Vista Help

[laserpp]

I just built my new computer and i am running vista 32bit. Was wondering if i should get 64bit vista with my setup and what is the diff. between the two.

Computer:

Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor

CORSAIR XMS3 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory

Western Digital Caviar SE16 WD6400AAKS 640GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive

Pioneer Black Blu-Ray Reader and 12X DVD±R DVD Burner SATA

CORSAIR CMPSU-1000HX 1000W ATX12V 2.2 / EPS12V 2.91 SLI Ready CrossFire Ready

ASUS P6T Deluxe/OC Palm LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard

EVGA 896-P3-1267-AR GeForce GTX 260 Core 216 Superclocked Edition 896MB 448-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card

Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case

 

[Winly]

one different is that a 32bit operating system only can recognize up to 3GB of memory or 3. something GB, while a 64bit operating system can recognize more than 3GB. so right now you are only using 3GB of RAM instead of 4GB. also they are a lot of programs for 32bit operating system than for a 64bit. in fact you may find a problem when installing a 32bit application in a 64bit operating system, in some cases they dont install at all or just dont work properly and therefore you have to see if the provider have a 64bit version in order for that particular program to run properly.

 

[laserpp]

ohh really, when i first used my computer is said i had only 3gb but i did something, downloaded some updates for windows and now when i go to my system tab in control panel it says 4gb

 

[cjl]

Yeah, but it's only saying that. Actual usable is still only 3.something GB. 64 bit allows it to truly take full advantage of 4GB or more (I'm running 6GB right now).

 

[Winly]

yeah, after you install windows Vista Service Pack 1 it actually recognize the 4GB of RAM, but im not sure if the operating system uses it. but im pretty sure it only uses 3. something GB of RAM

 

[laserpp]

should 3gb of ram be fine for me if I really only watch movies, play CS and L4D, and work (online poker with mult tables running)?? plus dont really want to find out my programs dont work on the 64bit

 

[Winly]

you will be fine with 3GB of RAM, but if you want to take full advantage of 4 you will have to upgrade to a 64bit Operating System. its your choice, but 3GB is fine if you dont do anything massive.

 

[bobbknight]

ohh really, when i first used my computer is said i had only 3gb but i did something, downloaded some updates for windows and now when i go to my system tab in control panel it says 4gb

LOL that's right it's magic.

 

[PsyKhiqZero]

Vista 32 to 64 bit keys are interchangeable. So as long as you know someone with a vista x64 disk then you can switch whenever you fee like it. Though I must say that I run the 64 bit version of vista and have not come across a program that would work in vista 32 and not in vista 64

 

[jitpublisher]

Yeah, when Vista came out and it was made known what a memory hog it was, and RAM fell in price so low that buying 4gig was simply an automatic thing to do, Microsoft was overwhelmed with people who did not know about the 4 gig 32bit OS memory barrier.... wanting to know why all of their memory was not working. So they changed the display to simply show how much installed RAM (Random Access Memory) you have, not what it is able to use. What everyone fails to think about when they ask this question is that there is much more memory in your system than just the RAM that you physically install into your memory slots.
A 32 bit OS can use a max of 4 gig of memory. But this must include ALL of the memory in your system, such as memory on your video cards, CPU cache, HDD cache, controller memory, etc.
Windows will assign all of this internal memory on your hardware for use first, then whatever ever is left over that makes up to a total of 4gig is finally lastly addressed and available for your main memory, or RAM. Now the amount of memory Windows is showing that you have is not accounting for all this background memory it must address to be able to use, it is only showing how much RAM you have for usage(and remember with the update to Vista, it is now simply displaying how much memory you have installed, not how much it can actually use). This is usually on the average system with 1 -512meg video card, around 3~3.4gig of memory. If you add another 512 meg video card for instance to run Crossfire or SLI, then you would only have 2.3~2.8gig of main memory left for use.
See how that works?

 

[laserpp]

wow really, so my vid card is almost like 1gb so i really only have like 2gb of ram working if that bc of other things that use memory. So i guess i will buy vista 64bit

 

[laserpp]

Is there a way to like buy and download vista home 64bit over the internet?

 

[laserpp]

So apparently I have to buy vista ultimate to get 64bit and there was a huge problem with it so i have to like wait 3-5weeks for it.

 

[B_Cox]

While you are at it, the i7's like triple channel ram, so you should pick up another 2 gb of ram so you have 6 gigs overall