32-bit or 64-bit ?

[shakey0818]

I have a 2yr old Toshiba laptop in box i just got a good deal on never used.My question is want to upgrade to windows 7.It is used for home use,movies,music,FB and other programs.I have windows 7 32-bit on my desktop home comp and I'm used to it and like it.What is the difference between the 32-bit & 64-bit and what would people recommend?I have been doing some small upgrades to my desktop,duel monitor video card,tuner,& 2-42" LCD 1080p TV/monitors.I must say the 2-42" side by side monitors with a 42"LCD TV on top was a little too big and took up too much space so i have some rethinking to do.I have found what seems to be a good TV/ monitor Sceptre x32bv-32"HDTV LCD/PC monitor.If anyone has experience with Sceptre feel free to comment.Not being experienced in this stuff sometimes makes things difficult but i trust peoples opinions here more than anywhere else,Thank You,Rob

 

[mikey-Oh]

my roomie upgrade his whole system to 64bit and we are no longer able to record any of our jams without SEVERE latency. though i argue that audio recording's not ready for the leap to 64-bit. least on our end....

if'n your sign software's up for it, you're finally able to get to utilize more than the 4gigs that 32bit OS's allot

 

[round man]

Before you install any upgrade to windows seven on a two year old laptop you should check the windows upgrade adviser site to be sure the hardware is up to the task,....secondly if it is and you can install win 7 64 bit make sure there are drivers available in 64 bit versions for your peripherals(printers,plotters,scanners,etc.) 99 % of the problems I have seen with win 7 upgrades and new machines are driver availability for 64 bit and software compatibility issues from the 32 bit to 64 bit migration,...all the hardware addresses change when you go from a 32 bit hexidecimal address to a 64 bit one ,..the math changes in the code

 

[shakey0818]

Thank you both.I did do the scan to see if my comp was ready for it and it passed.I will stick with the 32-bit.

 

[Techman]

I have tested both win 7 32 and win 7 64. I like them both. However there a few challenges with the 64 bit side.

I finally decided that win 7 32 is just fine. In my opinion it will just fine for about 94% of us here. Especially if you have older software and older hardware. I have a load of older equipment and all of it is running just fine. So I have no need to get the latest and greatest of anything.

I just obtained a brand new lappy and it has win 7 64. Since it came configured like this there is no need to worry about drivers or any other problem.

But I can say this with no reservations. I used to have all the latest and greatest of software and computer hardware. I spent a lot of money keeping up with all that.

The last few years I had no desire to spend a penny on any computer related expenses unless it was a absolutely necessary. I still run Office 2k3. It is perfectly fine for all I need. I still use X3 and it is just fine. I use all older software and hardware from the XP days and all is well. Even my trusty old Encad printer is still making me a few bucks.

I think chasing the ultimate machine is a fantasy foisted on us by marketing machines. All they try to do is make us think we can make better products if we just spend a few hundred more on a new package.

Not one package will make us better or more productive. No not the latest on Photoshop or Illy. Not the latest wide format. Not the latest computer. Every thing we need to do well is in our minds.

Save the money. Get out of debt and feel the freedom.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

I think chasing the ultimate machine is a fantasy foisted on us by marketing machines. All they try to do is make us think we can make better products if we just spend a few hundred more on a new package.

Not one package will make us better or more productive. No not the latest on Photoshop or Illy. Not the latest wide format. Not the latest computer. Every thing we need to do well is in our minds.

Save the money. Get out of debt and feel the freedom.

That really depends on the individual circumstance. The latest computer in my situation has improved efficiency. It's able to process commands quicker and now with having the ability to have 3 monitor outputs, I have a far less need of flipping back and forth between programs. My computer before that was less then a year old too, so it's not a question of time. Sure you wait long enough, your old computer will get bogged down as it is, just the natural coarse of things.

This is something that has to be examined on an individual basis, however, this certainly not going to apply to everyone. Not all new improvements are necessary for efficienty, but if you wait long enough there will be one that you'll have to upgrade to. Unfortunately, you might have to upgrade before then as with tech things, computer companies and software companies want to make sure you get the latest and greatest and it's very easy for them to do.

Save the money. Get out of debt and feel the freedom.

That slogan sounds an awful lot like what I hear on the early morning infomercials before I take care of the horses.

I agree for a good bit of the time you are correct, but not in all situations. The latest and greatest really is the latest and greatest. I'm far more efficient with this computer then I ever was with anything on the XP platform, and the vista OS was to much of a power hog just for the OS itself.

I usually do a C/B ratio to see if something should be had or not in order to see if it is really worth it or if it's a matter of want. No one here can tell you if it will make you more efficient or not, because more often then not they will be going off of what would make them more efficient or not.

 

[Techman]

Like I said. 96% of us do not need the latest and greatest. You may feel you need latest greatest. It makes you faster. It will not make you a better.

That slogan sounds an awful lot like what I hear on the early morning infomercials before I take care of the horses.

So what. They are merely trying to reap some easy prey selling what so many others already know. Just because some hypster says it doesn't mean it has no value.

Just a short while ago I was deep in debt. Now I will make my final payment on all this debt in Feb. That includes a house mortgage and over 22 grand in CC debt. There is no better feeling than being free of having to get up to work and send some entity my work. No more bondage to any finance company for me.

The ability to pay cash is power.

 

[jwright350]

windows XP for life!

 

[WildWestDesigns]

Like I said. 96% of us do not need the latest and greatest. You may feel you need latest greatest. It makes you faster. It will not make you a better.

Faster can be better. It depends on the project. If it is more of an "assembly line" type of thing, faster is better(while min. mistakes). Faster is better in quicker turnarounds too. If you have two people equal in all things except in how quick the turnaround is, that could be a deciding factor, or turnaround is the bigger factor even if they both aren't equal. Just depends on the situation. Things are more gray then black and white then what most people would like to think. It all just depends on the situation.

So what. They are merely trying to reap some easy prey selling what so many others already know. Just because some hypster says it doesn't mean it has no value.

You are talking about ad hominem fallacy here. I didn't say it had no value, I just said that's what your slogan reminded me of.

Just a short while ago I was deep in debt. Now I will make my final payment on all this debt in Feb. That includes a house mortgage and over 22 grand in CC debt. There is no better feeling than being free of having to get up to work and send some entity my work. No more bondage to any finance company for me.

The ability to pay cash is power.

I've always done that. I've always believed in that and not to touch the principle.

 

[dj_elite]

First of all is your computer 64bit? As in is your processor 64bit? Would be dumb to install 64bit software on a 32bit machine

 

[signswi]

windows xp for life!

If your hardware is 64bit and you're running any software that supports multithreading or you want to use more than 3.5GB of RAM, go 64bit. It's that simple. That should be most of us by now as all Adobe software is multithreaded and 3.5GB of RAM is never enough.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

If your hardware is 64bit and you're running any software that supports multithreading or you want to use more than 3.5GB of RAM, go 64bit. It's that simple. That should be most of us by now as all Adobe software is multithreaded and 3.5GB of RAM is never enough.

Sometimes I wonder if 12GB is enough of RAM.

 

[stoliker]

+10 !!!

windows xp for life!

 

[signswi]

Sometimes I wonder if 12GB is enough of RAM.

It's not, there is no "enough".