x64 xp, yay or nay?

[jeverett87]

Just want to know if 64 bit OS improves preformance at all. Im trying to build a gaming rig before I come home from Iraq and Im pretty much out of the computer loop as of late. It is my understanding that there are a lot of driver issues with 64 bit operating systems, but does it really kill preformance that much? Also what is the max ram x64 can recognize compared to x32 XP. I was going to ask if 64 bit vista was worth it at all, but seeing all the problems with it, I think I've pretty much ruled it out.

What im trying to set up:
Asus M2N SLI
AMD +5600 2.8ghz
EVGA 8800gtx (just one for now)
the ammount of RAM is going to depend on what OS I use, because if I remember correctly 32 bit XP only sees up to 2gb.

[glc]

Driver support with both XP and Vista 64 bit is awful. Not worth the hassle yet. X64 can deal with more ram than you will ever see in your lifetime though.

[jeverett87]

yeah the drivers thing seems to be the big killer of x64.

good to go glc, ill just roll with xp pro.

[glc]

Also note that Dell does not even offer Vista on the XPS 710 gaming boxes yet - that says something about Vista too. It ain't ready for prime time gaming.

32 bit XP will *see* 4gb of ram, but only USE about 3gb.

[j_w_spence]

Thats why I love this site.......people ask good questions and PCMech supporters (glc!!!!!) give em good answers. This post sure has slowed my jones'n for 64 bit. How about XP Pro 64 bit??? ( I said slowed.....NOT stopped!)

[Strider]

I had Windows XP x64 installed and that was one of the worse mistakes I've made, so when I bought Vista I stuck with the 32-bit version even though Vista 64 should get more support in the future than XP x64 has.

[pink_tractorbeam]

Nay

Definitely not. A couple of weeks back an (apparently) x64 compatible motherboard I was fitting for a friend wouldn't install the drivers ,because of the fact that the OS was WinXP Pro x64. Oh, and on top of that the sound card didn't like it much either - the driver disc for the sound card didn't even recognise that the card was actually in the motherboard at that point.

Not worth the hassle, your time or energy. I ended up formatting and my friend ordering a new copy of Windows - this time just Pro. Works perfectly now. How very odd...¬¬

[dub-u]

I just finished running XP Pro x64. Yes, you have to find 64 bit drivers for the hardware to work, but I didn't have any problems there. There are some compatibility issues with some software (like AVG and a few others), but overall I was impressed with the speed of my system (it seemed to double after I installed it.) Surprisingly, there are not as many disadvantages as many would have you beleive. I found *most* of the programs I use ran fine on the WOW32 subsystem. I just wish more software companies would support 64 bit computing.