windows vista 64

[MS]

Hi, my question is on Windows vista 64. Is it capable of running 32 bit
Applications? Or is it necessary to buy all new 64bits programas?

Thanks in advanca.Manuel

 

[Dave]

Hi, my question is on Windows vista 64. Is it capable of running 32 bit
Applications?

Some. It's a matter of, which applications were written for 64-bit OS?
Which ones can be upgraded to a 64-bit version? Which ones need to be
replaced? How much will it cost?

Or is it necessary to buy all new 64bits programas?

Probably. Y'know, the ironic thing is...with 99% of computer users so
willing to use any excuse to bash Vista, this is the ONE area that Vista is
kind of weak on. Yet, if you point out the lack of 64-bit software for
vista, you will get flamed to oblivion. Go figure.

The truth is, it is likely that at least some, or maybe even most, of your
current software, will need to be replaced (for a fee, of course) or
significantly upgraded (usually for a fee, of course)

There is a microsoft-maintained list of programs that are 64-bit OK. If I
can find the link, I'll post it again below. -Dave

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/compatibility/default.aspx

There you have to search software by title, then click 64-bit, as the
results default to 32-bit.

 

[Conor]

Probably. Y'know, the ironic thing is...with 99% of computer users so
willing to use any excuse to bash Vista, this is the ONE area that Vista is
kind of weak on.

Bullshit.

 

[Conor]

Hi, my question is on Windows vista 64. Is it capable of running 32 bit
Applications? Or is it necessary to buy all new 64bits programas?

I have yet to find a 32 bit program that doesn't run on Vista x64.
Ignore that Dave ****er, he hasn't a goddamn clue.

 

[VanguardLH]

Hi, my question is on Windows vista 64. Is it capable of running 32 bit
Applications? Or is it necessary to buy all new 64bits programas?

Thanks in advanca.Manuel

32-bit *programs* run just fine. It's the hardware drivers you have to
be concerned about. Drivers and OS have to match. Apps and OS do not
(regarding bit-width) since Windows uses WOW to provided an emulation
layer for 32- and 16-bit applications. Have you checked that ALL your
hardware has a 64-bit driver for it?

 

[Dave]

I have yet to find a 32 bit program that doesn't run on Vista x64.
Ignore that Dave ****er, he hasn't a goddamn clue.

My source is Microsoft. Yours is? Your ass, apparently. -Dave

 

[Dave]

32-bit *programs* run just fine.

Some. Many will not run OK on Vista 64, though.

It's the hardware drivers you have to
be concerned about.

That is absolutely true, but the OP didn't ask about drivers.

Still, it's amazing how some really popular VISTA compatible hardware does
not have 64-bit vista drivers available. That even tripped me up when I
bought a sound card recently. A SOUND CARD! Of all things. I knew it was
vista compatible, so didn't think to check 64-bit. My mistake. Just used
it in another system that had a sound card with 64-bit drivers available.
(did a swap) So no biggie.

Drivers and OS have to match. Apps and OS do not
(regarding bit-width) since Windows uses WOW to provided an emulation
layer for 32- and 16-bit applications. Have you checked that ALL your
hardware has a 64-bit driver for it?

Yeah, Microsoft tried hard to support all the older non-64-bit software.
But there's still a good chance that somoene asking the question will be
forking out at least some money to make all his current 32-bit software run
on Vista 64.

Vista is great. But 64-bit software for it is still playing catch-up. And
if you are building for Vista 64, you have to research drivers CAREFULLY
before buying any hardware. -Dave

 

[Kent_Diego]

Hi, my question is on Windows vista 64. Is it capable of running 32 bit

Applications? Or is it necessary to buy all new 64bits programas?

Thanks in advanca.Manuel

Go for the Vista x64. It is blazing fast, can use all your RAM and it will
run every modern program and almost every older program. Old program like
disk emulation software, DVD burning software and anti virus can have
problems but they all have newer version that do OK now. When I first went
to Vista x64 I had two pieces of hardware that did not have 64 bit drivers.
A printer and webcam. It took several months before I found a 64 bit driver
for the printer. In 2007 the webcam manufacturer released 64 bit drivers so
all is good now.

 

[VanguardLH]

Some. Many will not run OK on Vista 64, though.

Name them. Other than low-level utilities that want direct access to
the hardware, the 16- and 32-bit emulation layers (WOW = Windows on
Windows) runs the vast majority of those apps just fine under a 64-bit
version of Windows.

That is absolutely true, but the OP didn't ask about drivers.

But your advice is not just misleading but drastically incorrect. Not
everyone's suite of applications is just the old DOS games that you play
that want direct hardware access.

Yeah, Microsoft tried hard to support all the older non-64-bit software.
But there's still a good chance that somoene asking the question will be
forking out at least some money to make all his current 32-bit software run
on Vista 64.

Not with 32-bit apps. I have seen some older 16-bit apps not *install*
but that is because they check for a version range of the OS, not that
their code won't run. If push comes to shove, go use VirtualPC or
VMWare Server, both of which are free to install the old OS in a virtual
machine and run your incompatible applications there. Or use multi-
booting (not Microsoft's stupid dual-booting) to have another primary
partition in which you install the old OS (you'll have to be careful of
OS install order due to one stepping atop the other's MBR bootstrap
code). So it is very possible that:

- The 32-bit apps that the OP asked about (but never bothered to
mention) will run just fine under WOW64.

- Most 16-bit apps will run but they may refuse to install. There's a
difference and some folks sometimes figure out tricks to fool the
installation program.

- For any that don't run correctly, use a virtual machine or multi-
booting to continue using the old versions of your software. That's
what I did for my aunt's WinXP 64-bit platform for some old greeting
card software and an old scanner so she could keep using them.

Vista is great. But 64-bit software for it is still playing catch-up. And
if you are building for Vista 64, you have to research drivers CAREFULLY
before buying any hardware. -Dave

There is extremely few non-vertical 64-bit applications. The vast
majority of programs are 32-bit, and the vast majority of those will run
under the WOW64 emulation layer on a 64-bit version of Windows.

 

[DevilsPGD]

Some. Many will not run OK on Vista 64, though.

Name three.

 

[DevilsPGD]

Name them. Other than low-level utilities that want direct access to
the hardware, the 16- and 32-bit emulation layers (WOW = Windows on
Windows) runs the vast majority of those apps just fine under a 64-bit
version of Windows.

64-bit Windows OSes cannot run 16-but applications, but the 32-bit layer
works nicely for nearly everything above the driver level.

- The 32-bit apps that the OP asked about (but never bothered to
mention) will run just fine under WOW64.

- Most 16-bit apps will run but they may refuse to install. There's a
difference and some folks sometimes figure out tricks to fool the
installation program.

No, most 16-but apps will not run:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/282423

"No 16-bit code can run, except for recognized InstallShield and Acme
installers (these are hard-coded in Wow64 to allow them to work)."

(The way these work is that Windows has a 64-bit version of the
installer that can read the 16-bit installer and perform the install,
for the use of 32-bit apps that used a 16-bit installer)

 

[Ed Medlin]

My source is Microsoft. Yours is? Your ass, apparently. -Dave

His source is probably the same as mine Dave......experience, and my
experience with Vista 64 is exactly the same as his. The only weakness I
have found with 64bit Vista is driver support for a few older peripherals
and even with those if you do enough searching around you can usually find
some sort of work around or a driver. Experience is better than some white
paper from MS. Do you even run Vista 64?


Ed

 

[Conor]

My source is Microsoft. Yours is? Your ass, apparently. -Dave

Are you going by the fact that "Actrion recommended" means they don't
work?

If so, it proves you're a ****ing dick. For a start, Battlefield 2 has
"Action recommended" under it and I've been running that since Vista
came out as have 100,000's of other people.

And do you know WTF "Compatibility Mode" is?

****, you're dumb.

I have only had one game that was any problem and that was Colin McRae
Rally 2005 which required me going to Codemasters to get a 64bit driver
for their copy protection.

 

[Conor]

Some. Many will not run OK on Vista 64, though.

Find me one actual program that people have said will not run under
Vista x64 at all.

 

[VanguardLH]

64-bit Windows OSes cannot run 16-but applications, but the 32-bit layer
works nicely for nearly everything above the driver level.


No, most 16-but apps will not run:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/282423

"No 16-bit code can run, except for recognized InstallShield and Acme
installers (these are hard-coded in Wow64 to allow them to work)."

(The way these work is that Windows has a 64-bit version of the
installer that can read the 16-bit installer and perform the install,
for the use of 32-bit apps that used a 16-bit installer)

Thanks for that info. I also found:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb756962.aspx

 

[Dave]

His source is probably the same as mine Dave......experience, and my

experience with Vista 64 is exactly the same as his. The only weakness I
have found with 64bit Vista is driver support for a few older peripherals
and even with those if you do enough searching around you can usually find
some sort of work around or a driver. Experience is better than some white
paper from MS. Do you even run Vista 64?


Ed

I did briefly, until I discovered that half of my 32-bit software wouldn't
work on it, without throwing significant money at it. Including a recent
version of Microsoft Office, btw. -Dave

 

[Dave]

Name three.

There's thousands listed on the Microsoft web site. Choose any three you
want. -Dave

 

[Man-wai Chang ToDie (33.6k)]

Hi, my question is on Windows vista 64. Is it capable of running 32 bit
Applications? Or is it necessary to buy all new 64bits programas?

Yes, 32-bit stuff still works, including games.

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[DevilsPGD]

There's thousands listed on the Microsoft web site. Choose any three you
want. -Dave

Okay, name three that you've actually have installed on your PC that are
of the latest/current vintage and don't have a driver component.

 

[VanguardLH]

There's thousands listed on the Microsoft web site. Choose any three you
want. -Dave

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/compatibility/default.aspx

The hardware has already been explained to you that 64-bit drivers must
be used on a 64-bit OS if you want full or any functionality from your
hardware.

Under the Software section, and because you have refused so far to
provide an example of just one 32-bit application that won't run under a
64-bit version of Windows, I chose the Image category. Rather than
hunting through all the choices to find incompatible imaging programs, I
clicked on the "Compatible" link. 306 programs listed there. I then
clicked on the "Not Compatible" link. 61 programs there - but of which
the vast majority indicated that there was an upgrade that would be
supported on Vista (so they were listing old versions of those
programs). Only 23 were actually listed as not compatible (i.e., there
was no "action" available to make the old version compatible for use on
Vista).

If you search on your product, you can select the 32- or 64-bit tab to
see if your application is compatible on that version of Vista. I did
an example search on OpenOffice which listed the old v1 as requiring
some action which, of course, was to upgrade to v2 which is compatible.

I did find some lists of software incompatible with Windows XP 64-bit,
like at:

http://www.iexbeta.com/wiki/index.php/Software_Compatibility_with_Windows_XP_x64

Well, gee, look at what are incompatible. The utility programs that dig
into the OS or try to manipulate the hardware. Other such lists found
through Googling for them support the claims made here so far that it's
the drivers that you need to focus on. Of course, anything that wants
to dig into or embed itself into the OS (rather than execute as a user
process; i.e., a normal application) also needs to match the OS into
which it is attempting to embed itself. That's a "given DUH" for those
apps.