Windows Vista: Is 64 bit worth it?

by webacons - 9/2/08 7:45 AM

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Post 31 of 34

Is 64 bit worth it?

by brianwolters - 9/24/08 11:38 AM In reply to: Is 64 bit worth it? by webacons

I think so...but not now...I had one key program (Adobe Premiere Elements 3.02) that would not work at all under 64 bit, so I went back to 32.

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Post 32 of 34

Yes

by husker86 - 10/7/08 1:31 PM In reply to: Is 64 bit worth it? by webacons

Well despite some software, hardware, driver, etc problems with 64-bit versions it is worth it in the sense to increase your system RAM to above the 3-3.5 GB max amount 32-bit lets you have. The only downside of that is with my machine running 64-bit and 6 GB of RAM it uses about 1.5 GB just to run, even while system is in idle.

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Post 33 of 34

where'd you find the 500gb hp???

by sirvertual - 11/24/08 11:11 AM In reply to: Is 64 bit worth it? by webacons

hey..was just wondering where you found the HP with those specs for $550.00???...that's a deal...of course I still have the same unanswered question..about whether the 64bit system will run 32 bit software...
I called a comhttp://www.blackcoffeeproject.com/utr store and asked the 'expert'...geting the reply "yes, with no problems at all"...then I called back 10 minutes later with another question, but since I got a different 'expert', I asked the same question ...receiving the exact opposite answer...not being a computer expert (by any measure), being an artist (with no desire to learn programming or hardware- anything) I kinda' have to rely on 'the experts' for tech help...I'd like to upgrade, but can't get a straight answer on what effect a 64bit system will have as far as being able to use the software I already own...

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Post 34 of 34

Virtually all

by Jimmy Greystone - 11/24/08 1:34 PM In reply to: where'd you find the 500gb hp??? by sirvertual

Virtually all 32-bit software will run just fine on a 64-bit Vista. The only exceptions would be "Ring 0" programs that interface with the operating system at a very high access level. This would include firewalls, virus scanners (and almost all have long since been updated), any real-time malware scanners that haven't been updated, and programs of that nature.

But just to settle this, I am running Vista x64 on my system right now and am running a number of 32-bit programs with no problems. That includes MS Office 2007, Mozilla Firefox and Thunderbird, Kaspersky AV, Trillian IM, and WinAmp.

Microsoft has long had something they call WoW, or Windows on Windows. It basically amounts to a parallel set of DLL files needed for 32-bit programs being installed on the system along side the 64-bit ones. Probably 99% or more of all 32-bit Windows software will run exactly the same on a 64-bit version of Windows. If you can find a 64-bit version of some app however, and you run it on a 64-bit OS, it might well run even better.

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Total posts: 34