Remove POPCNT CPU instruction requirement?

[Whirldisplay]

So, NVIDIA recently removed support for older CPUs not having this. Apparently, this is related to Microsoft themselves removing it in their Windows driver packaging software. Understandable for Windows 11, less so for Windows 10. And I think this decision stems from some AI-related BS feature support.

Logic dictates this is probably impossible (or at least not simple at all), but worth asking anyway for all those users stuck on old systems for various, and mostly valid reasons: Any chance for NVCleanstall to rectify this and undo such a restriction?

EOL Windows driver support for older CPUs without POPCNT instruction:

NVIDIA Support

nvidia.custhelp.com

 

[Dr. Dro]

So, NVIDIA recently removed support for older CPUs not having this. Apparently, this is related to Microsoft themselves removing it in their Windows driver packaging software. Understandable for Windows 11, less so for Windows 10. And I think this originates from some AI-related BS feature support.

Logic dictates this is probably impossible (or at least not simple at all), but worth asking anyway for all those users stuck on old systems for various, and mostly valid reasons: Any chance for NVCleanstall to rectify this and undo such a restriction?

EOL Windows driver support for older CPUs without POPCNT instruction:

NVIDIA Support

nvidia.custhelp.com

Not possible. Furthermore, Windows 11 itself no longer supports these old CPUs as the kernel in 24H2 now requires POPCNT support. Any modern processor manufactured in the past 12 years supports this instruction set (Ivy Bridge and newer, or any of the AMD FX processors), so it's time to retire your Bronze Age flint-powered toaster if you want further updates.

Windows 10 is all but EOL. Don't expect tailored support for it, this is the precise reason why the people thinking they will run LTSC into the 2030s are living in a fantasy world of their own making, and shouldn't be listened to - nor are you expected to run a processor that was already out of date a decade ago.

 

[QuietBob]

While Win10 itself does not require POPCNT, Win11 does, as part of the SSE4.2 instruction set. POPCNT has been around since the first gen Core and the original Phenom. It's hard to imagine anyone using a processor as old as these with Win11 for any practical tasks.

Nvidia stopped supporting CPUs without POPCNT in their current drivers, which in turn support GPUs all the way back to Maxwell on Win11 and 10. Technically, Win10 can be installed on some Athlon 64s/Semprons which pre-date POPCNT, but such configs are unlikely to exist outside of retro enthusiast circles.

Realistically speaking, this recent change is going to affect a marginal number of users, i.e. those on Win10 with AMD CPUs older than the 10h (2007) architecture. Intel setups will be affected to an even lesser degree, since a Nehelem CPU (2008) -- which supports POPCNT -- is required to install Win10, at minimum anyway.

 

[Dr. Dro]

While Win10 itself does not require POPCNT, Win11 does, as part of the SSE4.2 instruction set. POPCNT has been around since the first gen Core and the original Phenom. It's hard to imagine anyone using a processor as old as these with Win11 for any practical tasks.

Nvidia stopped supporting CPUs without POPCNT in their current drivers, which in turn support GPUs all the way back to Maxwell on Win11 and 10. Technically, Win10 can be installed on some Athlon 64s/Semprons which pre-date POPCNT, but such configs are unlikely to exist outside of retro enthusiast circles.

Realistically speaking, this recent change is going to affect a marginal number of users, i.e. those on Win10 with CPUs older than the Nehelem (2008) and Windsor (2006) architectures.

POPCNT by itself is supported on K10 (despite lack of even SSSE3), but only on Nehalem and newer. The Win11 instruction sets (which include F16C, etc.) should be Ivy minimum. But Ivy is 12, come on...

 

[QuietBob]

The Win11 instruction sets (which include F16C, etc.) should be Ivy minimum

Is F16C formally required by Win11 now?
AFAIK the current minimum is SSE4.2, which has been supported since Nehelem on Intel and Bulldozer on AMD.