Trying to get that last minute software license from TAMU before the summer. Was considering getting the 64 bit version, but is there any reason for or against that one vs the normal old 32 bit edition?

64 bit version will allow 64 bit based software to run faster

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64 bit version will allow 64 bit based software to run faster

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lol no

go 64 bit, 4gb of RAM is the new poor man's standard.

I have 64 bit xp, there have been a few programs that would not run on my box.

Wondering if there are similar issues with Win 7.

Unless you NEED more than 4GB of RAM, stick with 32bit. Fewer problems.

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Unless you NEED more than 4GB of RAM, stick with 32bit. Fewer problems

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don't listen to this ignorance

More=Better

There are only a few problems that I've had with x64 and it hasn't been enough for me to go back to 3.25 gigs of ram.

With Win XP there was good reason to stay with 32 bit. This is not the case with Win 7 or even vista GO 64 BIT.

No problems with Windows 7 64 bit.

Go 64.

64 has worked well for me so far.

I am running windows 7 64 bit on six Dell computers ranging in age from 4 years to brand new. They are all working perfectly! Only one little driver problem on a card reader.

However all have 4 gigs or more of ram.

64bit was poorly implemented in Windows XP, which is why people have so many hesitations with it. Now, with Windows 7, there's no comparison - 64-bit all the way. There's no reason not to, when given the choice.

I have been running with Win7 for months on several computers with ZERO issues.

64

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I have been running with Win7 for months on several computers with ZERO issues.

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Congratulations on it working well for you. I have 64bit Pro running on two of my computers and 64bit Ultimate on one and it works great for me too.

However, I manage a couple hundred computers spread across twenty clients, and I have run into a couple problems with 64bit. In particular, I walked into one situation after they fired the previous consultant to find he had purchased 64bit Win7 Pro on a dozen brand new computers, only to find out that their software vendor didn't support 64bit and wasn't planning on it. It was a lightweight client/server application that would have run just fine in 4GB of RAM with 32bit. They were not happy to have to pay me to fix that mess I can assure you, but it was cheaper than trashing their $30k software. I also have another client who had to replace several printers that didn't have 64bit drivers.

So back to my original assertion - if you don't NEED more than 4GB, 32bit is fine. That being said, if you do your research and are willing to accept the (slight) risks, want the extra power and RAM, etc... go for it. For most individual users who are just surfing the Internet or running a few lightweight apps, 32bit with 4GB of RAM will serve them fine.

(Edit: spelling)

[This message has been edited by Tailgate88 (edited 5/16/2010 10:52a).]

I think a business might be more likely to have problems with 64bit than a consumer. Business applications are notoriously slow to adapt and support new platforms.

I think a consumer should choose 64bit without hesitation. Changing from 32 to 64 bit requires a clean install so I would go 64 from the beginning. I think you would most likely see a problem with drivers for older hardware such as printers or scanners.

Otherwise it should be smooth sailing.

Just curious, and sorry to kinda derail the thread. I currently run vista 32 bit. I only have 3gb RAM. I was told putting in more would not do me any good because vista would only recognize 3gb. Is this the same on win7? I had planned on putting in 1 more gb when i upgraded. I think my laptop can accomodate up to 4. And I might have 4 already, but the OS is only recognizing 3. I haven't actually opened it up to check. It would be weird to have an odd number wouldn't it?

[This message has been edited by Sweet Kitten Feet (edited 5/16/2010 9:18a).]

[This message has been edited by Sweet Kitten Feet (edited 5/16/2010 9:35a).]

think like this

SNES or N64???

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Just curious, and sorry to kinda derail the thread. I currently run vista 32 bit. I only have 3gb RAM. I was told putting in more would not do me any good because vista would only recognize 3gb. Is this the same on win7? I had planned on putting in 2 more gb when i upgraded. I think my laptop can accomodate up to 4. And I might have 4 already, but the OS is only recognizing 3. I haven't actually opened it up to check. It would be weird to have an odd number wouldn't it?

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That's precisely the limitation of 32bit. It can literally only hold a finite amount of bits, which happens to be around 3.5gb. You MUST run 64bit if you want it to recognize more than 3.5gb of RAM.

Right, I was rounding 3.5G up to 4GB. I just always get 4GB of RAM when I order a machine for a client these days.

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That's precisely the limitation of 32bit. It can literally only hold a finite amount of bits, which happens to be around 3.5gb.

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32 bits can address 2^32 bytes (4 GB), but that includes video memory and a couple of other things.

Tailgate - was XP mode not an option to solve the problem?

[This message has been edited by AggieBarstool (edited 5/16/2010 3:43p).]

Here's a simple breakdown of why you can't get all 4GB in a 32 bit system.

http://www.vistaclues.com/reader-question-maximum-memory-in-32-bit-windows-vista/

Basically, RAM is not the only thing that needs to be addressed, as commando alluded to above