Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V on x86 processor

Question

I notice there are two version of Windows Server 2008 w/ Hyper-V available for download on the MSDN Subscription License site:

• Windows Server 2008 Datacenter, Enterprise and Standard (x64)
• Windows Server 2008 Datacenter, Enterprise and Standard (x86)

I want to set up a development server for testing/developing using the Hyper-V software. According to the pre-requisites, you can only run Hyper-V on x64 based processor. Can a run Hyper-V on a x86 based processer? If not, why do Microsoft offer a x86 and x64 download?

This is a follow up to this question

Update:

The MSDN subscription site also offers a download for Windows Server 2008 Datacenter, Enterprise and Standard without Hyper-V (x64 and x86). Why don't they just offer one download for x86 version on Windows Server 2008, it is just confusing trying to determine the correct installion ISO....

Answer 1

You should only install the 32-bit version if you have applications that absolutely will not run in 64-bit and you cannot host those applications in a Hyper-V 32-bit guest OS or you have hardware that you must run that does not provide a 64-bit driver. For all other cases, you get substantial advantages running the 64-bit version of the os. (Both versions require 64-bit hardware, but the x86 version of the OS is still 32-bit -- like running any other 32-bit app. on a 64-bit machine, except this app. happens to be your OS).

Answer 2

Hyper-V only is supported for x64 CPU. In addition to it 64 bit CPU should support Intel or AMD virtualization hardware. Guest OS can be 32 or 64 bit. There is simple application SecurAble http://www.grc.com/securable.htm that you can use to test you hardware without actually installing Windows 2008/Hyper-V. In many cases you should enable hardware virtualization in BIOS.
There are several problems with Hyper-V. One of the most annoying is luck of USB support in guest OS.
Other than that it’s a very good tool.