I switch and try a lot of hardware and software. I was comtemplating a
hardware upgrade soon to a lower end quad core CPU that I could overclock
combined with 1066mhz DDR-2 ram (8gbs) and 2 or 4 x 10k Velociraptor hard
drives in Raid 0. Is it worth the occasional software or hardware
incompatibility to switch to 64 bit XP or are problems largely ironed out by
now? And would it be more compatible to go to 64bit Vista instead? I'll
still keep a multi-boot system with XP 32bit.

The new Windows 7 RC comes in 32-bit and 64-bit downloads. This gives you an
option to try for yourself both of them so you cna make an informed
decision.

"Will" <reply_to_group@thanks> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>I switch and try a lot of hardware and software. I was comtemplating a
>hardware upgrade soon to a lower end quad core CPU that I could overclock
>combined with 1066mhz DDR-2 ram (8gbs) and 2 or 4 x 10k Velociraptor hard
>drives in Raid 0. Is it worth the occasional software or hardware
>incompatibility to switch to 64 bit XP or are problems largely ironed out
>by now? And would it be more compatible to go to 64bit Vista instead?
>I'll still keep a multi-boot system with XP 32bit.
>

"Will" <reply_to_group@thanks> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> No interest in Windows 7 yet. Just XP.

If you really want to get into 64bit I suggest you seriously consider
Windows 7 instead of XP.
Even thus far (RC1) it seems to be a far better beast than Vista - much more
akin to XP in terms of hardware requirements.
XP 64bit has always been at best a compromise, and there are probably more
64bit drivers for Vista / Windows 7 available than there are for XP.
(that's if Win 7 uses the same driver model as Vista - which I understand to
be the case).

Alister.

No interest in Windows 7 yet. Just XP.

"Jerry" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> The new Windows 7 RC comes in 32-bit and 64-bit downloads. This gives you
> an option to try for yourself both of them so you cna make an informed
> decision.
>
> "Will" <reply_to_group@thanks> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>>I switch and try a lot of hardware and software. I was comtemplating a
>>hardware upgrade soon to a lower end quad core CPU that I could overclock
>>combined with 1066mhz DDR-2 ram (8gbs) and 2 or 4 x 10k Velociraptor hard
>>drives in Raid 0. Is it worth the occasional software or hardware
>>incompatibility to switch to 64 bit XP or are problems largely ironed out
>>by now? And would it be more compatible to go to 64bit Vista instead?
>>I'll still keep a multi-boot system with XP 32bit.
>>
>
>
>

> Hmm - I would say that it depends on what you are going to be using the PC
> mainly for.

HD video viewing and editing HD (1280 x 720p probbaly) videos. No gaming.
But I often run many concurrent programs and don't want it to bog down so
much. I've streamlined msconfig and the Services utilities already.

> There are still a few holes in 64bit OS

Please define "holes". Security? Driver incompatabilities?

> and you dont get much advantage other than it accepting more RAM.

That may be good though. 8gb @ 1066mhz has got to be better than 4gb at
800mhz.

> And yes there are still very few programs that utilise 64bit,

You're saying even now, in mid 2009, there are not many programs that take
advantage of 64 bit?

> but 99% of hardware now has a driver for it

So I don't need to worry about hardware. That's a relief.

If your going with 8GB or RAM, there is absolutely NO point in using a 32
bit OS.

--

Crosspost, do not multipost http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm
How to ask a question http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375


"Will" <reply_to_group@thanks> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>I switch and try a lot of hardware and software. I was comtemplating a
>hardware upgrade soon to a lower end quad core CPU that I could overclock
>combined with 1066mhz DDR-2 ram (8gbs) and 2 or 4 x 10k Velociraptor hard
>drives in Raid 0. Is it worth the occasional software or hardware
>incompatibility to switch to 64 bit XP or are problems largely ironed out
>by now? And would it be more compatible to go to 64bit Vista instead?
>I'll still keep a multi-boot system with XP 32bit.
>

"David B." <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>If your going with 8GB or RAM, there is absolutely NO point in using a 32
>bit OS.

Very true. A 32-bit OS will be able to see only 4GB. And it won't be
able to use all of that, because it has to use some of its address
space to access BIOS and video RAM. see
http://members.cox.net/slatteryt/RAM.html

--
Tim Slattery
MS MVP(Shell/User)
(E-Mail Removed)
http://members.cox.net/slatteryt