Windows XP or XP64

[Guest]

I have just built a new system with an AMD 64 dual core 4600+ on a sli
lanparty motherboard 1 gig of ocr ram etc. and was wondering what benefits I
would get from using xp64 bit as apposed to xp pro. Can anyone provide a
view, I realise I would have some difficulty with drivers but what are the
advantages?

 

[seth]

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/64bit/evaluation/top5.mspx

 

[Tim Slattery]

I have just built a new system with an AMD 64 dual core 4600+ on a sli
lanparty motherboard 1 gig of ocr ram etc. and was wondering what benefits I
would get from using xp64 bit as apposed to xp pro. Can anyone provide a
view, I realise I would have some difficulty with drivers but what are the
advantages?

Please post your question in the 64-bit newsgroup, that's where the
folks that know the answer hang out:

microsoft.public.windows.64bit.general

 

[Guest]

Excuse my butting in: I just tried that newsgroup. It is absolutely empty of
information, I mean absolutely zero. Other newsgroups are operating normally
at this time: 17.45 GMT.

 

[Mike Williams]

Excuse my butting in: I just tried that newsgroup. It is absolutely empty of
information, I mean absolutely zero. Other newsgroups are operating normally
at this time: 17.45 GMT.

I think you must have a problem with your newsreader. Try resetting the
newsgroups and resubscribing.

I just subscribed and it looks very busy.

 

[Gospel]

There are no substantial advantages using Windows XP 64 for the user at this
point [except for the fact there's less malware written against it so far],
although there are some real disadvantages because of the lesser support,
compatibility problems etc. etc.

Unless one had a real need for what the 64-bit memory space provides, then
do not bother (hobbyists excepted).

 

[lurkswithin]

Peterjwrote:
I have just built a new system with an AMD 64 dual core 4600+ on a
sli

lanparty motherboard 1 gig of ocr ram etc. and was wondering what benefits I
would get from using xp64 bit as apposed to xp pro. Can anyone provide a
view, I realise I would have some difficulty with drivers but what are the
advantages?

To put it bluntly...you should get twice the proccessing speed with
the 64 bit system. As for the drivers issue....you built a new system
with new parts....driver issues really shouldn't be a problem

 

[Gospel]

Yes, but twice the bit size means twice the reduncancy and twice the wasted
time on a cache miss etc. 64 bit Windows is by no means "twice" as fast ..
not at all. Furthermore, because one is dealing with 64-bit code the effect
can even be to halve the RAM. So a system with 512MB RAM acts more like one
with 256 because each integer takes 64 bits of the RAM now instead of 32
bits. But performance somewhat depends on the application(s), of course.

And drivers remain a problem because all manner of hardware "out there" is
not 64-bit supported. So whether they will work or not is dubious. 64-bit
probably will not get enough support to recommend it for at least a year, if
not more. So if someone sets himself up with 64-bit and has everything
running, great, until they go to the Computer Super Store next month only to
find nothing compatible.

There's no real reason to go 64 bit for day-to-day stuff. And those who
actually need 64-bit already know it.

64-bit XP/Server is for people who actually need it [and they know who they
are] and for computer hobbyists who enjoy a challenge. Business people who
need it to work now, gamers, emailers, surfers, web masters, newsgroupers,
and chatters etc. shouldn't care about it right now and might be better off
avoiding it.