5 replies to this topic

[MeanMachine]

A question for all you PC gurus out there. I am just about to start building my new PC using an ASUS A8V mother board and AMD Athlon 64 3500 CPU. I have been reading up on the new 64 bit version of windows, Win XP Pro x64, which utilizes this technology but cannot find any clear indication on whether or not to use it or not.

It looks like you should only use the x64 version if you are into mechanical design and analysis, digital content creation, and scientific and high-performance computing applications. If you are just your basic windows user and gamer then stick with the standard Win XP Pro edition.

Your opinions and suggestions would be most helpful.

[@n@rchist]

I dont use it right now. Im just gonna wait for Longhorn to come out.

[Why Two Kay]

NO

My Reasons:

• It doesnt run perfectly in 64 bit
• There isnt much Driver Support (especially ATI)
• There are NO programs that run 64 bit natively
• It is kinda flakey with some 16 bit programs
• Its OK with most 32 Bit, but NOT ALL
• The photoshop 64 bit extensions are not supported and dont work well

[HUMANITE]

NO

My Reasons:

• It doesnt run perfectly in 64 bit
  
• There isnt much Driver Support (especially ATI)
  
• There are NO programs that run 64 bit natively
  
• It is kinda flakey with some 16 bit programs
  
• Its OK with most 32 Bit, but NOT ALL
  
• The photoshop 64 bit extensions are not supported and dont work well

I totally agree with ^ this . Not a good idea to be the test bunny for microsoft, and thats just what they are doing to folks that get that free OS. Isn't it only for 365 days anyway? Thats reason enough not to try it out.

[Spastic Colon]

I agree....DON'T DO IT MAN!

My reasons:

Windows XP was shipped with the same security holes that Microsoft had already taken care of with patches to 2000. This means they released a product that they KNEW was bad, and charged people handsomely for it. (As they always do).

If they do this with software they are selling, imagine the utter CRAP they are giving away.

Also, any time/energy you spend helping them Beta Test their own crap, is money that isn't going to good developers. Hence, your taking a job away from someone else.

But in the words of Dennis Miller:
That's just my opinion, I could be wrong.

[MeanMachine]

Thanks guys for your opinions. I did not use the free 64 bit version of XP. I creadted a slimstreamed SP2 version using my original SP1 and intgrating the SP2 service pack.

All is back up and running. Just doing some final tweaks and performance adjustments.