64-bit Windows Updates Available - Windows Server 2003 x64 & Win XP Pro x64 Editions RC2 ++ Server 2003 SP1 RC2

On Tuesday, Microsoft finalized the Release Candidate 2 (RC2) code for three products: Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 (SP1), Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, and Windows Server 2003 x64 Editions. Each of these release candidate builds includes performance, stability, and security enhancements when compared to previous builds, as well as minor feature changes, Microsoft tells me.

Windows Server 2003 SP1 RC2 will be made available soon as a public download, but the two x64 products are being made available only to beta testers for now. All three products are expected to ship in final form by late March.

The x64 versions of Windows XP and 2003 are designed to run on PC and server systems based on AMD-64 and Intel EM64T microprocessors, which combine the compatibility of the 32-bit x86 platform with the advanced memory capabilities of 64-bit systems.

Microsoft Ships RC2 Versions of Windows
Server 2003 SP1, XP x64, and Windows 2003 x64 Editions
Windows IT Pro

Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 Release Candidate 2
Microsoft

Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Customer Preview Program
Microsoft