x86 VS x64

[kaisterkai]

Good day...

Before I get to the topic... I just want to know... If I set a back up system... (x86) and then I format it and install x64 Can I use the back up files to store my documents and all my other personal things?

Anyway.. I just want to know.. x64.. what is the recommended specs for a 64x? Namely the ram because I think the CPU doesn't play such an important role right?

Thanks

 

[Conradl]

The CPU is kinda important in that the it has to be 64bit. Memory has to be 4GB+ to see any benefits. Your documents will work fine. (With a bit more time and effort, this post could be a Haiku )

 

[ponder]

Before I get to the topic... I just want to know... If I set a back up system... (x86) and then I format it and install x64 Can I use the back up files to store my documents and all my other personal things?

If it's just stuff like documents, images, music etc then it's fine.

 

[Gambit]

Memory has to be 4GB+ to see any benefits.

This is not entirely true. Certain CPU operations are lot faster when the software is compiled to take advantage of the 64bit CPU registers. Encryption and video encoding performance increases on a 64 bit system can be as much as 5 times greater than 32bit. Also accessing large (4gb+) files is also a lot faster.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/64-bit#Pros_and_cons

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=article&item=998&num=1

 

[cerebus]

Get yourself 4gb ram, why would you want to do otherwise?

 

[kaisterkai]

The CPU is kinda important in that the it has to be 64bit. Memory has to be 4GB+ to see any benefits. Your documents will work fine. (With a bit more time and effort, this post could be a Haiku )

Yeah I guess CPU is important.. but I can't really do anything about that.. So I left it out...

only 4GB+ ?? Sigh.. But if it's only a 2GB? Will it be able to run?

 

[Gambit]

Yeah I guess CPU is important.. but I can't really do anything about that.. So I left it out...

only 4GB+ ?? Sigh.. But if it's only a 2GB? Will it be able to run?

Yes. I run windows 7 64bit on my laptop with only 2gigs ram.

 

[kaisterkai]

If it's just stuff like documents, images, music etc then it's fine.

I see.. But that's ok.. I can just copy and paste... And another thing.. If i have the hard drive.. and it's partitioned... 500 = 2x 250... win7 on 250... and my other random files on the other one.. If I format... Will it take into account that it's 2 hard drives or one?

Actually I want it to back up my up dates and programs that I have installed.. but I guess it won't work like that... Sigh

 

[kaisterkai]

Yes. I run windows 7 64bit on my laptop with only 2gigs ram.

What was it like? Was it slow?

 

[kaisterkai]

This is not entirely true. Certain CPU operations are lot faster when the software is compiled to take advantage of the 64bit CPU registers. Encryption and video encoding performance increases on a 64 bit system can be as much as 5 times greater than 32bit. Also accessing large (4gb+) files is also a lot faster.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/64-bit#Pros_and_cons

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=article&item=998&num=1

I see.. but about gaming? Will gaming be fine? And Also.. if it's a 64x... will games (in the shop..) work with it? Like you don't need to get a patch or anything... If you know what I mean...

 

[kaisterkai]

Get yourself 4gb ram, why would you want to do otherwise?

I can't afford a 4GB at the moment.. So have to wait until I have enough money.. I mean a 4GB is like R650 at matrix... And I still have to get myself a good GPU...

 

[cerebus]

I find 64-bit to be much more memory intensive than 32-bit. I use 2.18gb memory on idle with win764 ultimate. Gaming goes up to 3.4gb or higher even.

 

[kaisterkai]

I find 64-bit to be much more memory intensive than 32-bit. I use 2.18gb memory on idle with win764 ultimate. Gaming goes up to 3.4gb or higher even.

So you don't think x64 is a good idea? But what about in general? Is the computer faster?

 

[stevovo]

I see.. but about gaming? Will gaming be fine? And Also.. if it's a 64x... will games (in the shop..) work with it? Like you don't need to get a patch or anything... If you know what I mean...

You'll still be able to run 32bit programs on x64 so you don't have to worry about games, I've only had a problem with 1 game due to 64bit but it was fixed with an updated patch.

 

[kaisterkai]

You'll still be able to run 32bit programs on x64 so you don't have to worry about games, I've only had a problem with 1 game due to 64bit but it was fixed with an updated patch.

That's pretty cool... Well I'm actually only really worried about getting the x64 with 2GB ram... Oh.. I read somewhere that they said something about, if you use a 64x... your ram (if you have 4GB) you will really have 4GB.. but if you use x86, you will only have 3.-something- GB... Is this true? And if anyone know.. why?

 

[cerebus]

64 bit isn't just a good idea - it's the future. 32-bit OS can only address a limit of 3.4(approx) gb of memory, which I think is equal to 2 to the power of 32. 64-bit can address an almost limitless quantity of memory. So it's going to become normative to have 64-bit OS, and MS said that win7 will be the last OS that actually permits 32-bit versions still.

 

[hammell]

Until games are made to run natively in 64 bit mode (there are a few out there, but not many), there's not really much point in going the x64 route at the moment - if I was building a machine from scratch I'd probably go the x64 way simply to future-proof it. Sure, you'll probably find Windows running a little faster, and one could say it's more secure, but until you need 4Gb of RAM or more, or use native 64 bit applications, I don't think I'd go through the pain of rebuilding my box simply to say it's 64 bit...

http://www.w7forums.com/windows-7-64-bit-vs-32-bit-t484.html

 

[kaisterkai]

64 bit isn't just a good idea - it's the future. 32-bit OS can only address a limit of 3.4(approx) gb of memory, which I think is equal to 2 to the power of 32. 64-bit can address an almost limitless quantity of memory. So it's going to become normative to have 64-bit OS, and MS said that win7 will be the last OS that actually permits 32-bit versions still.

Great.. I see.. but if I had a 2 GB ram... will it show all 2 GB?

I guess I'm going have a try out on the 64x... hope everything works fine...

 

[kaisterkai]

Until games are made to run natively in 64 bit mode (there are a few out there, but not many), there's not really much point in going the x64 route at the moment - if I was building a machine from scratch I'd probably go the x64 way simply to future-proof it. Sure, you'll probably find Windows running a little faster, and one could say it's more secure, but until you need 4Gb of RAM or more, or use native 64 bit applications, I don't think I'd go through the pain of rebuilding my box simply to say it's 64 bit...

http://www.w7forums.com/windows-7-64-bit-vs-32-bit-t484.html

I see... But it's better to go 64x...

I guess I'll probably be getting another 2Gb a little later... But it won't really affect the performance even if it's on 64x with 2GB... Right?

I mean when i like play games.. I would be better playing 2GB with 64x than playing with 2GB on 86x...

 

[hammell]

Based on what I've read, I would go the x64 route. If we look at the server market at the moment, we're seeing the end of the road for 32 bit systems... So long answer to a short question, but yes, 64 is the future (if it's not already the present )