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VIA Technologies is an illustrative example in this respect, with its products embraced even by Microsoft. However, the marriage between Windows client and server operating systems and VIA chips is not necessarily a match made in heaven. Case in point: computers with Windows Vista Service Pack 1 and Windows Server 2008 RTM/SP1 have problems recognizing the new 64-bit CPU from VIA Technologies.

"Microsoft has released a hotfix to support the new 64-bit CPU from VIA Technologies. You can apply this hotfix on computers that are running Windows Server 2008 or Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1). This hotfix adds the ID and vendor strings for the new VIA 64-bit CPU. After you apply this hotfix, computers that are running Windows Server 2008 or Windows Vista SP1 can recognize the VIA 64-bit CPU and the system model that is based on this kind of CPU," the Redmond giant stated.

The hotfix became available at the end of June 2007, but is yet to be integrated into all copies of Vista SP1 and Windows Server 2008. Usually, Microsoft waits for the next service pack release to incorporate hotfixes that are not released through Windows Update, but it looks like in this situation the company will indeed turn the fix into an update. Still, for the time being the update designed to make Vista SP1 and Windows Server 2008 play nice with the x64 processor from VIA has to be ordered directly from Microsoft.

"A supported hotfix is available from Microsoft. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing this specific problem. This hotfix might receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next software update that contains this hotfix," Microsoft informed.