Questions regarding XP OSes.

[p7s7x9]

1) What is the difference between a 32-bit OS and a 64-bit OS?

2) What's so special about a Media Center Edition? What makes it so different from the normal Windows XP?

3) Is 32-bit = x64 and 64-bit = x86?

I'm still new to OS tweaking and I'd like the differences between these. I hope someone answers these questions soon.

[cluberti]

1) What is the difference between a 32-bit OS and a 64-bit OS?

There are a lot of differences, but the user experience is basically the same. The biggest difference is (of course) one is a 32bit OS running 32bit code, and one is a 64bit OS that runs the OS as native 64bit, but can still run (most) 32bit code. There are vast differences in process virtual address space sizes, RAM amounts that can be addressed, etc. It's still "Windows", just a different architecture.

2) What's so special about a Media Center Edition? What makes it so different from the normal Windows XP?

Media Center edition is Windows XP Professional, but with the Microsoft Windows Media Center application in addition.

3) Is 32-bit = x64 and 64-bit = x86?

No, 32bit is x86, and 64bit that is commonly referred is x64 (note that there is also a 64bit architecture called Itanium, from Intel - it's not the same as x64, and it's designated as ia64).