64-bit vs 32-bit Vista

[Pat Garard]

G'Day All,

I will be installing Vista HP on a new PC next week.

I will have the option to install either a 64-bit or a 32-bit version.

Can anyone advise on the Pros and Cons to be weighed, and the impact on
software?

 

[Rick Rogers]

Hi Pat,

Do you have more than 4GB of memory installed?
Do you have applications explicitely written to take advantage of 64-bit
processing?

If the answer to both of these questions is no, then use the 32-bit version.
If either is yes, then next make sure there are signed 64-bit device drivers
available for all of your hardware and if there are, then go for 64-bit.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com

 

[Kerry Brown]

G'Day All,

I will be installing Vista HP on a new PC next week.

I will have the option to install either a 64-bit or a 32-bit version.

Can anyone advise on the Pros and Cons to be weighed, and the impact on
software?

If you ever want to install more than 3 GB of RAM you will need 64 bit. If
you install 32 bit then later upgrade your RAM and want to go to 64 bit
there is no upgrade. It requires a full install which means you will have to
backup your data, install Vista x64, install your programs, restore your
data. Not really a problem but it does take time and if you haven't done
this before there's a good chance you will miss some of the data. I almost
always install 64 bit on my computers just so I don't have to go through
this process at some future date.

The cons for 64 bit are no 16 bit programs will run. Some (very few) 32 bit
programs may have problems. Drivers may not be available for some older
hardware. If you want to use Vista x64 it's very important to make sure all
your programs and hardware are compatible before you install it.

If your computer supports 4 GB or more of RAM I recommend you go with 64
bit. RAM is cheap. More RAM is the best performance increase you can do.

 

[Paul Smith]

G'Day All,

I will be installing Vista HP on a new PC next week.

I will have the option to install either a 64-bit or a 32-bit version.

Can anyone advise on the Pros and Cons to be weighed, and the impact on
software?

You'll get a lot of mixed reactions here.

I have no plans to ever install 32-bit again on my machines.

64-bit pros: More than ~3GB RAM can be used.
64-bit pros: I'd say its the more solid system.
64-bit cons: Weaker compatibility.

Saying that however, the compatibility isn't much weaker. I've got one 5
year old TV card which doesn't have 64-bit drivers in the house, which
forces 32-bit on that machine.

Unless you've got specific hardware, and older software that doesn't work
(the vast majority does) I'd say go with 64-bit. 64-bit systems have hit
the mainstream this year, and even if you've got things that aren't
supported now, as long as they're still current I suspect they will be
within months.

--
Paul Smith,
Yeovil, UK.
Microsoft MVP Windows Desktop Experience.
http://www.dasmirnov.net/blog/
http://www.windowsresource.net/

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[Pat Garard]

Thanks - that was very valuable!

Pat

You'll get a lot of mixed reactions here.

I have no plans to ever install 32-bit again on my machines.

64-bit pros: More than ~3GB RAM can be used.
64-bit pros: I'd say its the more solid system.
64-bit cons: Weaker compatibility.

Saying that however, the compatibility isn't much weaker. I've got one 5 year
old TV card which doesn't have 64-bit drivers in the house, which forces
32-bit on that machine.

Unless you've got specific hardware, and older software that doesn't work (the
vast majority does) I'd say go with 64-bit. 64-bit systems have hit the
mainstream this year, and even if you've got things that aren't supported now,
as long as they're still current I suspect they will be within months.

--
Paul Smith,
Yeovil, UK.
Microsoft MVP Windows Desktop Experience.
http://www.dasmirnov.net/blog/
http://www.windowsresource.net/

*Remove nospam. to reply by e-mail*