64 bit versus 32 bit question.

I want to get a new laptop pc and don't know if I should get a 64 or 32 bit
pc.
What's the advantage of one over the other? I hear a lot of my programs
will not work on a 64 bit machine.
Thanks for you help.

"Dave" <> wrote in message
news:W2ikl.4069$...
>I want to get a new laptop pc and don't know if I should get a 64 or 32 bit
>pc.
> What's the advantage of one over the other? I hear a lot of my programs
> will not work on a 64 bit machine.
> Thanks for you help.
>


Most programs will work with 64bit, but not all.. check with author
websites..

If you connect to peripherals, ensure that 64bit drivers are available. If
not, you are looking at replacing the affected peripherals or running 32bit
Vista instead..

--
Mike Hall - MVP

Mike's Window - My Blog..
http://msmvps.com/blogs/mikehall/default.aspx

32 bit machines are being succeeded by 64 bit machines which will be
succeeded by 128 bit machines etc. Most 32 bit programs will run on a 64 bit
machine.
MS provides a compatibility checker you can run on your programs to see if
there might be problems. I'm running 32 bit Office and other 32 bit programs
under 64 bit Vista Ultimate. Have encountered no problems. In the near
future many 32 bit programs will be offered in a 64 bit version. 64 bit
machines are faster than 32 bit machines and can have more powerful
instructions. Google 64 bit computers to get more info.

Tyro

"Dave" <> wrote in message
news:W2ikl.4069$...
> I want to get a new laptop pc and don't know if I should get a 64 or 32
> bit pc.
> What's the advantage of one over the other? I hear a lot of my programs
> will not work on a 64 bit machine.
> Thanks for you help.
>

I run Vista Home Premium 64 bit. No issues at all. My 32 bit games d
run in compatibility mode. Also, 64 bit allows more than 3 gigs of RA
to be used. Overall, I would not go back to 32 bit again after workin
with 64 bit. As already stated, most applications are going to 64 bit

--
avgwarhawk

On Tue, 10 Feb 2009 10:37:10 -0600, Dave wrote:

> I want to get a new laptop pc and don't know if I should get a 64 or 32
> bit pc.
> What's the advantage of one over the other? I hear a lot of my programs
> will not work on a 64 bit machine.
> Thanks for you help.

Determining factor as to what programs will or won't work would be
whether you have a 32 bit or 64 bit OS installed. No reason you can't get
a 64 bit computer and use a 32 bit OS - currently, that would be my
recommendation.

On Tue, 10 Feb 2009 10:37:10 -0600, "Dave" <> wrote:

> I want to get a new laptop pc and don't know if I should get a 64 or 32 bit
> pc.
> What's the advantage of one over the other? I hear a lot of my programs
> will not work on a 64 bit machine.


I don't know where you heard that, but it's almost certainly wrong for
you, since it's wrong for almost everyone. Except for a few utilities,
almost all 32-bit programs will run under 64-bit Vista. If any of your
apps won't work, it will likely be very few.

The advantage of running a 64-bit version of Windows exist only if you
also run 64-bit applications under it. Bear in mind that there are
very few such applications available yet. If you are presently running
32-bit Windows, you don't have any 64-bit applications, so to achieve
any advantage, you not only have to replace Windows, but also your
applications, *if* (and that's a big "if") 64-bit versions exist.

Also note that you will need 64-bit drivers for all your hardware.
Those drivers may not all be available, especially if some of your
hardware is a few years old. So it's possible that you might also have
to replace things like your printer, scanner, etc.

So the answer to your question is that it may not be a great idea
right now. That will undoubtedly change in the near future, but for
now, 64-bit Windows mostly means some extra trouble and expense for
little or no benefit.

On the other hand, installing 64-bit Windows instead of 32-bit Windows
makes you able to buy 64-bit software as it becomes available, instead
of the older 32-bit versions. That means that installing 64-bit
Windows--even though it will do very little for you at present--puts
you into a better position for the future.

One additional point: the 64-bit version lets you use more than the
approximately 3.1GB of RAM that the 32-bit version can use. Very few
people need or can make effective use of more than 3.1GB, but if you
are one of them, that's something else to consider.

--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

About 1% of my programs dont work with 64bit, and i still managed to
work around the problem to get them to run.

64 bit is the next step up, like windows 95 was over windows 3.1 (16
bit to 32 bit).


--
fieseler

If you live in my area, GET YOUR ROUTER OFF CHANNEL 6!!!!

On Tue, 10 Feb 2009 08:54:22 -0800, "Tyro" <> wrote:

>32 bit machines are being succeeded by 64 bit machines which will be
>succeeded by 128 bit machines etc. Most 32 bit programs will run on a 64 bit
>machine.
>MS provides a compatibility checker you can run on your programs to see if
>there might be problems. I'm running 32 bit Office and other 32 bit programs
>under 64 bit Vista Ultimate. Have encountered no problems. In the near
>future many 32 bit programs will be offered in a 64 bit version. 64 bit
>machines are faster than 32 bit machines and can have more powerful
>instructions. Google 64 bit computers to get more info.
>
>Tyro
>
>"Dave" <> wrote in message
>news:W2ikl.4069$...
>> I want to get a new laptop pc and don't know if I should get a 64 or 32
>> bit pc.
>> What's the advantage of one over the other? I hear a lot of my programs
>> will not work on a 64 bit machine.
>> Thanks for you help.
>>

I wouldn't say that 64 bit machines are faster than 32bit machines,
necessarily. It really depends on the programs you are using:
Programs written to take advantage of 64bit processors may or may not
be faster, depending on their use. Example: Graphics rendering
programs will work better and faster, while text display will be no
faster, all things considered.

Another very important reason a 64bit machine is better is that it can
be used to address more memory, IF the OS being used is written to
take advantage of that extra memory. 32bit OSes can only address
about 4 GB of memory, even on a 64bit machine, while 64bit OSes can
address up to 4 terabytes of memory.

1 terabyte == ~(1,024x1,000,000,000 bytes)

--

Donald L McDaniel

I'm aware of all that. Been in the computer field for many years.

Tyro

<> wrote in message
news:...
> On Tue, 10 Feb 2009 08:54:22 -0800, "Tyro" <> wrote:
>
>>32 bit machines are being succeeded by 64 bit machines which will be
>>succeeded by 128 bit machines etc. Most 32 bit programs will run on a 64
>>bit
>>machine.
>>MS provides a compatibility checker you can run on your programs to see if
>>there might be problems. I'm running 32 bit Office and other 32 bit
>>programs
>>under 64 bit Vista Ultimate. Have encountered no problems. In the near
>>future many 32 bit programs will be offered in a 64 bit version. 64 bit
>>machines are faster than 32 bit machines and can have more powerful
>>instructions. Google 64 bit computers to get more info.
>>
>>Tyro
>>
>>"Dave" <> wrote in message
>>news:W2ikl.4069$.. .
>>> I want to get a new laptop pc and don't know if I should get a 64 or 32
>>> bit pc.
>>> What's the advantage of one over the other? I hear a lot of my programs
>>> will not work on a 64 bit machine.
>>> Thanks for you help.
>>>
>
> I wouldn't say that 64 bit machines are faster than 32bit machines,
> necessarily. It really depends on the programs you are using:
> Programs written to take advantage of 64bit processors may or may not
> be faster, depending on their use. Example: Graphics rendering
> programs will work better and faster, while text display will be no
> faster, all things considered.
>
> Another very important reason a 64bit machine is better is that it can
> be used to address more memory, IF the OS being used is written to
> take advantage of that extra memory. 32bit OSes can only address
> about 4 GB of memory, even on a 64bit machine, while 64bit OSes can
> address up to 4 terabytes of memory.
>
> 1 terabyte == ~(1,024x1,000,000,000 bytes)
>
> --
>
> Donald L McDaniel

"Dave" <> wrote in message
news:W2ikl.4069$...
>I want to get a new laptop pc and don't know if I should get a 64 or 32 bit
>pc.
> What's the advantage of one over the other? I hear a lot of my programs
> will not work on a 64 bit machine.
> Thanks for you help.
>

If you're buying a new laptop, the hardware will be 64 bit. All
current CPUs have 64 bit extensions. Also, a lot of laptops
now have have 4GB of RAM. It's a matter if whether you want
to use 32, or 64 bit Vista. The consensus of opinion is that 64
bit Vista is a better OS than the 32 bit version. Most 32 bit
software will run on Vista 64, and with DOSBox you can run
most of the old 16 bit DOS programs. You have to be sure
there are 64 bit drivers available for your peripherals, such as
a printer or scanner.