64 Bit operating systems

OK first off if you read my other article on What to Buy , you would see my mention of the 64 bit vs 32 bit hangups and troubles people get into. However I would like to point out if you do have a 64 bit system and can work with the few troubleshooters, and can survive having it~ You will be better off in the long run as 32 bit will EVENTUALLY be obsolete just like windows Xp. Want to know why? Click here for Microsoft's disclosure on the LIFECYCLE POLICY -

So after reading the above link you will see that in the LONG run - yes you want to get bigger and badder and better. The new Windows 7 is coming out and I suggest it is a good transition for most VISTA users, I would not do it if I was running 64 bit Vista or running Xp.

The point is to be able to make the smartest move on your tech upgrades without adding nightmare to your journey. Most of this can be avoided by doing google searches on programs and the like before running installations and upgrades. If other people have similar problems then you probably don't want to make the change to your system or add that program.

You can more technical information on 64 Bit Operating systems here at Wikipedia.

Now there are a lot of cases where having the system 64 bit ready can add to a faster experience on your computer- but this really only effects the operation of your system itself and the programs that came pre-installed.

The fact is most programs you install are going to be 32 bit and only run at that speed anyways, if you go to start/computer/c:/ you will see 2 program files on your machine. One is labeled Program files and the other is Program files (x86). The ones in the x86 folder are the 32 bit programs you have installed on your machine. No matter what you do, they are going to run at 32 bit speed and you won't see a difference in operation and secondly you want to be careful of what you are installing as it can break the drivers for your 64 bit hardware. Drivers are communication lines made up of software that your computers brain uses to talk to the hardware installed on your machine. People have problems installing this kind of software on their regular 32 bit machines- let alone on your 64.

The rule of thumb is if it is 3rd party software and it is supposed to run in sync with hardware on your machine, you probably don't want to install it. It will likely change the hardware driver settings on your hardware and then your computer won't read the device correctly, then you'll have tech support on the phone, and they are going to band aid the problem or tell you to get rid of the program that keeps destroying your drivers.

A good example is IPOD/ Itunes software on a lot of windows machines that run Vista. The Itunes overwrites the DVD/ CD ROM drivers with their Apple junk software and make your DVD or the burner fail and stop working. Or you loose sound, or video. Apple loves this cause your addicted to Itunes... maybe next time you'll buy a MAC. Good luck if you ever want to upgrade it or find the same variety of compatible software.

The graph shows that on a program that is made to run 64 bit the performance that a 64 bit machine can get from having the proper configuration. Mind you that 64 bit programs are still not widely available, nor are they inexpensive.

This bring us to another topic. 64 bit PROCESSORS. I talk to people and I ask what system type are you running? 64 bit or 32 bit. They will say 64 bit. I check the computers specs (VISTA: click start, right click computer, go to properties - system type / for XP, right click computer and go to the properties and then to general tab) and see they have a 32 bit operating system and a 64 bit processor. Good thing we checked before installing an updated BIOS.

64 bit processor simply is speeding up the communication of the hardware attached to your computer - dvd and audio and video moving information across the system board. Big difference from the operation of programs installed on the machine.

Either way, if you are running a 64 bit OS, then simply be careful when installing programs on your machine. If you have read my other stuff you will know that your computer is your friend, like a pet or a favorite car not an inanimate object. Matter of fact your computer is more influenced by your habits and behavior and process in doing things then your Friends, car or anything else in life is. Your actions directly effect your machines health and lifestyle.

Thank you for reading!

I love feedback and suggestions on other articles! Simply add a note to comments at the bottom or email me directly at pcspyder@gmail com