32 Bits or 64

I'm going to buy a new computer as my 10 year old one has finally had it.
It seems just about everything now come with Windows Vista (32 bit or 64
bit). My question is what's better for me and which one is giving people
more trouble. Some models even give you the option of going with XP. I
don't know what to do. Would appreciate it if someone would explain how the
difference between 32 and 64 could affect me. I believe I heard or read
something about compatibility problems with with either 32 or 64 (or both).
Anything you can tell me would help. I don't trust the sales people and
manufacturers. They primarily only want to sell you something.
Al
PS - It's somewhat strange, IMHO, that Consumer Reports, that just rated
computers, made no mention as to whether we should buy 32 or 64. Seems they
side stepped this subject.

Unless you have programs written for 64-bit optimization, I would recommend
using Windows Vista 32-bit version.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows Desktop Experience -
Windows Vista Enthusiast

---------------------------------------------------------------

"mim" <mimh@peoplepc.com> wrote in message news:jdadnaYtDqdpsDLVnZ2dnUVZ_vOdnZ2d@earthlink.co m...
I'm going to buy a new computer as my 10 year old one has finally had it.
It seems just about everything now come with Windows Vista (32 bit or 64
bit). My question is what's better for me and which one is giving people
more trouble. Some models even give you the option of going with XP. I
don't know what to do. Would appreciate it if someone would explain how the
difference between 32 and 64 could affect me. I believe I heard or read
something about compatibility problems with with either 32 or 64 (or both).
Anything you can tell me would help. I don't trust the sales people and
manufacturers. They primarily only want to sell you something.
Al
PS - It's somewhat strange, IMHO, that Consumer Reports, that just rated
computers, made no mention as to whether we should buy 32 or 64. Seems they
side stepped this subject.

Hi,

32-bit is all that is necessary for the vast majority as that is the
standard that most of the current crop of software is written to. While
64-bit has increased memory handling capacity, few consumer programs are
written to take advantage of it. In addition, the compatibility issues you
mention pertain to drivers for some pieces of hardware, as 64-bit requires
signed drivers and sometimes these are not available from the device
manufacturer.

As to XP versus Vista, as long as the system is of recent design Vista is
the choice you should make. The problems arise in running Vista on systems
designed for XP as it has a higher resource overhead. Same thing happened
with XP vs Win2000, Win98 vs Win95, etc.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com

"mim" <mimh@peoplepc.com> wrote in message
news:jdadnaYtDqdpsDLVnZ2dnUVZ_vOdnZ2d@earthlink.co m...
> I'm going to buy a new computer as my 10 year old one has finally had it.
> It seems just about everything now come with Windows Vista (32 bit or 64
> bit). My question is what's better for me and which one is giving people
> more trouble. Some models even give you the option of going with XP. I
> don't know what to do. Would appreciate it if someone would explain how
> the
> difference between 32 and 64 could affect me. I believe I heard or read
> something about compatibility problems with with either 32 or 64 (or
> both).
> Anything you can tell me would help. I don't trust the sales people and
> manufacturers. They primarily only want to sell you something.
> Al
> PS - It's somewhat strange, IMHO, that Consumer Reports, that just rated
> computers, made no mention as to whether we should buy 32 or 64. Seems
> they
> side stepped this subject.
>
>

I would recommend going for 32-bit. If you are a business user or doing
something like producing movies or hard-ass encoding or ripping that's the
only time you should go for 64-bit. Besides 64 bit has lots of
incompatibilities. That's what I heard

I haven't had a single problem with compatibility with Vista x64. Every
program I have run runs flawlessly, and I've yet to encounter one of these
famous driver problems. In fact, no one I know with Vista x64 has any of
these problems.
"Helixer" <Helixer@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:E36ABE5B-7E19-4739-BCD3-F6F5663AC651@microsoft.com...
>I would recommend going for 32-bit. If you are a business user or doing
> something like producing movies or hard-ass encoding or ripping that's the
> only time you should go for 64-bit. Besides 64 bit has lots of
> incompatibilities. That's what I heard
>

Hi, Al.

If you plan to keep this next computer for 10 years, go with 64-bit from the
beginning.

My guess is that 32-bit will be as "old-fashioned" in 5 years (or less) as
Win98 is now. (Yes, I know some people still use Win9x and even WinME, and
some will still be using 32-bit 5 years from now. And I still have a 1957
Thunderbird. But it's not what I would recommend that most people buy
today.)

Sooner or later - and sooner is getting closer FAST - you will need to climb
the 64-bit hill, including the learning curve. If you do it now, it will
soon be behind you. If you wait, it will always be looming up ahead. And
it won't be much easier, if any, 5 years from now. There are almost no
64-bit applications available, but finding drivers has not been a problem
for me in over a year, and every 32-bit app I have runs as well as or better
than it did in WinXP.

I've been running Vista Ultimate x64 since it went RTM. I like it. I don't
rely on what "I've heard". I base my opinion on my own experience with it.

Yes, Vista x64 DOES need modern hardware. But you'll have trouble finding a
32-bit CPU these days, or a 20 GB HD, or a computer without USB, etc. Buy a
decent desktop now with Vista x64 and you'll be able to run it for the
foreseeable future. Until Windows 7, at least. ;^}

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
rc@grandecom.net
Microsoft Windows MVP
(Running Windows Live Mail 2008 in Vista Ultimate x64 SP1)

"mim" <mimh@peoplepc.com> wrote in message
news:jdadnaYtDqdpsDLVnZ2dnUVZ_vOdnZ2d@earthlink.co m...
> I'm going to buy a new computer as my 10 year old one has finally had it.
> It seems just about everything now come with Windows Vista (32 bit or 64
> bit). My question is what's better for me and which one is giving people
> more trouble. Some models even give you the option of going with XP. I
> don't know what to do. Would appreciate it if someone would explain how
> the
> difference between 32 and 64 could affect me. I believe I heard or read
> something about compatibility problems with with either 32 or 64 (or
> both).
> Anything you can tell me would help. I don't trust the sales people and
> manufacturers. They primarily only want to sell you something.
> Al
> PS - It's somewhat strange, IMHO, that Consumer Reports, that just rated
> computers, made no mention as to whether we should buy 32 or 64. Seems
> they
> side stepped this subject.

"Michael Masterson" <null@localhost> wrote in message
news:u56qNnxBJHA.4172@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>I haven't had a single problem with compatibility with Vista x64. Every
>program I have run runs flawlessly, and I've yet to encounter one of these
>famous driver problems. In fact, no one I know with Vista x64 has any of
>these problems.
> "Helixer" <Helixer@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:E36ABE5B-7E19-4739-BCD3-F6F5663AC651@microsoft.com...
>>I would recommend going for 32-bit. If you are a business user or doing
>> something like producing movies or hard-ass encoding or ripping that's
>> the
>> only time you should go for 64-bit. Besides 64 bit has lots of
>> incompatibilities. That's what I heard


Same here, 64bit works great, if you get a 64bit CPU, why not use it & get
Vista 64bit, its the future

Hi,

I'm using x64 with no problems - it's the future so you may as well go
for it now. Have heard some people have compatibility probs. but that
seems to be with old games they want to keep from a few years back and
the developer doesn't think it's worth updating them.

If you decide to go for the old 32bit system, microsoft do allow a free
"upgrade" to 64 bit - they just charge $10 for postage,etc.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/win...ns/64-bit.aspx

Whichever version you go for, *DO NOT BUY A MACHINE UNLESS YOU* *GET
THE FULL INSTALLATION DISC WITH IT* - not some manufacturers "recovery
disc" or "recovery partition".

SIW2


--
SIW2

SIW2 wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I'm using x64 with no problems - it's the future so you may as well go
> for it now. Have heard some people have compatibility probs. but that
> seems to be with old games they want to keep from a few years back and
> the developer doesn't think it's worth updating them.
>
> If you decide to go for the old 32bit system, microsoft do allow a free
> "upgrade" to 64 bit - they just charge $10 for postage,etc.
>
> http://www.microsoft.com/windows/win...ns/64-bit.aspx
>
> Whichever version you go for, *DO NOT BUY A MACHINE UNLESS YOU* *GET
> THE FULL INSTALLATION DISC WITH IT* - not some manufacturers "recovery
> disc" or "recovery partition".
>
> SIW2
>
>


I agree with the last part completely, full disk not some half assed
thing that an OEM has messed about with.

For the first part, the compatibility issues are not a complaint but a
simple warning, if you have compatible hardware drivers then fine. If
not then you may have to buy some new hardware. Some things like games
definitely won't work properly or at all. That's life