Windows Vista 32bit/64bit?

[Retro~Burn]

Regarding the Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium package, do they only ship them in 32bit or can you somehow select between 32 bit/64 bit on installation?

I've found an OEM one for half the price which I most likely will buy when I purchase my new PC. However with the OEM version does it lack the driver support for many components, therefore requiring one to download them from the manufactuer's site?

 

[Anon_F]

OEM versions are meant for those building pc's, normally you just the disc & product key.
They have the same software on them, but no other leaflets or support.
32bit Vista can use up to 3GB of RAM, 64bit can use 3GB+

 

[muckshifter]

Oh gawd, for crying out loud ... I need to write a "stickie" everyone can read, trouble is, nobody can read anymore, especially any stickies we do have here at PCR.


Vista Home premium 32bit can access up to 4gb ram ... it is the limit of 32bit operations ... recommended, by me & a few hundred thousand other people is ... 2gb

The chipset must support at least 8 GB of address space.

You DO need a compatible MB ... shame that word "compatible", it does not exist.





Now, 64 bit Vista is a different animal ... and I repeat again ... there are 3 basic requirements to the limitations on the ram that can be used.

You NEED a true 64bit ready motherboard, not one that has any 32bit chips, as in the Nothbridge, a lot of MB manufacturers are NOT giving you all the information.

You NEED a true 64bit CPU

You NEED a 64bit OS

Vista Home Premium 64bit OS can access up-to ... 16gb

All the Business Vista 64bit OSs can access up-to ... 128gb

Do not expect a 32bit "program" that can take advantage of 64bit operation ... you may as well pee into the wind, though some do work, you ain't using 64bit, where is the point?


http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/editions/64bit.mspx

 

[Retro~Burn]

I'll only be interested in gaming not any CAD/3D modelling work. So do I only need to stick with the 32bit premium version?

 

[muckshifter]

There is no difference in the OS, never has been, in OEM v Retail ... except in Licence & packaging.

Vista Home Premium (32bit) will be more than enough.

 

[Retro~Burn]

Ta

Oh yeah post a sticky

Oh another thing, the particular motherboard I'm after :-

ASUS P5E3 Deluxe

Does it support the 8GB address space you mentioned?

Also how do you find a 64bit retail version of Vista. As the only ones I've found are the OEM.

 

[Retro~Burn]

Oh gawd, for crying out loud ... I need to write a "stickie" everyone can read, trouble is, nobody can read anymore, especially any stickies we do have here at PCR.


Vista Home premium 32bit can access up to 4gb ram ... it is the limit of 32bit operations ... recommended, by me & a few hundred thousand other people is ... 2gb

The chipset must support at least 8 GB of address space.

You DO need a compatible MB ... shame that word "compatible", it does not exist.





Now, 64 bit Vista is a different animal ... and I repeat again ... there are 3 basic requirements to the limitations on the ram that can be used.

You NEED a true 64bit ready motherboard, not one that has any 32bit chips, as in the Nothbridge, a lot of MB manufacturers are NOT giving you all the information.

You NEED a true 64bit CPU

You NEED a 64bit OS

Vista Home Premium 64bit OS can access up-to ... 16gb

All the Business Vista 64bit OSs can access up-to ... 128gb

Do not expect a 32bit "program" that can take advantage of 64bit operation ... you may as well pee into the wind, though some do work, you ain't using 64bit, where is the point?


http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/editions/64bit.mspx

It does seem that 64bit Vista is becoming a more attractive option for some :-

custompc.co.uk

tech-pc.co.uk

It also seems from many comments that it runs more smoothly than Vista 32bit. Also due to the greater memory advantages (accessing more RAM) it gives an added boost. The one major downside is the decreased driver support/compatibility compared to Vista 32bit. However this is mainly with older software and hardware from what I've been able to discern.

Perhaps others using Vista 64bit can comment on its use in comparison to Vista 32bit?

 

[Waynos_Face]

Have Vista 64 Bit on my laptop (was purchased from cyberpower, no laughing please) it runs perfectly, have had a few probs getting some games to work (C&C3) but with patches its fine, oh and i cant get flash media player to work, but installed a 32 bit browser so it works on that.

Seems to be more reliable than 32 bit as my brother has that and has problems every now and again.
Would recommend searching software you wish to use to check compatability as not all Vista ready software is.

Laptop spec: Cyberpower X7-700, Intel C2D 2.4ghz, Nvidia 8600M GT, 160GB HDD, 4Gb RAM, WXSGA 1680 x 1050.
Vista Home Premium 64 bit.