NVIDIA To Abandon All GPU Driver Support For 32-bit Operating Systems

The time has come for gamers and enthusiasts to ditch their 32-bit operating system (assuming you haven't already), because NVIDIA has announced that it will no longer support drivers for these operating systems. If you have been hobbling along on an old 32-bit version of an OS to save some money, perhaps Santa can bring you a 64-bit OS. NIVIDIA says that support will end after the 390 driver release.

NVIDIA writes, "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 will, however, support critical driver security fixed until January of 2019. Along with the end of support for graphics drivers, NVIDIA is also ending driver support for NVS products. After release 390 NVIDIA is no longer supporting NVS 315 and NVS 310 products. "Later driver release versions will not operate, nor install, on systems using the above products. 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," writes NVIDIA.

The changes for NVS products impact Windows 7, 8/1.8, 10, Linux, and FreeBSD. NIVIDIA does pledge to support security fixes of low to critical level until December 2019 and critical only through December 2021. NVIDIA is also ending support for select Quad-buffered stereo features with driver release 390 being the last NVIDIA Professional Drivers for Windows that will support these features.

When Driver Release 396 rolls around, the quad-buffered stereo features that will no longer be supported include:

• 3D DLP and Tridelity stereo display modes User interface and NVAPI access will be removed.
• NVAPI-based DirectX Stereo on Windows 10

• The following APIs will be deprecated:
• NvAPI_D3D1x_CreateSwapChain ()
• NvAPI_D3D9_CreateSwapChain () Swapchains created via these APIs will return the error code "NVAPI_NOT_SUPPORTED," when using Windows 10.

• When an application using the unsupported NVAPI is recompiled, the NVAPI functions will be linked (i.e., the NVAPI interface level will remain the same) but will return the error code, "NVAPI_NOT_SUPPORTED."
• To continue using quad-buffered stereo, developers must switch to the Microsoft native (DXGI) stereo APIs.
• 3D Vision Pro option on the Dell M6700 laptop running Windows 10 Anniversary Update and newer

Driver release 390 will launch this month and like the other drivers, support for low to critical priority security fixes will continue through December 2019 and critical only support will continue through December 2021.