Hello Group
I am planning to buy a high end carbon fibernotebook that is
classified as 64 bit system.
Would my current crop of 32 bit softwares would still run in it if I
transfer it from the 32 bit unit to this 64 bit toy?
Does the current version of windows have sufficient driver support for
the 64 bit system compared to its predecesors?
TIA
Roy

Roy wrote:
> Hello Group
> I am planning to buy a high end carbon fibernotebook that is
> classified as 64 bit system.
> Would my current crop of 32 bit softwares would still run in it if I
> transfer it from the 32 bit unit to this 64 bit toy?
> Does the current version of windows have sufficient driver support for
> the 64 bit system compared to its predecesors?

Hi Roy,

In general terms, 64-bit Windows can run both 64-bit and 32-bit
applications.

64-bit Windows cannot run any 16-bit applications; including both 16-bit
Windows, and MS-DOS applications. This also includes 16-bit Installers
for 32-bit applications, or 32-bit applications which load 16-bit
components.

See here for more details:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/896456

It's not clear from your post if you're thinking of 64-bit Windows XP
(since this is an XP newsgroup); or a more recent version of Windows.
The 64-bit features of Windows 7 are vastly improved over 64-bit XP,
where 64-bit support was still a bit primitive. 64-bit Windows will
allow you to use more than 2GB of RAM; so if your new laptop has, say,
4Gb RAM, you'd really want to run 64-bit; and preferably, Windows 7
rather than Windows XP.

I'd assume if you are buying new hardware, it will likely come with 64
bit Windows 7.

For driver support, you would want to check with the vendor of the
laptop you intend to buy - most hardware-specific drivers for the
computer itself will come from the manufacturer; not off the Microsoft
DVD. But in general terms, 64-bit Windows 7 has fairly good driver
support built-in, for all current popular hardware. You may have trouble
finding drivers for devices (printers etc) which are more than a few
years old.

Keep that carbon fibre away from any naked flames. It would be sad to
see it adding to your CO2 carbon footprint :-)

Hope this helps,


Andrew

--
amclar at optusnet dot com dot au

Start here:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/com...s/default.aspx

Roy wrote:
> Hello Group
> I am planning to buy a high end carbon fibernotebook that is
> classified as 64 bit system.
> Would my current crop of 32 bit softwares would still run in it if I
> transfer it from the 32 bit unit to this 64 bit toy?
> Does the current version of windows have sufficient driver support for
> the 64 bit system compared to its predecesors?
> TIA
> Roy

You will have to reinstall the programs; you generally can't move
installed programs.

Most of the 32-bit programs will probably work. Most, not necessarily
all. It's hard to predict.

The biggest issue with 64-bit versions of Windows is usually with device
drivers for hardware. There are a LOT of hardware items, even recent
ones, that have no 64-bit drivers (and 32-bit drivers will not work).
This is a bit less of an issue with laptops than with desktops (if it
came with a 64-bit OS, then there obviously are 64-bit drivers for
everything INSIDE the computer), but it's still an issue with external
devices, printers, scanners, All-in-One multi-function devices, webcams,
etc. .... anything USB or Firewire or PC Card or Express Card is still
potentially an issue.


Roy wrote:
> Hello Group
> I am planning to buy a high end carbon fibernotebook that is
> classified as 64 bit system.
> Would my current crop of 32 bit softwares would still run in it if I
> transfer it from the 32 bit unit to this 64 bit toy?
> Does the current version of windows have sufficient driver support for
> the 64 bit system compared to its predecesors?
> TIA
> Roy

On Jan 4, 1:35*pm, Andrew McLaren <m...@somewhere.com> wrote:
> Roy wrote:
> > Hello Group
> > I am planning to buy a *high end carbon fibernotebook that is
> > classified as 64 bit system.
> > Would my *current crop of 32 bit softwares would still run in it if I
> > transfer it from the 32 bit unit *to this *64 bit *toy?
> > Does the current version of windows have sufficient driver support for
> > the 64 bit system compared to its predecesors?
>
> Hi Roy,
>
> In general terms, 64-bit Windows can run both 64-bit and 32-bit
> applications.
>
> 64-bit Windows cannot run any 16-bit applications; including both 16-bit
> Windows, and MS-DOS applications. This also includes 16-bit Installers
> for 32-bit applications, or 32-bit applications which load 16-bit
> components.
>
> See here for more details:
>
> * *http://support.microsoft.com/kb/896456
>
> It's not clear from your post if you're thinking of 64-bit Windows XP
> (since this is an XP newsgroup); or a more recent version of Windows.
> The 64-bit features of Windows 7 are vastly improved over 64-bit XP,
> where 64-bit support was still a bit primitive. 64-bit Windows will
> allow you to use more than 2GB of RAM; so if your new laptop has, say,
> 4Gb RAM, you'd really want to run 64-bit; and preferably, Windows 7
> rather than Windows XP.
>
> I'd assume if you are buying new hardware, it will likely come with 64
> bit Windows 7.
>
> For driver support, you would want to check with the vendor of the
> laptop you intend to buy - most hardware-specific drivers for the
> computer itself will come from the manufacturer; not off the Microsoft
> DVD. But in general terms, 64-bit Windows 7 has fairly good driver
> support built-in, for all current popular hardware. You may have trouble
> finding drivers for devices (printers etc) which are more than a few
> years old.
>
> Keep that carbon fibre away from any naked flames. It would be sad to
> see it adding to your CO2 carbon footprint :-)
>
> Hope this helps,
>
> Andrew
>
> --
> amclar at optusnet dot com dot au

Thanks for that input!
Yes that new toy has Window7 professional with 6 gig of DDR3 RAM. So
its likely well supported with drivers I presume?
Roy

On Jan 4, 1:58*pm, "PA Bear [MS MVP]" <PABear...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Start here:http://www.microsoft.com/windows/com...7/en-us/defaul...
>
>
>
> Roy wrote:
> > Hello Group
> > I am planning to buy a *high end carbon fibernotebook that is
> > classified as 64 bit system.
> > Would my *current crop of 32 bit softwares would still run in it if I
> > transfer it from the 32 bit unit *to this *64 bit *toy?
> > Does the current version of windows have sufficient driver support for
> > the 64 bit system compared to its predecesors?
> > TIA
> > Roy- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Thanks for that link PA Bear!

On Jan 4, 3:14*pm, Barry Watzman <Watz...@neo.rr.com> wrote:
> You will have to reinstall the programs; you generally can't move
> installed programs.
>
> Most of the 32-bit programs will probably work. *Most, not necessarily
> all. *It's hard to predict.
>

Hmmm , thats good then...

> The biggest issue with 64-bit versions of Windows is usually with device
> drivers for hardware. *There are a LOT of hardware items, even recent
> ones, that have no 64-bit drivers (and 32-bit drivers will not work).
> This is a bit less of an issue with laptops than with desktops (if it
> came with a 64-bit OS, then there obviously are 64-bit drivers for
> everything INSIDE the computer), but it's still an issue with external
> devices, printers, scanners, All-in-One multi-function devices, webcams,

So I will need to get a 64 bit compatible scanner printer then to go
along with this new PC?

> etc. .... anything USB or Firewire or PC Card or Express Card is still
> potentially an issue.

Do you mean that any USB connected devices may not work in this 64 bit
platform Barry?

Roy

Roy wrote:
> Hello Group
> I am planning to buy a high end carbon fibernotebook that is
> classified as 64 bit system.
> Would my current crop of 32 bit softwares would still run in it if
> I transfer it from the 32 bit unit to this 64 bit toy?
> Does the current version of windows have sufficient driver support
> for the 64 bit system compared to its predecesors?

After reading the responses and your responses - make this simple...

Make a list of your software/hardware and check the manufacturer web sites
for each item to see what is supported in Windows 7 x64. If the system
comes with Windows 7 x64 - you can bet that everything that comes with it is
happily compatible with Windows 7 x64. It's your current stuff you need to
check and only you (at this time) know what all that is...

- Software you will want to install/use on this computer.
- Hardware you currently have and will want to continue using.

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

Roy wrote:
> Hello Group
> I am planning to buy a high end carbon fibernotebook that is
> classified as 64 bit system.
> Would my current crop of 32 bit softwares would still run in it if I
> transfer it from the 32 bit unit to this 64 bit toy?
> Does the current version of windows have sufficient driver support for
> the 64 bit system compared to its predecesors?
> TIA
> Roy

To put things in a different light, I upgraded from XP pro sp3 to a Win
7/64 computer.

Every software I had was able to load and run on the new computer except:
Quickbooks 2004
CopyToDVD (about year 2005)
An old Nero that was a free inclusion with a DVD drive purchase.

I have many freeware utilities that all work fine on W7.
Even Acronis True Image 2009 works fine. MS says it doesn't.

The only driver that needed updating was for a Canon scanner.


Sardine

"Roy" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:96477920-4867-4ffd-a7d2-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hello Group
> I am planning to buy a high end carbon fibernotebook that is
> classified as 64 bit system.
> Would my current crop of 32 bit softwares would still run in it if I
> transfer it from the 32 bit unit to this 64 bit toy?

Some does, some does not.

For example, and perhaps counter-intuitively (you'd think that high-end
audio production software would be more at home on 64-bit) ProTools will not
run on *any* 64-bit OS, including the Mac 64-bit versions.

> Does the current version of windows have sufficient driver support for
> the 64 bit system compared to its predecesors?

The current version of Windows is 7, and in my experience it has good driver
support compared to its predecessors. I've put it on a number of systems
and had all the hardware work right away.

HTH
-pk

> TIA
> Roy