Vista 64-bit drivers

[titus12]

I am thinking of buying Vista 64-bit. I like what the 64-bit version can
do. However, I have heard about the problem of drivers for software and
some hardware. Also that Microsoft wants to go to 64-bit. How soon can the
driver issue be resolve? Or should I build a system with the 32-bit version
that can be just as fast?

Thank you;
David

 

[Darkelldar]

I am thinking of buying Vista 64-bit. I like what the 64-bit version can
do. However, I have heard about the problem of drivers for software and
some hardware. Also that Microsoft wants to go to 64-bit. How soon can
the driver issue be resolve? Or should I build a system with the 32-bit
version that can be just as fast?

Thank you;
David

The best thing to do is to go to the hardware manufactures sites and check
if they have Vista 64 bit
drivers before you buy. I now check before I buy any hardware that Vista 64
drivers are avalable.

 

[R. C. White]

Hi, David.

There must be a BILLION (sometimes I exaggerate) hardware devices out there,
but you don't need drivers for ALL of them. You probably need only a dozen
or two. If you tell us what hardware you have, we can probably help you.

A couple of years ago, 64-bit drivers were scarce! So everybody heard that
"there are no 64-bit drivers" - and they are still saying that, even though
the situation has improved greatly. And there seems to be much less of a
problem for Vista x64 than for WinXP x64. MANY drivers are included on the
Vista DVD-ROMs; many others are readily available via Windows Update; still
others are on the hardware makers' websites.

If you name some specific hardware, we probably can give you some specific
advice. Or, as the other poster said, just Google for them or go directly
to the manufacturers' websites.

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
(e-mail address removed)
Microsoft Windows MVP
(Running Windows Live Mail beta in Vista Ultimate x64)

 

[titus12]

RC:

I was told that many of the newest hardware have the 64-bit drivers. How
about software programs? Can the 32 bit programs work on Vista x64? there
is some talk about some of the drivers in some programs have 16-bit drivers.

Thank you;
David

 

[R. C. White]

Hi, David.

Nowadays, the software and hardware that won't run on Vista x64 are the
exceptions, rather than the rule. If you mention the specific hardware and
software you are concerned about, someone here will probably recognize it
and say "yes it will" or "no it won't". Until you tell us that, we're just
dealing in generalities and trying to guess which ones worry you.

Yes, some software does have 16-bit components and will not run in Vista
x64. I had to retire my 20-year-old WordPerfect Office Library Calendar for
that reason. But everything else that ran in my WinXP Pro (32-bit) runs
without complaint in Vista x64. During the year-long beta testing, I had
problems with Nero 7 and Adobe Photoshop Elements 4, but those were cleared
up by the time Vista "went gold" nearly a year ago. I now run both of those
without a hassle. Since updating my motherboard last year, I've added a
couple of TV tuner cards (Hauppauge WinTV HVR-1600 and Pinnacle PCTV HD Pro
Stick); those companies have produced drivers so that I can watch TV in
Vista x64's Media Center, but their application software won't run in Vista
x64. I can dual-boot into Vista Ultimate x86 and install the software
there, but I don't want to reboot each time just to be able to use their
applications.

Currently, the Vista x64 does not offer a speed bonus. For now, at least,
Vista x86 is just as fast as Vista x64. I expect that will change, but not
until software developers rewrite their applications to take advantage of
64-bit hardware - and that may be years away.

The decision is yours, of course. But I've been running Vista Ultimate x64
almost exclusively since about November 1, 2006, and I don't expect to
revert to 32-bit.

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
(e-mail address removed)
Microsoft Windows MVP
(Running Windows Live Mail beta in Vista Ultimate x64)

 

[Michael Trebilcock]

It would help if we knew what country you were in. There's different
standards, ATSC, COFDM, etc..