XP 64 - How is it?
polycount lvl 666
I've got a Vista machine that has given me a number of issues I am no longer willing to deal with, as such i'm looking to install XP on it instead. However, my mobo can handle up to 8gb of ram, and unless i'm running a 64bit os that ability is just going to waste. So what I want to know is, whats been everys experience with XP64? does it run most applications like max/maya/zbrush fine? Will I need to get special versions for different apps or are the 64bit versions just better optimized and not a necessity?
I was sure someone had asked this before but I couldn't find any threads on it.
I was sure someone had asked this before but I couldn't find any threads on it.
Replies
Softimage doesn't work for me though
The main issue for me has been compatibility. Some older programs and games will run fine, others won't. Same thing for some of the newer games as well, though those are very few (like GH3 or Softimage XSI)
1. Significant slowdown in photoshop when zoomed in. I use my desktop as my main work machine, so problems in this area are unacceptable.
2. Troubles moving large numbers of files (making backups). I just came back from a 3 week trip yesterday and was unable to bring copys of alot of files I wanted because of this.
3. Every couple of hours the machine will start accessing the HDD sporaticly causing the system to slow down for about 15 minutes and crash UE3 if it's open. The first two are known issues with Vista, but this one I've been stumped on for months.
My problem with x64 is compatibility with other programs like iTunes and drivers and such. iTunes will install (if you go past the "incompatible" prompt), but it is not technically made for x64, so it runs in 32 bit mode but won't recognize any CD or DVD burners you may have. You'd need to install a separate gear driver that you have to scour the net trying to find. My sound card is not completely compatible with x64-- I have an Audigy 4 Pro with a separate control box that sits on my desk away from the tower-- has guitar line-in, microphone and headphone jacks, optical ins and outs-- but aside from the headphone jack and volume control, the computer doesn't recognize anything else. Creative's sound programs don't work with x64, nor does the remote control for the Audigy.
I also had to hunt down a scanner that would work with x64-- most scanners don't have TWAIN drivers that are 64-bit, and the WOW32 emulator doesn't work with drivers. I ended up finding an Epson V200, but the fact that you have all of 5 scanners total out there to choose from is really frustrating.
That's all I can think of off the top of my head-- I know I've had tons of other problems trying to install different programs, and they'd either tell me outright that they don't work with x64, or they install fine but crash the system when I run them.
I wouldn't mind upgrading to Vista 64, but I'd rather wait for two things:
1) Service Pack 2
2)more 64-bit support, because even after all this time, 64bit support in Windows is seriously lacking. Programs might be compatible as of this post, but hardly any, if any at all, actually utilize the architecture and file allocation systems. I honestly haven't seen any noticeable difference in performance between this system and the same computer with XP 32bit installed.
Hope my rant helps somehow...
Though some drawbacks of xp64
- Not much decent firewall software that will work with it
- 16-bit stuff won't work at all (that is to be expected)
- Some new games and apps are retardedly picky and refuse to run on 64-bit platform (GameTap afaik)
- StarForce doesn't like 64-bit (yay)
Norton won't support x64. They said they never will, unless you buy the Corporate version for something like $500 bucks a copy, and you can only buy 5 copies at a time. So I went with NOD-32 from Eset. It's 64bit compatible, and honestly the best anti-virus software I've ever used. I don't run any firewalls on my computer (mainly because I can't find any decent ones that don't sap performance), but NOD32 has caught absolutely EVERYTHING that's attacked my system so far. So if you do switch to x64, go with NOD 32, it friggin rocks.
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So if you do switch to x64, go with NOD 32, it friggin rocks.
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Seconded
Free firewall and AV that i use:
Comodo firewall, doesnt require much ressources (like 16mb).
http://www.personalfirewall.comodo.com/
Avast antivirus:
http://www.avast.com
This one's more of a memory hog but i havent suffered from it yet, i just turn it off if i really need to free up some ram.
- Faculty VPN software only working on x32
- Serial-to-usb cable + Digitizer II only working on x32
- Faculty VPN software only working on x32
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use another vpn client, windows has a built in client, you only have to paste the settings