64 Bit Operating System

[bluedragon 0]

Hi, I want to know .. what all major differences would I feel , if i install windows XP/Vista 64 bit edition (x64) ?? I mean will all the softwares and games work properly ? Can I run all My games ? Will it need different Antivirus softwares ? Will I be able to download softwares for it ? I am really confused. And Is there a way to check whether the system Supports 64 bit operating system or not ? Though I can run Ubuntu 64 bit edition properly but is there a way to check for windows ?

[onscreen 0]

If you can run Ubuntu 64 properly, then you can run any 64-bit OS without problems.There isnt a difference in 64-bit and 32-bit. Only thing you will be aware of is a 64bit OS can support up to 32GB of ram while 32bit OS can only support up to 2GB (3GB with boot edit). All softwares / application will run properly. If you happen to have a 64bit application, you will notice the slight increase on speed.64bit shares the same graphics library with its 32bit flavor so all games can be run without problem in 64bit.

[bluedragon 0]

Thanks onscreen :lol:I am thinking of installing Windows XP 64 bit Edition ^_^One more question .. Can I use a Legit Windows XP pro key on a 64 bit copy of windows.. I have a legal copy of Windows XP pro .. So can i use the same key ?------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Edited October 9, 2008 by bluedragon (see edit history)

[curtis07 0]

I completely disagree with onscreen. There is a tremendous difference between 32- and 64-bit Windows. For one thing, the drivers are completely different. I would check all my hardware's drivers online to make sure there are 64-bit drivers available if I were you. Also, 64-bit means that twice as much data is being pushed through at once, although you will not notice any overall speed difference unless you are a serious tester. Some applications speed up slightly, while others slow down (because of on-the-fly 32-bit to 64-bit conversion). You will see 64-bit becoming more dominant soon, though, so I would consider it a good idea, as long as the rest of your hardware supports it.As for software, most 32-bit software should run well on a 64-bit processor. Some software is also made specifically for 64-bit hardware.The RAM limit for any 32-bit processor memory addressing is 4 GB, not 2 or 3. You may encounter difficulty with getting all 4 to work in Windows, and you may need to do some BIOS or Windows system edits, but it mostly depends on your system. The limit for 64-bit processors is 16 exabytes (16.8 million terabytes) of RAM, although most operating systems make an artificial ceiling (perhaps 32 GB for some, like onscreen said). Most motherboards can only support 8 to 16 GB anyway.As for using a 32-bit software key on 64-bit Windows, I really don't know. I would imagine not (knowing Microsoft and their business strategies).I almost forgot: onscreen was right about being able to use 64-bit Windows if 64-bit Linux works.

Edited October 16, 2008 by curtis07 (see edit history)

[danhombre 0]

You will may notice that 64bit appilications run faster, whilst 32bit applications run slower. But then again you may not, depends on all your hardware and what software you're running. If what you're running now works fine then I'd stick with what you have .I also doubt that you'll be able to use the same serial number as Microsoft seem to have different ones for every single product...

[ghostrider 0]

It's been a while since I've posted here. Since I've been gone I've been doing a lot of Operating System related programming. All the people above me are mostly correctly.

 

Firstly, be sure to check your drivers. I believe they have to be 64-bit no matter what when running Windows Vista 64-bit edition, however I am not totally sure on that.

 

Secondly, just because you're processor is 64-bit doesn't mean its "pushing twice as much data through". The 64-bit refers to the amount of memory that can be accessed, and also how high your processor can "count". It also does a few other things programming wise, which are beyond the scope of this. You can message me if you want to learn more.

 

Intel 64-bit technology can actually only allocate 2^40 (1 terabyte) bytes due to keeping production costs low. The next step up will allow for 2^56 bytes, and then finally 2^64 (16 exabytes).

 

Applications that are 32-bit will also run slightly slower because of the way the processor handles 32-bit code when working in 64-bit mode. There is no performance increase for 64-bit applications. Windows Vista 64-bit is the only version of Windows that can run any type of 64-bit code, EVEN if you processor supports it.

 

Hopefully this gave you an insight into how this works

[Evolix 1]

With a 64 bit operating system, it may be tricky to download programs, games, etc. But probably not documents. And for an Anti-Virus program.... well it depends on what company its from and there latest releases, whether its for a 64 Bit OS or 32 Bit. There are rarely alot of programs made for a 64 Bit OS. But I do know one program which was designed for 64 Bit OS's - SmartFTP . I'm pretty sure you can still download documents in such extensions like .RTF, .TXT, .PHP and all, if you were on a Windows computer. I'm not sure how to check if your OS can run a program though. What if you download the program and try?

[bluedragon 0]

Thanks all.I'll definitely try an XP-64 bit or Vista-64 but I'll need to buy the new license first.. Guess that'll take time