8.1
- Microsoft Windows 10
- Linux
- FreeBSD
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.
