32bit -> 64bit?

[=98=]

I currently have 32bit Vista Business and I can get a free copy of Vista 64bit. Is it worth changing? Will i see any differences and do i have to do a brand new reinstall or can I just do an upgrade style installation?

[Corkum]

Pick up another 3bg of ram and then maybe. Then you could disable virtual memory at the least. It really depends on what you go with your comp. If you game you really wont need more than 3gb of ram. If you do other ram intensive "stuff" than there is a distinct advantage. 64bit driver support still isn't where it should be either.

[Webs961]

I actually use 64 bit on my gaming rig, and I do enjoy it, even though I only have 2gb of RAM. It's easier to install it early and then upgrade the RAM then waiting then deciding to upgrade.

As for the install question, I'm not totally sure. It changes the way Program Files is structured (64 and 32 bit programs are stored separtely), so it may require a complete reinstall, but I don't know.

[=98=]

So, apart from the ability to use more than 4gb of RAM, there are no advantages?

[Hawkers]

How do you get all this free crap?! :cry:

[=98=]

University computing department.

We can get tons of free Microsoft software.

[Kreepy Kitteh =^o.O^=]

i thought 32-bit still utalized 4 gig of ram just didnt show more than 3 gig..

[Stormy{CAN}]

Pick up another 3bg of ram and then maybe. Then you could disable virtual memory at the least. It really depends on what you go with your comp. If you game you really wont need more than 3gb of ram. If you do other ram intensive "stuff" than there is a distinct advantage. 64bit driver support still isn't where it should be either.

Still stuck in the XP 64 days aren't you? The only things that have 64 bit driver problems are older hardware that the manufacturer's either can't or won't make 64 bit drivers for. Anything else if the manufacturer wants to have their 32 bit drivers certified for Vista has to put out a 64 bit driver as well.

As for the install question, I'm not totally sure. It changes the way Program Files is structured (64 and 32 bit programs are stored separtely), so it may require a complete reinstall, but I don't know.

Completely new install. There is far more being changed than just the folder structure for 32 bit and 64 bit programs.

Oh and for the guy that said disable the pagefile, don't. Vista like XP will still use a pagefile regardless of whether you set it to off or not. And there are programs that require a pagefile regardless of how much ram is installed.

[camper.]

i thought 32-bit still utalized 4 gig of ram just didnt show more than 3 gig..

It does, using PAE mode it can allocate all the RAM (but each process has a limit of 4GB meaning that you can't say, open up some work in Photoshop that needs 8GB of RAM, but you can open two instances that will take 8GB combined).

[Sniper1432]

University computing department.

We can get tons of free Microsoft software.

If you don't mind me asking, what's your major Alex?

[=98=]

If you don't mind me asking, what's your major Alex?

Business Information Systems.

[theminx]

alex, i find this,
i have windows xp 32 and 64 bit..but i also run amd athlon 64 bit products.
for me vista and windows xp 64 runs faster and better with my hardware..
in fact the the xp difference is huge for me ..

now if you have 32 bit hardware i don't see it being any better because its still trying to work off 32 bit ...see what I'm saying?

[TheHeartSmasher]

Business Information Systems.

Interesting

64bit will make all of your applications run faster at times. The overall operating system is more secure unless you disable what was added into the 64bit versions of vista.

You would have to do a fresh install (well that is what my copy of vista ultimate said when I tried to upgrade from 32bit to 64bit)

I would recommend putting at least 4GBs in your system.

But with software and hardware developers falling behind building native 32bit instead of 64bit applications like they should it will be some time before our wonderful 64bit machines will be fully utilized.

[=98=]

The title makes it sounds damn boring actually :p

[Vash2051]

I saw a great performance boost from Vista 32 to 64. Just a general visible boost in speed of applications and the like. Even when i only had 2gb of ram i saw a difference. If you have the hardware and can get past some of the slight issues definitely go for 64 bit.