32 bit vs 64 bit windows XP versions

[Guest]

I have an AMD Athalon 64 processor on my laptop. The computer came with
Windows XP Home Addition pre-installed. I upgraded the XP to Pro version for
the extra networking security and capabilities. But the version I have is
only 32 bit. So far I think everything is running ok, but I occasionally get
weird error messages.
Should I get a 64 bit version? Am I hurting my computer or not using it to
full capacity? I also wondered about the automatic updates I get from HP. If
the updates they send me are for a 64 bit version, and I'm running 32 bit, is
it going to cause a problem? They never ask whether it is 32 or 64 bit. Just
wether it is a Home or Pro version.

 

[David H. Lipman]

The question is can you afford the 64bit version ?

Dave




| I have an AMD Athalon 64 processor on my laptop. The computer came with
| Windows XP Home Addition pre-installed. I upgraded the XP to Pro version for
| the extra networking security and capabilities. But the version I have is
| only 32 bit. So far I think everything is running ok, but I occasionally get
| weird error messages.
| Should I get a 64 bit version? Am I hurting my computer or not using it to
| full capacity? I also wondered about the automatic updates I get from HP. If
| the updates they send me are for a 64 bit version, and I'm running 32 bit, is
| it going to cause a problem? They never ask whether it is 32 or 64 bit. Just
| wether it is a Home or Pro version.

 

[Ronnie Vernon MVP]

I have an AMD Athalon 64 processor on my laptop. The computer came
with Windows XP Home Addition pre-installed. I upgraded the XP to Pro
version for the extra networking security and capabilities. But the
version I have is only 32 bit. So far I think everything is running
ok, but I occasionally get weird error messages.
Should I get a 64 bit version? Am I hurting my computer or not using
it to full capacity? I also wondered about the automatic updates I
get from HP. If the updates they send me are for a 64 bit version,
and I'm running 32 bit, is it going to cause a problem? They never
ask whether it is 32 or 64 bit. Just wether it is a Home or Pro
version.

The AMD 64 will run the 32 bit version of XP Pro just fine. If you don't
know whether or not you need the 64 bit version of XP, then it's likely that
you don't need it. This version is made for systems that require extremely
large data processing capabilities. Here are some links for more
information.

Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Home Page:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/64bit/default.mspx

Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Evaluation:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/64bit/evaluation/default.mspx

You should be concentrating on the "weird error messages" and what is
causing them.

 

[Bob Knowlden]

This was covered implicitly by another poster, but just to be clear:

The 64 bit version of Windows for Athlon64 machines is only available in a
beta (test) version. The only 64 bit version of Windows that is available in
a released form now only runs on the Intel Itanium CPU. It would be of no
use to you, even if you could buy it. (It is available only with Itanium
systems, which are expensive.) The beta is available for download or on a
CD, but it's not recommended for any purposes other than testing and
software development. (It's not always easy to find device drivers that are
compatible with 64 bit Windows. I hope that the situation improves before
the OS is released.)

I believe that Microsoft still states that the 64 bit OS will be released in
the first half of 2005. I doubt that it'll be on the street on January 3rd.
Also, I have read that the new OS won't be installable as an upgrade over
XP; it must be a clean install.

The only definite feature I've read of that will be in the 64 bit version
will be the elimination of the address space limit of 32 bit Windows. I knew
an engineer who had trouble with the 4 GB virtual memory limit while he ran
large finite element models (under Windows NT), but that wouldn't be a
problem for most users.

In short, most people running Windows on Athlon64 systems are running the 32
bit version of XP. That includes the system I'm typing this into. If you're
having trouble with an A64 notebook, it isn't due to the non-64-bit nature
of XP.

Address scrambled. Replace nkbob with bobkn.

 

[Mark Timerding]

Should I get a 64 bit version? Am I hurting my computer or not using it to
full capacity?

I wouldn't get the 64bit version UNTILL all your software makers (the
software YOU use) release patches, or 64bit versions, or whatever is
needed.

Just for the heck of it, I installed a 64bit mobo and cpu in my machine,
just to see what it would do ... pretty much everything I have (soft ware)
does run on it ..... but, not as advertised, Most of the programs do not run
as well as they did when I had a 32bit AMD cpu/motherboard. Most of the
programs I had problems with, I was able to get sorted out, eventually ...
they include Panda Antivirus/Firewall ..... Kapersky Antivirus/Firewall ...
Winamp, Divx, many of my dvd/movie editing software, All Media Fixer,
Winavi Media convertor, ACDSEE, video card drivers (for my ATI card)
Iolo's System Mechanic 5 and a few others. For the most part, attempts
to gain help from the various software manufacturers for stuff I had that
didnt work right, always met with the same reply from the companies ..
"The version of the software you are using is meant to run on a 32bit
platform and has been tested/certified to run on such .... we do not plan
on supporting 64bit machines until Microsoft releases a 64bit version of
windows." .... and sometimes I got "We do not even have a 64bit machine
here, to test our software on" .... (it was Iolo Technologies that said
that)

Funny thing is, that the 'last years version' of most of that software
(Panda
Antivirus, System Mechanic 4) worked perfectly well, just like it did on the
32bit version. But, all the new versions of that stuff are giving me
problems.

(Course, it could be SP2 causing some of the problems .... when everything
was working fine on the 'last years versions' I had sp1 on my win xp pro
..... since I got all the new versions of some of that software and tried it,
I had already put SP2 on my machine)

just my 2 cents, for anyone interested

 

[Guest]

they sending you those 64-bit version updates is because your computer is
sending them the system info....that why they assume you running beside you
be better off with 64-bit operating software installed except you may have to
make adjustment till the Final product....right now x64 bit is like a beta
OS....still in the testing faze

 

[Guest]

The 64-bit version of windows is not made for the average computer user. It
is made for those who know how to deal with the issues that come with it.
Since it is a fairly new type of system, tech support for it is practicly
non-existant. Once they are set up properly, they tend to stay stable. 32-bit
programs will run at about the same speed as they did before, but you will
also be able to run 64-bit programs which will show you how powerful these
new processors are. Just make sure you either know what you are doing, or
know someone who can help you. Oh, and make sure your computer has at least a
gigabyte of RAM, I made this mistake on a comp i made for a friend and had to
wait a few days for another stick to arrive. Basicly, if you are the kind of
person who enjoys tinkering with computers and actually has fun when stuff
goes wrong then go for XP 64-bit, its amazing. If you cant tell an IDE port
from a DIMM slot, then just stick with 32-bit.