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I'm still using the 32 bit version of Windows XP. Now, I have the possibility to upgrade to a 64 bit version of Windows Vista or later on the 64 bit version of Windows 7. The biggest pro is the possibility to use more memory and that I actually would be using that 64 bit CPU I've bought. :-)

The problem is that when I tried 64 bit Windows XP a year or two ago there were problems with software not having 64 bit versions. Is this still an issue?

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What software did not work? – Peter Mortensen Jul 15 '09 at 11:43
I don't remember any longer. But I think it was pretty low level stuff since I didn't get far past installation until deciding not to continue. – Jonas Jul 15 '09 at 11:55
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XP 64 have serious drivers AND software support issues. Instead of just whether something you want have 64-bits edition, with XP 64 it's does it have 64-bits edition, AND does that edition support XP and not just Vista (and later). – KTC Jul 25 '09 at 18:49
If anyone's interested, I've installed Vista! Works fine, some slowdown in games but I can't install more RAM in my computer and have to live with it. – Jonas Aug 5 '09 at 8:54
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14 Answers

up vote 28 down vote accepted

I have been running 64 bit Vista on my desktop for quite a while and haven't found any issues.

Remember that through WOW (not World of Warcraft) Windows can still run 32-bit applications - the real issue comes with the drivers. So unless you're using any really down level applications most of them should work through WoW. I cannot remember, but I do believe anti-virus apps and possibly firewalls needs to run at 64bit as well, so you will need to check if your vendor of choice ships a 64bit version.

What you really want to be on the lookout for - is knowing whether or not drivers exists for all your hardware.

Also running apps at 32bit comes with next to no performance hit, what so ever, and it usually means that those apps will take up LESS memory (as their pointers are 32bit in size and not 64bit).

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Firewalls and Antiviruses normally have their custom filter drivers. That's why that also must be 64 bit compatible. – inazaruk Jul 16 '09 at 11:59
Thanks for the clarification - I figured this was the case (as in they actually install a driver of some kind) but I wasn't sure, thanks! – kastermester Jul 16 '09 at 12:02
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Actually those apps will make the system take MORE memory, not less. Those apps will need to load the 32bit version of all their .dll dependencies. Which means you'll have the 64bit dll version loaded by 64 bit apps(and the system itself), and a similar 32 bit version loaded by the 32 bit apps – nos Aug 8 '09 at 6:25
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up vote 12 down vote

I have been running 64-bit Vista for years. It's mostly a pleasure, but I can pinpoint two problems I have had with it:

  1. Java JDK 64 bits can be tricky. Some frameworks won't integrate well with it, and it's not as up-to-date as the 32 bits version. Though I'd love if someone came and told me that is no longer the case -- I have learned not to try it a long time ago. :-(

  2. 64 bits software is not as prevalent as might be desired yet. This is mostly a non-issue, as you can run 32 bits software just fine. But when it comes to software that integrates into the explorer menu, it matters.

As an example of the later point, I have TortoiseSVN running fine on my explorer, but TortoiseHG wouldn't show it's menu there. There was a work-around, which was running explorer with an option which will force 32 bits (%windir%\syswow64\explorer.exe /separate). I needed a shortcut for that, though, and the 64 bits stuff (TortoiseSVN! :) won't appear there.

Edit:

BUT, as of two weeks ago, according to Mr Spolsky, it is now working. I should have it running as fast as I can reboot (Windows, duh!) this computer. Which is all the more proof you should go 64 bits. :-)

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Interesting. Now, I wont be using this machine as a development machine, but I sometimes use Eclipse. Should be possible to get it working if I put some energy into it I guess. – Jonas Jul 15 '09 at 12:06
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TortoiseHG is now fixed, and supports 64 bit windows (as of a couple of weeks ago...) – Joel Spolsky♦ Jul 16 '09 at 1:37
Good to know. Starting download NOW! :-) – Daniel C. Sobral Jul 16 '09 at 11:47
I for one am baffled by the remarks about Java. The only issues I've seen there are with people expecting it to work in the (few) 64 bit browsers that are available, or getting it to work with JNI/JNA 32 bit libs. Neither are all that common, imo, and the browser situation has been essentially resolved now. I'm not sure why he would think its "not as up-to-date" either. – Jess Sightler Jul 26 '09 at 2:35
The software I need to run needs JNI 32 bits. – Daniel C. Sobral Jul 26 '09 at 14:04
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up vote 7 down vote

I have been running Windows Vista 64Bit for almost 2 years and Windows 7 64Bit for the last 4 months and have no issues. All or most software either has a 64Bit version or runs fine as is. I have no issues with drivers and have yet to get a blue screen.

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Windows 7 64-bit is excellent and have none of the horrible, horrible issues that plagued Windows XP 64-bit, for example. – Stefan Thyberg Jul 15 '09 at 11:18
Windows XP 64-bit were an afterthought, while Windows 7 64-bit (as well as Vista) where designed from the ground up thinking in both platforms. – voyager Jul 25 '09 at 18:13
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up vote 4 down vote

From what I've heard, Windows Vista x64 and Windows 7 x64 are far ahead of XP x64 on 32-bit program support.

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up vote 4 down vote

Nobody has mentioned this one yet:

32-bit shell extension DLLs don't work with 64-bit Windows Explorer. There were a few useful shell extensions that I liked to use with Windows XP. Shell extensions that are .EXE based work OK on 64-bit Windows since they are launched as a new process under the WoW layer, but the DLL-based ones don't work since the 64-bit Explorer process can't load a 32-bit DLL.

Still, that hasn't stopped me from using Vista 64-bit and now Windows 7 64-bit. On the balance, it's been a positive experience and most things just work.

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up vote 2 down vote

I'm running 64bit Vista right now, have been for about 4 months, and I've never yet had any problems with any application or driver. 32-bit apps will still work in 64-bit Windows but obviously aren't optimised for that environment.

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up vote 2 down vote

I generally agree with what kastermester has said but I'll just add that you should check with your printer manufacturer that they have 64 bit drivers.

We have a few PC's at work that are 64bit and can't print on our network printers because there aren't any printer drivers for them.

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up vote 1 down vote

Yes, go for 64 bit.

I have used Windows XP Professional x64 Edition SP2 for the past 6 months and it works great.

The only problems I have encountered:

  1. ZoneAlarm does not work at all (it does not even install). ZoneAlarm only works on 32 bit systems.

  2. Microsoft TweakUI Powertoy only works on 32 bit Windows.

But it may depend on which software you want to use.

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I'm not planning on using ZoneAlarm anyway, but good to know! I have a router as firewall and additionally use Windows built-in firewall. – Jonas Jul 15 '09 at 11:56
I would have liked to use ZoneAlarm to control outbound connections, but that is the price you have to pay. – Peter Mortensen Jul 15 '09 at 12:01
Thats true. Could be a good thing to look into. – Jonas Jul 15 '09 at 12:03
The built in firewall in Vista and Windows 7 can do this for you. Better, faster, and freeer. – jason Aug 1 '09 at 5:38
@jason: don't you need something like "Windows 7 Firewall Control Free" to get fine-grained control of which applications and how they connect ? - washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/06/… – Peter Mortensen Aug 1 '09 at 7:25
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up vote 0 down vote

In short, yes. 64 bit XP was pretty bad experience, mainly because device driver support was terrible. However device manufacturers have caught on to the fact that 64bit is the way to go, and device support is now much better.

I have been successfully using Windows Vista and 7 64bit versions for a couple of years now, with no problems at all.

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up vote 0 down vote

Yes.

On the server side, Exchange 2007 is only 64bit, and Server 2008 R2 will be. If MS are prepared to drop 32bit support for business critical systems you can be confident of it.

Only issue is likely to be older hardware, e.g. my scanner doesn't have 64bit drivers (but there are workarounds).

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up vote 0 down vote

YES!!

I've been using Vista x64 since it RTM'd back in 2006, and I've also been running Windows 7 x64 from Beta to RC and now the RTM. There's absolutely no issues with Win x64.

The only "issue" (if you want to call it that) with Vista x64 at first was driver support for older hardware, but it's been around long enough now that you really shouldn't have any issues anymore unless you're using some obscure 7 year old hardware.

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up vote 0 down vote

I would say go for it. When I got some new hardware a few months back I threw the Windows 7 RC on there - and I have only tried the 64-bit flavor. The only issue I have had so far is Canon has not released a driver update for my scanner - which was easily dealt with through the Virtual Windows XP feature. I was able to attach my USB scanner to the VM with one click, and a couple of clicks later I had installed the USB driver and scanned the photo.

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up vote 0 down vote

The short answer is yes.

The long answer depends on what you need to run. There are some programs that have issues in 64 bit, primarily 32 bit programs that use 32 bit drivers to perform certain functions. (output to a printer, or to a word processor) that fail under 64 bit.

But for the most part that is easy to work around (run it in a vm with a 32 bit os for example) Or work with OEM to get an update.

Drivers for hardware are pretty much a non issue now unless you have older hardware.

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up vote -1 down vote

I'm now running 64-bit Vista on multiple machines. Using it for development at work, and for gaming at home. No major software compatibility or driver issues have cropped up. The machine at work BSoDs on a regular basis, but hey, it's Windows on an AMD processor, that'll happen. :-)

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How is AMD related to the frequency of BSoDs? – grawity Jul 26 '09 at 18:17
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Doesn't happen on the Intel boxen that I have. Just the AMDs. :-( – Brian Knoblauch Jul 27 '09 at 13:44
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