32-bit vs 64-bit

  • Thread starter Thread starter kjk
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kjk

Hi Folks,

I'm about to buy an OEM version of Vista Home Premium from the vendor
that I just bought a new computer from two weeks ago. I have an
Athlon 64 X2 3800+ processor, but I'm not sure whether to get the
32-bit version or the 64-bit version of Vista. I'd very much like to
hear your comments regarding the advantages and disadvantages of each.
Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks.

Ken
 
Buy the 64 version. I have the same CPU so it seems and did buy the 64
edition. It will give you a speed up at programs that can use the CPU. And
most programs will come with a 64 version in the near future.
 
kjk said:
Hi Folks,

I'm about to buy an OEM version of Vista Home Premium from the vendor
that I just bought a new computer from two weeks ago. I have an
Athlon 64 X2 3800+ processor, but I'm not sure whether to get the
32-bit version or the 64-bit version of Vista. I'd very much like to
hear your comments regarding the advantages and disadvantages of each.
Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks.
Click to expand...

64bit will give you a bit of future proofing until next month... when they
release 128bit. lol
 
I'm about to buy an OEM version of Vista Home Premium from the vendor
that I just bought a new computer from two weeks ago. I have an
Athlon 64 X2 3800+ processor, but I'm not sure whether to get the
32-bit version or the 64-bit version of Vista. I'd very much like to
hear your comments regarding the advantages and disadvantages of each.
Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks.
Click to expand...

Depends how much you're willing to put up with any nagging incompatible
hardware.

64-bit requires 64-bit drivers, you can't use 32-bit drivers. Application
compatibility is pretty solid, until you have software which goes low level
with its own drivers and stuff. 16-bit support has also been chopped off in
64-bit Windows.

My TV card only has 32-bit drivers. So at the moment I'm stuck with 32-bit,
once that gets resolved I'm moving to 64-bit.

--
Paul Smith,
Yeovil, UK.
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User.
http://www.windowsresource.net/

*Remove nospam. to reply by e-mail*
 
Hans,

Thanks. Have you had any problems running your existing software, or
with your existing hardware?

Ken

----------------------------------
 
Hi,

Most 32 bit software will run under x64, however there are some caveats:

- No 16 bit programs will run under 64-bit.
- Any software that uses drivers must have signed drivers for Vista
included. This commonly includes some AV programs and utility programs.
- Any hardware device drivers must have signed drivers as well. Make sure
yours is fully supported.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
 
If you demand compatibility with few hassles, then install the 32-bit
version of Vista. 64-bit Windows is still bleeding edge and you might run
into issues.

At this point, 64-bits offers little to most users. People who need 64-bits
already know, so to speak.

Saucy
 
At this point in time there are just too many variables to make a
recommendation on going to a 64bit system. It all depends on your own level
of expertise and what you do with your computer.

Most 32bit software will work on a 64bit OS, but some do not. All of the
installed hardware on the system must have 64bit drivers available and
again, some hardware does not have these available yet.

I would recommend that you not make a snap decision and do a lot of research
on the products that you use the most to make sure that they are compatible.
 
Ken, a couple of questions.

How much memory do you have installed on the computer?

What do you *do* with the computer?

I'm guessing you have 1G of RAM there since a new computer running an
X2 3800+ is pretty 'mid-range' these days (current price of the retail
X2 3800+ is around $140, while the retail X2 4200+ is $170 and the X2
4600 is $210 (ie a price delta of $70 to go from the 3800X2 to the
4200X2) while going from 1G of RAM to 2G of RAM runs an additional $100
or more).
 
Right now, it has 1G of RAM. I was originally intending to run WinXP
on it, but that was a Volume License Key version which has just been
de-licensed, presumably in order to move up to Vista. I'm no longer
eligible for the new VLK, so I now need to get a new OS. At this
time, I don't think that it would make any sense to pay for XP, so I'm
moving up to Vista.

I don't do any gaming, so the most stressful thing that it will be
used for now is Photoshop and Google Earth, and the most stressful
thing that it's likely to be used for in the future may be Adobe
Premiere. Since they suggest a minimum of 1G for Vista, however, I'm
thinking of adding an additional 1G, just to give it some headroom.
My understanding is that if you have two memory sticks, they work best
if they're identical. Right now, I can get an identical 1G PC5400
DDR2 667Mhz stick from the vendor for $106. Do you think that would
be worth doing?
 
Right now, it has 1G of RAM. I was originally intending to run WinXP
on it, but that was a Volume License Key version which has just been
de-licensed, presumably in order to move up to Vista. I'm no longer
eligible for the new VLK, so I now need to get a new OS. At this
time, I don't think that it would make any sense to pay for XP, so I'm
moving up to Vista.
Click to expand...

OK -- the move to Vista makes sense since you are essentially starting
fresh. And it is a fair question to ask 32 bit versus 64 bit.
I don't do any gaming, so the most stressful thing that it will be
used for now is Photoshop and Google Earth, and the most stressful
thing that it's likely to be used for in the future may be Adobe
Premiere. Since they suggest a minimum of 1G for Vista, however, I'm
thinking of adding an additional 1G, just to give it some headroom.
My understanding is that if you have two memory sticks, they work best
if they're identical. Right now, I can get an identical 1G PC5400
DDR2 667Mhz stick from the vendor for $106. Do you think that would
be worth doing?
Click to expand...
Yes, assuming that they are in fact 'matched'. Which motherboard and
how many memory slots (2 or 4)? If it has four slots, then where you
place the second module matters -- as the slots are paired and if both
are used with matching memory, you get a performance boost.

From my vantage point, I'd think you do well with Vista 32 and the Home
Premium version sounds right as well.
 
Which motherboard and how many memory slots (2 or 4)?

ECS NFORCE4M-A with 4 slots, and I specified that the stick be
identical to the one that's currently installed. Is it slots 1 & 3?
I also overestimated that price. He just e-mailed me with a price of
$89.

Ken

-------------------------------
 
ECS NFORCE4M-A with 4 slots, and I specified that the stick be
identical to the one that's currently installed. Is it slots 1 & 3?
I also overestimated that price. He just e-mailed me with a price of
$89.
Click to expand...
Right, I'm familiar with that board -- not a bad low cost board (I've
picked it up paired with the 4200 X2 and the 4600 X2.). So you need to
make sure you match the slots (I think the memory slots are paired by
color -- orange and blue).

The board supports X2 processors up to 5200 or more I believe and you
can certainly load it up with 8G of memory.
 
make sure you match the slots (I think the memory slots are paired by
color -- orange and blue).
Click to expand...

So that would be one in the first orange and one in the first blue.
Do I have that right?

---------------------------
 
You know, to be honest, I'm not sure -- the thing is, you can verify
this by putting the second module in the matching color (I *think*
that's what ECS does with that particular board) which is adjacent to
the first module, then see what is displayed during the system POST --
if it says 128 bit -- you got it right, if it says 64 bit, you didn't.

I seem to recall that ECS changed the locations either between the 1.1
and 3.0 iterations of this board or between this one and an ATI BIOS
board. In the ATI board I *think* they 'alternated' so that 128 bit
with one pair had a vacant slot between the two modules.
 
Not really... The only thing with a problem was the printer (OKI C3100) but
I could use a 64 driver for XP64 :)

There is no real good firewall at the moment but my router will save me.
And that was it.
 
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