64bit Vista - any issues to be aware of?

Joe 90 · 16-10-2007, 17:51

Hey just wondering if there are any issues with installing a 64bit OS in terms of all my current 32bit apps etc.
and whats compatibility like now? do most bits of hardware work on 64bit now?

Wellington · 16-10-2007, 17:54

Just posted this in the other thread

http://www.boat-drinks.co.uk/showpos...4&postcount=14

Joe 90 · 16-10-2007, 18:11

cool thx

LeperousDust · 16-10-2007, 22:52

Apart from some dodgy hardware drivers, old scanners, audigy, maybe some notebook nvidia graphics and possibly some bluetooth dongles etc... everything else should be great.

It wouldnt suprise me if you're still subject to some of the awfulness of vista though... Maybe thats me being a bit rash, I still use it every day i'd just... rather not sometimes! Why do you need/want vista? There aren't that many reasons to upgrade really, only reason i have it is because it came with my new laptop and i didn't actually get a choice!

Mark · 16-10-2007, 23:01

The two biggest gotchas are 64-bit driver signing and compatibility with older software (mostly from the Win98 era and older but some newer stuff breaks too). Vista 64-bit is more memory hungry than 32-bit, so if you have less than 2GB, think about upgrading (with less than 1GB I'd avoid).

Joe 90 · 17-10-2007, 08:54

well i've got an audigy 4 and just 2gb(4x512) (always been fine with 32bit)

anyway, i'll stick it on tonight and see how things go - dual booting xp so wont lose too much if things go tits up.

Admiral Huddy · 17-10-2007, 09:56

64-bit Vista loaded last night on my workshop PC. I just installed over the top of the 32 bit version.. no problems there.

It does seem to take forever to load with no progress bar which is a little frustating.

So far, i've had the following driver issues :

nForce 3 - No chipset or sound drivers!!! According to nVidia, these are regarded as "Legacy" systems. I find this odd because the nForce 3 chipset is for 64-bit AMD processors??? I can understand thee being no drivers available for the nforce2 but not 3. As a result, no sound.

The wireless adaptor.. No 64 bit drivers on the Linksys website. However, it's picked up the 32bit version and seems to be working. Strangley, I had problems with the 32-bit version connecting to the Access Point. This doesn't seem to be a problem on the 64 bit.

no problems with the 6800GT drivers.

Apart from that, all updated and Avast installed.

I'm going to try loading a few apps I use including office 2003, see how they go.

I'm building my new PC on fridy. I'm hoping to use the Vista 64-bit providing all the tests I've done are ok. Otherwise, I'll install the 32-bit and investigate the issues after the build. I can't see drivers being a problem with the iP35 chipset and an 8800GTX

The only problem will be the X-Fi but the Alchemy utility sorts that out.

Performance.. Very slow on this build but I'm only using 1Gb of memory. Increasing the page noteably speeded things up a bit. I wasn't expecting much on this PC anyway, just wanted to see if it worked ok and was familiar with the set-up.

LeperousDust · 17-10-2007, 13:50

Huddy i think there were beta drivers released by nvidia for nf3 but they never got any further than that, i've heard they work fine if you can find em (they've been puled from the site but direct links still work) i dont even have an nf3 mobo so i cant say for sure but i've definately heard that...

Admiral Huddy · 24-10-2007, 10:22

Had a nightmare last night with sound

Firstly, the X-fi drivers didn't seem to want to load because they weren't certfied drivers aggghh.

and for some reason the device showed in device manager as just "Multimedia Sound Controller" or something like that.

Vista stated that "there is no audio output" - O'Rly

I gave up after a while and switched on the onboard sound and loaded the Realtek HD drivers.. this appeared to work although the quality wasn't great. But I have sound.. I'll come back to the X-fi problem.. so I reloaded BioShock (I still have only one level to go), reinstated the saved game.. then ran.. but there was no in-game sound .. excuse my langauge but **** **** **** ******!!!

Google search showed that there are in-game sound problems and that the program had to be lauched as administrator and ran as "XP SP2" program.. I don't want to run it in DX9!!! Although this worked for sound, I can't change the graphics setting up from 800 tut tut.

So back to the X-fi.. Tried reseating and reloaded the drivers. Nothing, so I slept on it..

This morning I tried again, and hey presto - it worked!!

The only difference I made was to

1. I connected the speakers to the card.
2. I answered "Yes" when being asked if I want to install the game controller driver????? I don't have a game port so answered no previously.

I know have sound from the X-Fi..

Back into Bioshock.. I have sound too.. horraa!!

Change the video settings... program falls over

- #kicks teddy across room#

I'll try re-installing the game tonight.. I'm wondering if by setting up and running a shortcut with "run as administrator" and "run as XP Sp2 program" has changed some .ini file somewhere.

CliffyG · 24-10-2007, 10:30

The only real issue i've had is that Peer Guardian doesn't work. Everything else has been got round by using the lastest version etc.

16-10-2007, 17:51	#1
Joe 90 Absinthe Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Chester Posts: 2,345	64bit Vista - any issues to be aware of? Hey just wondering if there are any issues with installing a 64bit OS in terms of all my current 32bit apps etc. and whats compatibility like now? do most bits of hardware work on 64bit now? __________________ 360 Blog \| Join GiffGaff \| Twitter

16-10-2007, 17:54	#2
Wellington Long Island Iced Tea Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Cranham, Upminster, Essex Posts: 293	Just posted this in the other thread http://www.boat-drinks.co.uk/showpos...4&postcount=14 __________________

16-10-2007, 18:11	#3
Joe 90 Absinthe Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Chester Posts: 2,345	cool thx __________________ 360 Blog \| Join GiffGaff \| Twitter

16-10-2007, 22:52	#4
LeperousDust Bananaman Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Liverpool/Edinburgh Posts: 4,817	Apart from some dodgy hardware drivers, old scanners, audigy, maybe some notebook nvidia graphics and possibly some bluetooth dongles etc... everything else should be great. It wouldnt suprise me if you're still subject to some of the awfulness of vista though... Maybe thats me being a bit rash, I still use it every day i'd just... rather not sometimes! Why do you need/want vista? There aren't that many reasons to upgrade really, only reason i have it is because it came with my new laptop and i didn't actually get a choice! __________________

17-10-2007, 08:54	#6
Joe 90 Absinthe Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Chester Posts: 2,345	well i've got an audigy 4 and just 2gb(4x512) (always been fine with 32bit) anyway, i'll stick it on tonight and see how things go - dual booting xp so wont lose too much if things go tits up. __________________ 360 Blog \| Join GiffGaff \| Twitter

16-10-2007, 23:01	#5
Mark Screaming Orgasm Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Newbury Posts: 15,194	The two biggest gotchas are 64-bit driver signing and compatibility with older software (mostly from the Win98 era and older but some newer stuff breaks too). Vista 64-bit is more memory hungry than 32-bit, so if you have less than 2GB, think about upgrading (with less than 1GB I'd avoid).

17-10-2007, 09:56	#7
Admiral Huddy HOMO-Sapien Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Chelmsford Posts: 6,692	64-bit Vista loaded last night on my workshop PC. I just installed over the top of the 32 bit version.. no problems there. It does seem to take forever to load with no progress bar which is a little frustating. So far, i've had the following driver issues : nForce 3 - No chipset or sound drivers!!! According to nVidia, these are regarded as "Legacy" systems. I find this odd because the nForce 3 chipset is for 64-bit AMD processors??? I can understand thee being no drivers available for the nforce2 but not 3. As a result, no sound. The wireless adaptor.. No 64 bit drivers on the Linksys website. However, it's picked up the 32bit version and seems to be working. Strangley, I had problems with the 32-bit version connecting to the Access Point. This doesn't seem to be a problem on the 64 bit. no problems with the 6800GT drivers. Apart from that, all updated and Avast installed. I'm going to try loading a few apps I use including office 2003, see how they go. I'm building my new PC on fridy. I'm hoping to use the Vista 64-bit providing all the tests I've done are ok. Otherwise, I'll install the 32-bit and investigate the issues after the build. I can't see drivers being a problem with the iP35 chipset and an 8800GTX The only problem will be the X-Fi but the Alchemy utility sorts that out. Performance.. Very slow on this build but I'm only using 1Gb of memory. Increasing the page noteably speeded things up a bit. I wasn't expecting much on this PC anyway, just wanted to see if it worked ok and was familiar with the set-up. __________________ I just got lost in thought.. It was very unfamiliar territory. Techie Talk \| My gaming Blog \| PC spec \| The Admirals log Last edited by Admiral Huddy; 17-10-2007 at 10:00.

17-10-2007, 13:50	#8
LeperousDust Bananaman Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Liverpool/Edinburgh Posts: 4,817	Huddy i think there were beta drivers released by nvidia for nf3 but they never got any further than that, i've heard they work fine if you can find em (they've been puled from the site but direct links still work) i dont even have an nf3 mobo so i cant say for sure but i've definately heard that... __________________

24-10-2007, 10:22	#9
Admiral Huddy HOMO-Sapien Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Chelmsford Posts: 6,692	Had a nightmare last night with sound Firstly, the X-fi drivers didn't seem to want to load because they weren't certfied drivers aggghh. and for some reason the device showed in device manager as just "Multimedia Sound Controller" or something like that. Vista stated that "there is no audio output" - O'Rly I gave up after a while and switched on the onboard sound and loaded the Realtek HD drivers.. this appeared to work although the quality wasn't great. But I have sound.. I'll come back to the X-fi problem.. so I reloaded BioShock (I still have only one level to go), reinstated the saved game.. then ran.. but there was no in-game sound .. excuse my langauge but ** **!!! Google search showed that there are in-game sound problems and that the program had to be lauched as administrator and ran as "XP SP2" program.. I don't want to run it in DX9!!! Although this worked for sound, I can't change the graphics setting up from 800 tut tut. So back to the X-fi.. Tried reseating and reloaded the drivers. Nothing, so I slept on it.. This morning I tried again, and hey presto - it worked!! The only difference I made was to 1. I connected the speakers to the card. 2. I answered "Yes" when being asked if I want to install the game controller driver????? I don't have a game port so answered no previously. I know have sound from the X-Fi.. Back into Bioshock.. I have sound too.. horraa!! Change the video settings... program falls over - #kicks teddy across room# I'll try re-installing the game tonight.. I'm wondering if by setting up and running a shortcut with "run as administrator" and "run as XP Sp2 program" has changed some .ini file somewhere. __________________ I just got lost in thought.. It was very unfamiliar territory. Techie Talk \| My gaming Blog \| PC spec \| The Admirals log** Last edited by Admiral Huddy; 24-10-2007 at 10:24.

24-10-2007, 10:30	#10
CliffyG Vodka Martini Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Lower Cambourne Posts: 576	The only real issue i've had is that Peer Guardian doesn't work. Everything else has been got round by using the lastest version etc. __________________

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