XP mode -- all software and drivers must run together?

I just install Win 7 64-bit (Home Premium). I want to use several audio software applications that work through a "professional" sound card, the M-Audio Delta. This card has problems in the 64-bit drivers, and I wondered if I could use XP Mode (32 bit) to help me.

But the software that drives the card needs as much RAM as possible, up to the full 8 GB I have in my machine.

If I understand virtualization right, XP mode will be 32 -bit (well *I* need 32 bit in order to use the right drivers) which means it will not have access to all my memory. I could run my audio software in Win 7, but then it's a different "virtual" machine and it would have no access to my sound card.

Is this correct?

Quick separate question: if I install Win 7 *32 bit* now, just to get things working, can I do an easy upgrade to 64 bit without losing my data?

Thanks,
Mike

If I understand virtualization right, XP mode will be 32 -bit (well *I* need 32 bit in order to use the right drivers) which means it will not have access to all my memory. I could run my audio software in Win 7, but then it's a different "virtual" machine and it would have no access to my sound card.

Quick separate question: if I install Win 7 *32 bit* now, just to get things working, can I do an easy upgrade to 64 bit without losing my data?

I'm sure you got you answer already ratsrcute, but to your first Q as I'm learning things just now myself. It's only matter of going under the settings for your xp mode in Program files and then into your system integration preferences. You'll notice there's a check-box for audio there.

To your Q the answer is probably "no", as virtual machines are in every way like having a new computer "living" inside of the one you've installed this software onto. Just as it's not possible to upgrade from 32bit 7 to 64bit 7 standalone OS's on an actual machine the same would be true for VMs.