Q re AMD X2 Processors and OS's.

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mike Barnard
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Mike Barnard

Which OS to use with it? Techreport.com rates them as CPU's so I'm
considering one for a friends new build. But...

Will plain vanilla XP pro work as well as another OS? Is there a
working release of a 64bit XP pro? If I buy an X2 I don't want to
waste the potential of the chip by having an OS that can't use it.

Any hints please folks? Many thanks.
 
Which OS to use with it? Techreport.com rates them as CPU's so I'm
considering one for a friends new build. But...

Will plain vanilla XP pro work as well as another OS?
Click to expand...

That's a loaded question, it's windows so if you want
windows, yes it'll work... and support dual CPUs, X2.

Is there a
working release of a 64bit XP pro?
Click to expand...

Do you know that you need a 64bit os or are you only
assuming it? Do you have 64bit apps, 64bit drivers, the
memory needs, or are you only assuming an OS has automatic
benefit?

If I buy an X2 I don't want to
waste the potential of the chip by having an OS that can't use it.
Click to expand...

So the alternative would be what, to buy something other
than an X2 and not waste the potential but not have the
benefits, either?

Any hints please folks? Many thanks.
Click to expand...

What are you running presently? If it a full license or
non-transferrible OEM license?

Do you know that your uses will benefit more from a X2 than
the higher speed (same price) single core? Many tasks
benefit most from highest CPU speed, are not multithreaded
enough (subdivision of load) to use dual core CPUs
effectively. Eventually this will change but for someone
buying today, whether the X2 is a significant benefit has
everything to do with how they use the system, most
demanding tasks.
 
Which OS to use with it? Techreport.com rates them as CPU's so I'm
considering one for a friends new build. But...

Will plain vanilla XP pro work as well as another OS? Is there a
working release of a 64bit XP pro? If I buy an X2 I don't want to
waste the potential of the chip by having an OS that can't use it.

Any hints please folks? Many thanks.
Click to expand...

I have one. Yeah use WIN XPPro or home etc.

Theres been a win xp 64 BIT but people have been saying it lacks
drivers for various devices a big problem and programs specifically
written for the OS though you can run the regular versions of
programs on it.

So unless you hear a buzz that its ready and people are permanently
switching to the 64 bit version I wouldnt use it.

Im using WIN XP pro. Theres a patch for WIN XP for the X2 which many
are using and some driver you can download from AMD. Check into that.
The main thing is its got two cores so it makes multitasking better.
Other than that its pretty much the same as a single core. The good
thing about it is --- the lowest one the 3800 is said to OC very well.
 
Mike Barnard said:
Which OS to use with it? Techreport.com rates them as CPU's so I'm
considering one for a friends new build. But...

Will plain vanilla XP pro work as well as another OS? Is there a
working release of a 64bit XP pro? If I buy an X2 I don't want to
waste the potential of the chip by having an OS that can't use it.

Any hints please folks? Many thanks.
Click to expand...


I built an X2 system recently and dual boot XP_32 and XP_64

both run just fine and I did not have any problem getting the 64bit drivers
for all components within the machine

however...i could find no 64 bit drivers for the printer and scanner...

I have since gotten a printer with 64 bit drivers

and have retired the scanner as I have another machine I can use
 
philo said:
I built an X2 system recently and dual boot XP_32 and XP_64

both run just fine and I did not have any problem getting the 64bit drivers
for all components within the machine

however...i could find no 64 bit drivers for the printer and scanner...

I have since gotten a printer with 64 bit drivers

and have retired the scanner as I have another machine I can use
Click to expand...

Good on you! You fell into the trap of "my stuff is no longer supported
so I'll purchase new components". This should not be necessary. If
WinXP64 is a serious OS release, every vendor would be on board. Too
bad they are not.

Q
 
Good on you! You fell into the trap of "my stuff is no longer supported
so I'll purchase new components". This should not be necessary. If
WinXP64 is a serious OS release, every vendor would be on board. Too
bad they are not.

Q
Click to expand...

With him it may be worth it since hes paid to install systems etc so
early familiarity with it may or may not give him an edge despite the
hassles. For the avg person ---- Im still not sure it is. If you have
to go out and buy new peripherals cause you cant find drivers thats a
big downside to 64 bit WIN.

That offsets one of the 5 Reasons why you should use 64 bit WIN stated
at the MS site.

They cite the fact its backwards compatible with 32 bit programs so no
need to buy new progs. Still if theres no advantage to running old
progs under WIN 64 and not much new 64 bit progs then there isnt a
huge incentive to move. Also the lack of drivers is a negative.

They do cite you can use a lot more memory but most people are still
using 512-1 gig or 2 gigs at the most so no big advantage there yet.

If they came out with a lot of 64 bit versions of programs
demonstrating a 10-20 % gain in speed or even 5% AND had drivers for
all but the oldest obscure peripherals then I think there would be a
large movement towards 64 bit. I thought there would be more and more
momentum as months went by but Im not really hearing much about it
recently.

With the launch of Vista since they are coming out with a 32 and 64
bit --- if MS and the prog makers use the launch to push 64 bit it
might gain lots of momentum since a lot of people will be upgrading
their software and hardware in the flurry of hype about the new OS.
 
Good on you! You fell into the trap of "my stuff is no longer supported
so I'll purchase new components". This should not be necessary. If
WinXP64 is a serious OS release, every vendor would be on board. Too
bad they are not.

Q
Click to expand...


not really...
the printer i had was just a borrowed one.

My girlfriend and I plus one friend are going to be in two photoshows
within the next two months and when I figured out how much it was going
to cost to have all our stuff printed...I was able to easily justify
getting a new printer...
It will pay for itself within two months ...

besides...for the most part...we are still using XP_32

until 64 bit apps start comming out I see no real need to run the 64bit OS


Up until I built that X2 machine I had mostly been building computers
from surplus parts
 
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