Why Win7 64 bit instead of 32 bit

[Pieloi]

It's about adequacy.
and thus it's regularly the RAM we crave since computers have turned us all into performance freaks.
Either that or people want to use programs that use all x cores efficiently with 4≥ ram.
And taking advantage of some of the..scarce software coming in 64bit.

I used to have Ubuntu installed as an alt os, and I picked 32x because 64x was just way too much grief since no one really was programming the drivers I needed and a few important 32x programs weren't working, and I generally wanted stability, plus theres generally nothing that can use more than 3.2GB of ram on ubuntu. (casually)

Come to think of it, there's not alot of programs that actually are 64x, I've seen 32x programs on win7 64x utilize all 4 cores anyways, Spybot S&D for example. Then all of a sudden Dragon Age: origins the game, decides to use all 4 cores, I check task manager, *32 ! Lies !
yet I suppose on a 32bit OS, Dragon Age wouldn't do that. (or would it ?)

My head hurts from my indecisiveness, time to be quiet.

 

[AussieGuy92]

my parents brought me the 64bit version since they did not know that there was a two versions but i have had not any driver issues only programs that wont run on 64bit but most are they wont run on windows 7 at all but aside from the more extra hard drive space it takes up i dont see any problem.

 

[Al Fairclough]

Four sticks of 2GB RAM and zero driver problems = I love 64

 

[Fantail]

Why?

Why not?

 

[N8Dreams]

A funny question at all.

64-bit will make the future OS. Remember the cries and weeps when we updated from 8 to 16, then to 32 bit?

Im running W7-64 since 5 months and all what I can say: Its f**king quick. I have no major problems, much less than with XP ( I dont speak about Vista, LOL, I never tried that crap). Never I saw a BS yet, and my most important programs are running at double speed.

Let me give you a little example, nothing great: Im using for years SpeedCommander. Now SC13-64-bit. Its marvelous. Finally, my PC does act like I have wished since 20 years: SC13 pops up in miliseconds - and Im running TBs of Harddrives.

Installing W7-32 instead of 64 reminds me to buy a steamloco instead of an electric powered.

Of course, John Doe or Sarah Palin who wants to read some emails and browse some adult sites and write some crap, wont never need a 64-bit OS. They only need a dial-up modem and a shot gun and DOS 2.0

But running some highbrowed applications like Photoshop, 3D-construction-sw, or bashing Pumkin Palin, is worth enough to start with W7-64.

 

[pparks1]

Im running W7-64 since 5 months and all what I can say: Its f**king quick. I have no major problems, much less than with XP ( I dont speak about Vista, LOL, I never tried that crap). Never I saw a BS yet, and my most important programs are running at double speed.

For me, it's Windows 7 in general that is quick as well as my PC itself. I haven't noticed much difference honestly between 32-bit and 64-bit. I run a mix-n-match of 32-bit and 64-bit because I've got some work hardware that doesn't work under 64-bit.

 

[severedsolo]

I dont speak about Vista, LOL, I never tried that crap).

how do you know it was crap if you never tried it? :huh:

keeping this on topic... im really not suprised to see that 64 bit is winning hands down, i don't think many new PC's are even being sold with 32 bit any more

 

[CarlTR6]

Installing W7-32 instead of 64 reminds me to buy a steamloco instead of an electric powered.

Some of us don't have the electricity to power an electric locomotive. My ancient hardware will not support 64 bit and 32 bit runs very well on it. So there are valid reasons for installing 32 bit.

 

[pparks1]

So there are valid reasons for installing 32 bit.

Absolutely agreed.

 

[QuackPot]

I have 4GB of RAM and I need 64bit. Plus 64bit has some other advantages too.

 

[Heroxoot]

I know 64bit is supposed to be incredible, but I went 32bit because I just will never use more than 4gb ram max.

 

[unifex]

OK, I said it before and I'll say it again - my quadcore is 64-bit, every other piece of hardware is 64-bit capable, so why would I run 32-bit OS? Video card software from ATI is 64-bit. ESET is also 64-bit. I run 64-bit Firefox and Thunderbird, I've got 64-bit Photoshop and Gimp, then there is 7-zip, GSView ... the list goes on. Later this year we'll get the 64-bit Office. In addition, it's faster, supposedly safer - no rootkits I read somewhere, allows one to use more memory. So for me the question would be - why 32-bit? I would understand it on older hardware or if you've got some special old software that you use regularly and which won't run on 64-bit. Other than these two I see no reason to use 32-bit.

 

[CarlTR6]

So for me the question would be - why 32-bit? I would understand it on older hardware or if you've got some special old software that you use regularly and which won't run on 64-bit. Other than these two I see no reason to use 32-bit.

No argument from this quarter.

 

[Wasila]

Well, new computer so new drivers, all x64 ready. Printer quite new too, so it works. I've only had one compatibility problem which couldn't be solved by basic compatibility functionality and I don't think that was down to x64 anyway...

 

[pparks1]

So for me the question would be - why 32-bit? I would understand it on older hardware or if you've got some special old software that you use regularly and which won't run on 64-bit. Other than these two I see no reason to use 32-bit.

Because my work has a Check Point firewall that we use for VPN. Without spending a ton to upgrade our hardware, it uses a software client that is ONLY compatible with 32-bit. Therefore, I have to run 32-bit on my laptop to be able to VPN in. While a VM was considered, it's a real pain when all of my files and everything I need is on the host and my VPN tunnel is from my guest.

 

[severedsolo]

i found this little gem, pretty much sums up how i feel about going 64 bit, the actual article is alot longer, ill just quote the "bottom line"

The short answer is that you should go with Windows 7 64-bit unless you’re running a system well into its antiquity where driver support is going to become an issue.

full article:Should You Install Windows 7 32-bit or 64-bit? - TechSpot

 

[CarlTR6]

No argument from me on that.

 

[546 Inspiron]

Unless you have an old computer that won't handle 64 bit you should be running 64 bit. It's not just the fact that you can use more than 4 gigs of ram but it is the future and you will feel the pinch of 32 bit more and more as time goes on, just like every other new technology. It's going to be the new preferred format.

 

[KazeNoKoe23]

I use Windows 7 32-bit on my netbook because of the obvious limitation of the Atom N270 being a 32-bit processor, but on my desktop, 64-bit all the way, baby!