Has anyone tried 64-bit windows?

[Natorgator]

I downloaded the 64 bit version of Windows XP from MS's site yesterday, has anyone had any experience with it? I'm kind of afraid that my regular programs will quit working if I install it.

[Sarevok]

In theory at least 32 bit programs should work on 64 bit windows.

[The Kernel]

Seems to work fine from a software front, it's the drivers that you have to be concerned with (although some 32-bit drivers are functional).

[Ace Pace]

Seems to work fine from a software front, it's the drivers that you have to be concerned with (although some 32-bit drivers are functional).

For example, do graphics drivers function at the same preformance as the reguler 32-bit windows edition?

[Kreshna Aryaguna Nurzaman]

I downloaded the 64 bit version of Windows XP from MS's site yesterday, has anyone had any experience with it? I'm kind of afraid that my regular programs will quit working if I install it.

While I never had my hands on 64-bit XP, my experience with 64-bit Windows 2003 Server is quite unpleasant. There's a lot of 32-bit apps wouldn't work on it.

IIRC the reason you must have a 32-bit to act as "front-end" for 64-bit MS SQL Server is because SQL Enterprise Manager, which is a 32-bit apps, cannot run on 64-bit 2003.

Note that I'm an Oracle DBA instead of a Systems Engineer, so my knowledge about Windows is not as deep as of those who specializes in that field.

EDIT: Are you using Itanium?

[Natorgator]

No, I have an Athlon 64 (I feel it's worth nothing that the readme file which came with the ISO I downloaded stated that it would not work on Itanium CPUs.)

[The Kernel]

Seems to work fine from a software front, it's the drivers that you have to be concerned with (although some 32-bit drivers are functional).

For example, do graphics drivers function at the same preformance as the reguler 32-bit windows edition?

nVidia ones seem to anyways. Here's a good article on the subject:

Windows 64-bit

[Kreshna Aryaguna Nurzaman]

No, I have an Athlon 64 (I feel it's worth nothing that the readme file which came with the ISO I downloaded stated that it would not work on Itanium CPUs.)

Now that's good news. Athlon 64 promises to run 32-bit apps (especially games) without problems. Don't know about the Win XP, though.

PS: Athlon 64? I'm so *jealous* of you.

[Ace Pace]

No, I have an Athlon 64 (I feel it's worth nothing that the readme file which came with the ISO I downloaded stated that it would not work on Itanium CPUs.)

Now that's good news. Athlon 64 promises to run 32-bit apps (especially games) without problems. Don't know about the Win XP, though.

PS: Athlon 64? I'm so *jealous* of you.

Yep, the athlon 64, great improvement

WinXP 64-bit from what I see runs games flawlessly, but media stuff less well.