Upgrade: 64 Bits of Freedom

[gamerk316]

...is there a point to this review? Basically, I read it as: Check for CPU/Drivers, and re-install Windows.

Going over some of the issues of moving to 64-bits (compatability, performance, Windows-on-Windows, lack of 16-bit program support), or discussing PAE would have been more informative...

 

[quantumrand]

[citation][nom]gamerk316[/nom]...is there a point to this review? Basically, I read it as: Check for CPU/Drivers, and re-install Windows.Going over some of the issues of moving to 64-bits (compatability, performance, Windows-on-Windows, lack of 16-bit program support), or discussing PAE would have been more informative...[/citation]

The point is that you don't have to pay for a whole new copy of Vista or Win7 in order to upgrade to 64-bit. You may not realize it, but a lot of people have laptops and desktops that would benefit greatly from a 64-bit OS, but their system came bundled with the 32-bit version.

 

[bydesign]

I have been saying that for years, the keys are same. You need more than 4GB to really make it worth it for most people. Hell archived articles on this site explain this better, maybe they should have used the search feature. That would be a lot to ask as they haven't figured out the spell check yet...

 

[Mottamort]

terr281: Ever heard of DOSBox? its a GREAT app for playing dos/win95/win98 games. I've recently installed it on a Windows 7 64bit machine to play old Sim city and a few old dos games, so you CAN play old games on new machines

 

[captaincharisma]

in one way you can think of when you buy windows your not paying for the software but a licence.

 

[terr281]

When I last messed with DOSBox (a year or 2 ago), I still ran into some hardware compatibility issues. (Example: Railroad Tycoon... the original that came on a 3.5" floppy.) The game's sound only works with certain pre-built sound settings... and the graphics function the same way. As a result, that computer (a Pentium 4... duel boot XP Home / Win 98) has a old trusty SB Live 5.1 card and ATI Radeon x600 to fix those issues.

Another example is the original Quake, which suffered from graphics corruption on any new video card I tested. (Also played on the duel boot box.)

The dedicated Win 98 machine (an IBM Netvista Pentium 3), is usually booted into MS-DOS mode for even older games. (Primarily, Imperium Galactica.) Further, it, in combination with the duel boot pc, are both on the LAN... allowing 2 player Master of Orion LAN games. (The game works in XP, but the LAN game option does not.)

When the computers are not being used, they are powered off and unplugged so they don't drain power or act as virus spreaders on the network.

The current plan is, when the first XP Pro 32 bit computer's MB dies (my mate's and my computers have identical parts), the 2 will be combined into one system and it will join the great "to be used as needed" systems. (I follow the philosophy of building mainstream computers, as 2 new computers every 2-3 years with some carry over of parts only costs roughly $1k USD.) Thus, reselling the parts isn't worthwhile. Further, I have no one to hand the computers down to.

Eventually, the old games may be so old that no one wants to play them anymore, but until then the system works.

 

[terr281]

[citation][nom]Rab1d-BDGR[/nom]Not strictly true. If you buy a retail upgrade to windows 7 then you will have 32 and 64 discs. If you bought a PC with Vista on it that came with a "Free win 7 upgrade" then the manufacturer will send their own disc out to you - which may only be for the 32 bit version (and charge you shipping on your "free" upgrade). This is what Sony were doing with their Vaios.[/citation]

In this regard, if you or "your custom builder" purchased an OEM copy of Windows Vista (from Newegg, etc) that had Win 7 upgrade rights, you received a black paper insert from Microsoft with a code. With that code, you go online and get a free upgrade... that contains both the 32 and 64 bit versions.

As such, Rab1D-BDGR's post is related to laptops... and "dishonest" desktop builders.

 

[whobannedme]

[citation][nom]quantumrand[/nom]It's not legal to download illegal copies of Windows. Any laws in place are to discourage illegal distrobution. Microsoft themselves provide copies of Windows for download, so obviously just downloading a copy of Windows is not illegal. Tom's Hardware isn't suggesting you use bit torrent to download a copy of Windoes. In fact they discourage it due to viruses and etc.If you pester MS enough, they'll actually provide you with a disk/iso after making you jump through a bunch of hoops.[/citation]

You can get a copy anywhere as long as you have the license for it and is compatible version.

 

[jreagan]

Wow. Several misconceptions to address.

1) The number of physical address bits do not have to be the same as the number of virtual address bits. I know of several 32-bit virtual address space systems with more than 32-bits of physical address lines.

2) Even for 64-bit chips, they don't currently support the full 64-bit virtual address space. The page file would be pretty huge.

3) Even for 64-bit chips, they don't currently support the full 64-bit physical address space. You can't afford, power, or cool that much RAM.

I've worked for years on systems like VAX, Alpha, Itanium, and X86.

 

[Guest]

thanks for the article, and yes for me I found it very valuable, right now im buring my Vista 64 bit iso. to see how it goes.

Thanks again... was not a waist of time...

 

[dertechie]

[citation][nom]JonnyDough[/nom]"Virtually every manufacturer has released a 64-bit capable system with a 32-bit operating system at some point."Idiots. Does the 64-bit version cost the OEMs more?[/citation]

Compatibility. Particularly at Vista launch, some hardware didn't have good 64 bit drivers. Some companies got their act together quickly (graphics cards, for example). Some (cough Creative cough) didn't.

Not as much of an issue these days as 4 GB becomes common and pushes 64 bit into the mainstream.

 

[Guest]

Even if you can run some software with 64 bit technology. The internet still remains unreachable. The first time you need Activex You are out of luck since Microsoft has not even bothered to even write 64Bit ActiveX so even service packs are out of reach with 64 bit and the access to 64 bit software still remains slim. Why bother right now?

 

[annymmo]

Dude, who the hell uses ActiveX?
Nobody does nowaydays. Everybody moved on to Java, Python,... other.
The switch to 64bit would be a good time for you to consider leaving ActiveX and replacing/abandoning all ActiveX-related applications.

 

[qdolph]

one thing nobody mention is the pain in the butt adobe flash player installer will cause if you have a Vista 64 system. Since adobe has no 64 bit capablility you will get sick and tired of flash trying to install every time you look at something. adobe's answer is use a 32 bit internet explorer.