are all the drivers out for x64 bit vista yet?

T

T5

Hi,

I have had vista x 32bit home premium since launch date and have also had
the x 64 bit version on cd for nearly as long. When I first installed it,
hardly any of the drivers were available for my hardware...has this been
resolved yet? Are most drivers available now?
Also what benefit does 64bit computing give in real terms?
 
G

Guest

NO. You will have to check at the manufacturers' websites to see what drivers
are available.
The only advantage is that you can make better use of more memory than 32bit
version
 
R

Richard G. Harper

No on the drivers, and none whatsoever as for the benefits. There is no
benefit to the standard desktop user in running 64-bit Windows over 32-bit
Windows. A 64-bit Windows version should only be considered for the home
user if needed for supporting more than 4gb of memory or if a program you
want to run requires a 64-bit version of Windows.

--
Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User] (e-mail address removed)
* NEW! Catch my blog ... http://msmvps.com/blogs/rgharper/
* PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups
* The Website - http://rgharper.mvps.org/
* HELP us help YOU ... http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
 
D

Dave

There are plenty of drivers available. My 64 bit Ultimate partition is fine
but my hardware is generally mainstream stuff...
Hauppauge USB TV
Creative X-Fi Soundcard
Logitech Keyboard & Mouse
Saitek Joystick
Microsoft Webcam
Nvidia 8800GTX
Evga Motherboard
Lexmark Printer

Finding x64 maintenance & security software is harder though but x86
programs still run... no support for 16-bit software though but I haven't
personally found any software that I needed that couldn't be installed.

The easy thing to do is just go to the hardware manufacturer's website, look
for the 64bit drivers and put them on a disc or memory stick.
 
M

Man-wai Chang ToDie

32-bit Windows. A 64-bit Windows version should only be considered for
the home user if needed for supporting more than 4gb of memory or if a
program you want to run requires a 64-bit version of Windows.
Click to expand...

I did expect x64 Vi$ta to have faster disk and memory i/o... :)

--
@~@ Might, Courage, Vision, SINCERITY.
/ v \ Simplicity is Beauty! May the Force and Farce be with you!
/( _ )\ (Xubuntu 7.04) Linux 2.6.23.1
^ ^ 19:29:01 up 3 days 23:56 0 users load average: 0.04 0.03 0.00
news://news.3home.net news://news.hkpcug.org news://news.newsgroup.com.hk
 
R

Ratty

I think that the 64 bit version works a hell of a lot quicker
than the 32 bit version as it pushes 64bits of data to the
processor instead of 32bits - but you need true 64 bit
applications otherwise it use's WoW in a 32 bit environment.

I think thats correct.
 
K

Kerry Brown

Ratty said:
I think that the 64 bit version works a hell of a lot quicker
than the 32 bit version as it pushes 64bits of data to the
processor instead of 32bits - but you need true 64 bit
applications otherwise it use's WoW in a 32 bit environment.

I think thats correct.
Click to expand...


Yes it is. I have found Vista x64 faster for some things when using 64 bit
programs. Virtual PC 2007 64 bit is one example.
 
J

Jupiter Jones [MVP]

No, and all the drivers for windows Vista 64 bit never will be.
Similar to other operating systems, not everything is or will be
supported.
Some find all the necessary drivers easily while others find few if
any drivers.

Before upgrading, you need to check with the manufacturers of your
specific hardware about Windows Vista drivers.
The older the hardware, the less likely there will ever be driver
support.
 
M

McG.

T5 said:
Hi,

I have had vista x 32bit home premium since launch date and have also had
the x 64 bit version on cd for nearly as long. When I first installed it,
hardly any of the drivers were available for my hardware...has this been
resolved yet? Are most drivers available now?
Also what benefit does 64bit computing give in real terms?
Click to expand...

Oh no, not all manufacturers have produced Vista drivers, and those that
have don't all have 64 bit support. And MS supposedly required both 32 and
64 bit support for all Vista hardware drivers. Hasn't turned out that way.
You will have to check for updates for all your hardware drivers. Though
more 64 bit Vista support IS available now, it isn't "complete" by any
means.

For the average users, like most Home users, small business users, 64 bit
really isn't going to do much, not even for the latest greatest games. For
some users doing heavy multimedia work, imaging, 3D cad, 3D modeling,
rendering and the like, 64 bit computing gives more performance with
software using 64 bit codepath and also the ability to use much larger
amounts of RAM. Some newer consumer motherboards support 8 and even 16 gigs
of RAM now, and the 64 bit OS supports that out of the box. Even Adobe
Photoshop CS3 makes good use of huge amounts of system RAM even though the
'Standard' edition only runs as a 32 bit app. There really isn't much
mainstream support for 64 bits just now. So as others have said, the main
advantage to using a 64 bit OS right now is the ability to use more than 4gb
of RAM.

HTH,
McG.
 
M

McG.

Paul Smith said:
Microsoft aren't in a position to require anything, 3rd parties release
whatever they want to release.

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

*Remove nospam. to reply by e-mail*
Click to expand...

Seems I read somewhere last year that Vista simply wouln't install
non-compliant drivers, and 32/64 bit was part of that compliance. I can
see myself today that isn't what actually happened :)

McG.
 
P

Paul Smith

Seems I read somewhere last year that Vista simply wouln't install
non-compliant drivers, and 32/64 bit was part of that compliance. I can
see myself today that isn't what actually happened :)
Click to expand...

64-bit drivers need to be signed, in the same manner as a secure website
will be signed to prove its identify.

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

*Remove nospam. to reply by e-mail*
 
K

Kerry Brown

Seems I read somewhere last year that Vista simply wouln't install
non-compliant drivers, and 32/64 bit was part of that compliance. I can
see myself today that isn't what actually happened :)
Click to expand...
I'm not 100% positive but I think to get a Vista logo on a device you need
to have both 32/64 bit drivers that have been through a compatibility check
with Microsoft. Many manufacturers don't get their drivers tested by
Microsoft and don't use the Vista logo. In this case they can do whatever
they want.
 
A

AJR

The 64 bit Vista version "demands" that drivers be "signed" or "certified" -
that does not apply to the 32 bit version.
 

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