I'm thinking of getting Windows 7 Professional since shops are selling OEM versions (which are cheap) and I suspect that Microsoft will soon put a halt to that.

But should I go for the 32bit or 64bit version? And why?

Might as well go with 64 bit so you are already prepared for 64 bit apps when you get them.

Yeah, go 64 bit. It comes with an XP virtual machine you can run any 32 bit stuff in that doesn't work on 7.

I was using WIndows 7 as a program tester for MS. None of my software , Nero, Cyberlink,WInTV etc, were compatable with it . There were no drivers for any of the 3 printers I owned. I cant see paying good money to replace software that still works with WIndows XP Pro.
I have the WIndows Release Canidate DVD disk with an extra Ser # if you want to play with it. It will work till July 2010 I think it was.
I had it on a second hard drive, but it was a pain. If I wanted to print something or burn a DVD/CD I had to switch HDD's. I got tired of the hassel and put a copy of XP on the HDD for a backup disk.

I use Acronis 7 on a Master HDD disk. If I mess up my working HDD, it takes about 7 mins to write the whole drive over. Beats reloading software and Windows Updates.

I have used 64bit OSes for the last 3 years without a problem. Very rarely do I run into issues with driver support.

quote Originally posted by hklvette: I have used 64bit OSes for the last 3 years without a problem. Very rarely do I run into issues with driver support.

It wasn't a problem with the 32 or 64 bit, it was Windows 7 Drivers were non existant. I am not gonna but a new laser preinter and inkjet printer for color prints so MS can sell a new operating system. My WinTV is an antique now. But it still works great in XP. Vista had a driver for it after a while as part of Windodws UpDate

[This message has been edited by josef644 (edited 10-28-2009).]

Does the 32bit version of Windows 7 still has the 3.5GB RAM limit?

quote Originally posted by Cliff Pennock: Does the 32bit version of Windows 7 still has the 3.5GB RAM limit?

Yes. It is the fact that it is a 32 bit system. Anything over 3.5 gigs needs 64 bit to run properly.

quote Originally posted by Synthesis: Yes. It is the fact that it is a 32 bit system. Anything over 3.5 gigs needs 64 bit to run properly.

I understand that's a 32-bit limit, but I was hoping they implemented some clever page-switching this time around.

quote Originally posted by Cliff Pennock: I understand that's a 32-bit limit, but I was hoping they implemented some clever page-switching this time around.

No. With Vista 64 becoming a mainstream OS, even though Vista in general was despised, Windows 7 64 is going to become the mainstream. No reason for MS to implement any page-switching. I am on 7x64 right now, and it is running very well.

If you have a 64-bit processor, then there's no reason not to get the 64-bit version of Win7... unless you happen to have one of those rare (read: old) apps that won't run on a 64-bit OS.

quote Originally posted by Blacktree: If you have a 64-bit processor, then there's no reason not to get the 64-bit version of Win7... unless you happen to have one of those rare (read: old) apps that won't run on a 64-bit OS.

With XP mode, there is no reason not to get the 64-bit version of 7.

If you get a retail Windows 7 copy it comes with both 32/64bit versions.

Need 64bit for the newer processors and for machines with 4gb's or more.

I have 64 bit on order from work, just waiting to find out about shipping. Vista 64 has ran just about everything I have asked it to.

quote Originally posted by Blacktree: If you have a 64-bit processor, then there's no reason not to get the 64-bit version of Win7... unless you happen to have one of those rare (read: old) apps that won't run on a 64-bit OS.

That's what I'm worried about. I have several "old" applications on my machine of which I have no idea if they will work on 64-bit or not. Amongst them are:

• Visual Studio 97
  
• Visual Studio 6.0
  
• Embedded Visual C++ 4.0

I absolutely need these programs working.

quote Originally posted by Cliff Pennock: That's what I'm worried about. I have several "old" applications on my machine of which I have no idea if they will work on 64-bit or not. Amongst them are: Visual Studio 97 Visual Studio 6.0 Embedded Visual C++ 4.0 I absolutely need these programs working.

I haven’t had a chance to play with Windows 7 but I have had Vista 64 for a while now, several of my work applications just didn’t want to work correctly. There were work around that would let me do the same thing but you get use to something. What I did was install virtual pc 2007 and just used XP, I would just run the VM at full screen and forget that I was on a VM, it worked fine and I got my old programs back and didn’t have to use the new VPN client.

I haven’t tried it yet on an XP PC but VMware Converter will let you make a copy of your existing computer and then you should be able to use VMware player to run the VM but I haven’t played with it because I found that VMware player took more resources than MS VPC

We have used the VMware converter to convert over 50 windows servers to VMs without any issues, they work the same way they did on physical hardware.

Hope this helps
Jake

quote Originally posted by Blacktree: If you have a 64-bit processor, then there's no reason not to get the 64-bit version of Win7... unless you happen to have one of those rare (read: old) apps that won't run on a 64-bit OS.

Thats why god made virtual machines..

You can install it for 30 days without a license key if you want to just check it out. I stuck a second drive in one of my test machines and loaded 7 pro x64 to give it a trial run. I'm pretty happy with it so far, it's a buttload faster than either XP or Vista, and have had no problems with drivers or software computability. Grab a torrent copy to try out.

quote Originally posted by Cliff Pennock: That's what I'm worried about. I have several "old" applications on my machine of which I have no idea if they will work on 64-bit or not. Amongst them are: Visual Studio 97 Visual Studio 6.0 Embedded Visual C++ 4.0 I absolutely need these programs working.

cliff, omg visual studio 97?!?!?!
i have a msdn account, would you like a newer version? send me a PM, the only thing i cant get you is the team edition... i can get you almost anything else tho.
itll take a little getting used to, but SOOOOO much better...

Well, with Windows 7 Ultimate x64 installed on my main system last night, I had a ton of issues with my video configuration...

It turns out that Windows 7 has problems with two discreet graphics cards running more than two discreet displays at the same time.

Whenever I would try to enable the third and fourth displays on my system, my primary 20" LCD would go corrupt, and the system would just spazz for about 60 seconds before reverting to normal. When I plug my XP Pro SP3 drive back in, the system booted fine and everything worked.

Both cards are nVidia PCI-Express, one is a 7900 and the other is a Quadro FX 5500 running in independent mode from each other.

Other than that issue, everything works fine. As soon as I pulled the Quadro out, the system went back to "normal" mode.

I will be installing x32 tonight instead, and seeing how it does with multiple displays. I need my Quadro..

quote Originally posted by Synthesis: Well, with Windows 7 Ultimate x64 installed on my main system last night, I had a ton of issues with my video configuration... It turns out that Windows 7 has problems with two discreet graphics cards running more than two discreet displays at the same time. Whenever I would try to enable the third and fourth displays on my system, my primary 20" LCD would go corrupt, and the system would just spazz for about 60 seconds before reverting to normal. When I plug my XP Pro SP3 drive back in, the system booted fine and everything worked. Both cards are nVidia PCI-Express, one is a 7900 and the other is a Quadro FX 5500 running in independent mode from each other. Other than that issue, everything works fine. As soon as I pulled the Quadro out, the system went back to "normal" mode. I will be installing x32 tonight instead, and seeing how it does with multiple displays. I need my Quadro..

really? im running 3 cards wth 4 displays + tv, no issues so far.

id more assume it was the quadro card drivers, and not windows 7, ive heard other people having issues w/ quadro's + other card's...

quote Originally posted by hookdonspeed: really? im running 3 cards wth 4 displays + tv, no issues so far. id more assume it was the quadro card drivers, and not windows 7, ive heard other people having issues w/ quadro's + other card's...

That very well could be all it is. I have another 7900, a different revision I could pop into the system instead, but that would mean taking my Media Center down for the count...

I was googling all night to find something about the issues I was having, but 7 is too new to really have anything solid on it yet.

itll give ya something to do when you get bored one day and if the problem goes away, then you know whats up :P

quote Originally posted by Synthesis: Well, with Windows 7 Ultimate x64 installed on my main system last night, I had a ton of issues with my video configuration... It turns out that Windows 7 has problems with two discreet graphics cards running more than two discreet displays at the same time.

Guy at work had same problem yesterday. cant tell you what cards, but what worked in XP didnt work in 7, so he had to get another video card. Glad i dont run windows at the office natively

quote Originally posted by User00013170: Guy at work had same problem yesterday. cant tell you what cards, but what worked in XP didnt work in 7, so he had to get another video card. Glad i dont run windows at the office natively

Heh, this is my home PC. :P

quote Originally posted by User00013170: Thats why god made virtual machines..

If your computer is running the 64-bit version of Win7, does the "XP mode" also run at 64-bit? Or does it run at 32-bit?

quote Originally posted by hookdonspeed: cliff, omg visual studio 97?!?!?! i have a msdn account, would you like a newer version? send me a PM, the only thing i cant get you is the team edition... i can get you almost anything else tho. itll take a little getting used to, but SOOOOO much better...

I disagree they are better. I have tried every version of VS since 97 and for a lot of programming work I still use VB5. I've written programs in VB5 that even people using MS latest and greatest VS can't do (in fact, I remember a guy from MS looking at one of my programs and he had no clue how I did it - in any language let alone VB5). Unlike any other version, VB5 is a true compiler (as opposed to a JIT compiler) with easy access to the Windows API. Of course there are things VB5 & VB6 don't do like multithreading, but when I need that, I'll just use C++.

The only reason I use .NET is when I need cross-platform compatibility.

Both disks are in the upgrade version and need no new keys to operate them. (32 and 64 bit disks) Also you can change versions if needed and use the same key.

quote Originally posted by Cliff Pennock: That's what I'm worried about. I have several "old" applications on my machine of which I have no idea if they will work on 64-bit or not. Amongst them are: .. I absolutely need these programs working.

I was half expecting to see "Pennock's Fiero Forum" on that list.

"old" in computer terms means anything that is already on the street. I'm a bit afraid of Windows 7, but I'll wait until I need a new computer and get it pre-installed.

was talking about this with a buddy last night. 64 bit takes less memory to run. most 32 bit systems are locked at a maximum of 3.5 gb, meaning you COULD have 4+ gig of ram in your tower, but a 32 bit system only uses 3.5, or will register only 3.5 gig. i have windows 7 32 bit on my dell inspiron 1525 laptop, and it's fast as crap. id venture to say twice as fast as the XP pro that was on it prior. i would say go 64 bit as long as your processor supports 64 bit.

quote Originally posted by Blacktree: If your computer is running the 64-bit version of Win7, does the "XP mode" also run at 64-bit? Or does it run at 32-bit?

Im pretty sure its 32 bit, but if not virtual box is free and will let you choose.

quote Originally posted by jscott1: I was half expecting to see "Pennock's Fiero Forum" on that list.

The fact PFF has an uptime of about 100% should have given you a hint it's running on Linux.