Okay I know this is a question asked alot but nothing has helped so far. My desktop recently went down and I still cant figure out why, bottom line its fucked and needs Windows reinstalled. I also recently learned that my processor is a 64 bit processor which oddly runs well in a 32 bit OS but is it worth it installing a 64 bit OS instead of a 32 bit one. Look at my Steam account because I play most of those old games still (Ive heard that 64 bit OS's will not run older games) Could you tell me which ones wont work if I install 64 bit Seven?
[B]Edit:[/B]
I dont need this answered anymore but the topic is still open to debate I don't care much anymore. I see the pros and cons of 64 bit Windows 7, wait what cons?
I run Windows 7 64bit and it runs 32bit programs fine.
I can't really see a point in getting Windows 7 32bit.
You'll have trouble with 16 bit games from the early 90s.
Lol okay so I'll move to 64 bit than and utilize my processor and ram to the fullest. Thanks guys.
64 bit doesn't have much advantages right now; at least, for a typical user.
[QUOTE=Downsider;18689018]64 bit doesn't have much advantages right now; at least, for a typical user.[/QUOTE]
If you have 4GB of RAM, it does - you actually get to use all of it.
I'm on an Asus G60VX and I've had no problems with Windows 7 64-bit.
[QUOTE=robmaister12;18689167]If you have 4GB of RAM, it does - you actually get to use all of it.[/QUOTE]
I have 4 gigs of RAM on my desktop. Anyway I'm using 64 bit Seven on my laptop (I wanted to test it anyway it has an AMD 64 processor) and it runs great. Off topic I'm currently scanning my hard drive for messed up sectors and my hard drive is really screwed up... So it looks like I will be reformatting even after it fixes everything, if it fixes anything.
[QUOTE=robmaister12;18689167]If you have 4GB of RAM, it does - you actually get to use all of it.[/QUOTE]
More than 4 GB of RAM isn't very useful for your typical user either ;)
[QUOTE=Downsider;18690157]More than 4 GB of RAM isn't very useful for your typical user either ;)[/QUOTE]
Define typical user.
[QUOTE=Edthefirst;18690461]Define typical user.[/QUOTE]
You.
Please name an instance when you needed to run a game, or use a piece of software, with more than 4 GB RAM.
This would seriously limit their audience for users to 64-bit users and people with more than 4 GB of RAM.
[QUOTE=Downsider;18690487]You.
Please name an instance when you needed to run a game, or use a piece of software, with more than 4 GB RAM.
This would seriously limit their audience for users to 64-bit users and people with more than 4 GB of RAM.[/QUOTE]
Rendering, multitasking, Photoshop, etc. You'd be surprised how fast my 4gb are eaten up when running intensive software. When I'm working on something it isn't the only thing open.
[B]Edit:[/B]
Gaming is not the typical user.
Typical user is probably one of those scene kids who only use a computer to watch youtube videos and go on facebook.
[QUOTE=GammaFive;18690535]Typical user is probably one of those scene kids who only use a computer to watch youtube videos and go on facebook.[/QUOTE]
And that's it. This is the typical user. A person that honestly needs no more than a netbook.
[QUOTE=Downsider;18690487]You.
Please name an instance when you needed to run a game, or use a piece of software, with more than 4 GB RAM.
This would seriously limit their audience for users to 64-bit users and people with more than 4 GB of RAM.[/QUOTE]
Im running win7 64bit, and in some games like Garry's Mod or L4D2, I can get very close to 4G's limit. Also, when compiling a large map, it can help a lot, seeing as you max out your CPU everytime you compile.
[QUOTE=Edthefirst;18690531]Rendering, multitasking, Photoshop, etc. You'd be surprised how fast my 4gb are eaten up when running intensive software. When I'm working on something it isn't the only thing open.
[B]Edit:[/B]
Gaming is not the typical user.[/QUOTE]
Firefox typically uses 1.5 gigs of ram on my desktop :v:
Also I've got ~70 or so (I'm not exactly sure I dont look at all of them) process whoreing games on my steam account which I use on a regular basis, i'm not typical am I? :c
If I really wanted to, I can run firefox with 15+ tabs, gmod, flash cs3, word, photoshop cs3, winamp, whole lot of other stuff and still multitask enough to actually have a use for each program.
Its called developing flash games.
[QUOTE=robmaister12;18689167]If you have 4GB of RAM, it does - you actually get to use all of it.[/QUOTE]
What happens if I have 2 * 1GB 4870 cards, plus 3GB of RAM - I still don't have more than 4GB of RAM, yet Windows 32bit can't use it.
Don't generalise too much.
[QUOTE=doggunn;18692850]What happens if I have 2 * 1GB 4870 cards, plus 3GB of RAM - I still don't have more than 4GB of RAM, yet Windows 32bit can't use it.
Don't generalise too much.[/QUOTE]
Video card ram is not counted as system ram; its the framebuffer, and is limited to GPU use only. The 3 GB of system RAM will be fully utilised by Windows 32 bit, but 4 GB of system RAM wont be unless you enable PAE support. So if you have more than 3 GB RAM installed in your motherboard, then 64 bit is worthwhile.
[QUOTE=Error_404;18693213]Video card ram is not counted as system ram; its the framebuffer, and is limited to GPU use only. The 3 GB of system RAM will be fully utilised by Windows 32 bit, but 4 GB of system RAM wont be unless you enable PAE support. So if you have more than 3 GB RAM installed in your motherboard, then 64 bit is worthwhile.[/QUOTE]
Doesn't matter if video card RAM isn't system RAM, it's still addressable memory and still counts toward the 4GB limit.
[QUOTE=Roast Beast;18693462]Doesn't matter if video card RAM isn't system RAM, it's still addressable memory and still counts toward the 4GB limit.[/QUOTE]
Really? Thats news to me. So if I had, say, a 5870 2 GB, and 4 GB of system RAM, running 32 bit, would I only be able to use 2 GB of my system RAM?
[QUOTE=Error_404;18693516]Really? Thats news to me. So if I had, say, a 5870 2 GB, and 4 GB of system RAM, running 32 bit, would I only be able to use 2 GB of my system RAM?[/QUOTE]
Yeah something like that, [url=http://blogs.zdnet.com/hardware/?p=3124]this guy[/url] explains it pretty well:
[quote]The 4GB limit refers to total addressable memory space and not just the RAM installed. It’s a total made up of system RAM, graphics RAM, PCI memory range, ACPI and a few other bits and pieces. And if you think that your system RAM is the only significant factor, think again. You can buy graphics cards fitted with 1GB or RAM, and if you wanted (and had the spare cash!) you could fit three of these into a system. There’s not a 1 to 1 relationship between graphics memeory consuming system RAM, but the larger the memory, the more the card sets aside for itself. Now that 4GB limit doesn’t leave you a lot of space for system RAM.[/quote]
Unless you live in the digital stoneage, 32-bit Windows is dead. There's no reason to run it. 64 bit processors have dominated the market for years. no excuse.
WOW64 provides perfect and transparant support for 32-bit apps. The only thing this doesn't apply to is 32-bit drivers.
Aren't a lot of those anymore.
[QUOTE=BmB;18697889]WOW64 provides perfect and transparant support for 32-bit apps. The only thing this doesn't apply to is 32-bit drivers.
Aren't a lot of those anymore.[/QUOTE]
True, true. I've seen every piece of hardware release with 32-bit and 64-bit drivers since 2005.
Software is no problem anymore.
What you should pay attention to is old hardware. Many old (and cheap) WLAN usb sticks and cards don't have 64 bit drivers. Some mainboard manufacturers might not offer 64bit drivers on their homepage, but if you know the chips on your mainboard you can look these up (for example Realtek sound/wireless/network drivers...)
[QUOTE=xyx;18699833]Software is no problem anymore.
What you should pay attention to is old hardware. Many old (and cheap) WLAN usb sticks and cards don't have 64 bit drivers. Some mainboard manufacturers might not offer 64bit drivers on their homepage, but if you know the chips on your mainboard you can look these up (for example Realtek sound/wireless/network drivers...)[/QUOTE]
I have noticed that too... quite strange and somewhat a chore in some cases.
32 bit has a limit to 4gb right? So if you have 4gb, what's the reason to get 64 bit.
I usually think of it this way, when 64Bit will become mainstream then you will have to upgrade anyway.
If your system supports 64bit, then there is no reason for using a 32bit OS on it.
Nearly every 32bit app works on 64bit systems because the AMD64 mode (x64) is build as extension for 32bit.
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