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64 Bit OS - When to Switch ?

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Renegade:
... but these days I firmly believe that the ordinary user should default to 64bit and only consider 32bit in exceptional circumstances...
-Eóin (July 08, 2011, 10:43 AM)
--- End quote ---

Like MS Office. :)

Office is still best as 32-bit as too many plug-ins are still 32-bit. Sad, but...

But you just install 64-bit windows and 32-bit Office. Still, the 64-bit OS wins.

40hz:
I've been exclusively running 64-bit OSs (Windows and Linux) on any machine that's capable of running them for about a year now with no bad surprises.

It's arrived. I'd do it.  8)

Deozaan:
My only 2 complaints/problems I've had with 64-bit OS since Vista x64 are:

1. Drivers MUST be signed to be installed (technically there are workarounds, but they're a hassle). My hardware is a bit older and there are no 64-bit drivers for e.g. my onboard ethernet. So I'm currently running 32-bit OS.

2. No more 16-bit compatibility. I've really only had one scenario in which this was a problem. I dusted off an old Win95 game I used to love and it can't play in 64-bit OS. Though Windows 7 does come with a free VM of Windows XP 32-bit and I could play the game in that. But unfortunately my PC is too old and slow, so I run into problems. I think I might have better luck with it playing it in a Linux VM under Wine.

Modern hardware will fix problem #1 and probably also run well enough to make the Windows XP VM solution to #2 viable as well. That's why I say if you've got modern hardware and don't use any "legacy" accessories (printers, cameras, etc.) then there is no reason not to be on a 64-bit OS these days.

MilesAhead:
One other caveat would be USB devices with drivers in the firmware.  An example is my Epson Stylus C88+.  It has a Vista driver and works fine if I hook it to the Vista64 machine.  But if I hook it to Windows 7 it won't serve the driver properly over the network.  Since the driver is in firmware, they don't bother with making any drivers available for download.  But if you ask around before buying a printer both Vista and W7 have been around long enough you should be able to learn what to expect.

mahesh2k:
@Ath, i'm planning upgrade to i7 2600 3.3GHZ, 8GBDDR3, 1TB.. ASUS Board(not sure which model as of yet). So lets see if old hardware works on it.

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