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Vista: Should I Install 64bit or 32bit Version?

link: original article - section: windows

Deciding which Vista version to install can be a difficult decision and can really limit what you can do with your system. Here are practical hints which should help a user decide which version to install. I decided to write this guide after installing 64-bit and 32-bit vista systems on several test boxes.

With the gaining popularity of 64-bit chipsets/processors, many users now have the ability to run either 64-bit versions (x64) or 32-bit versions (x86) of software and operating systems. However, if you only have a 32-bit processor, your choice is easy...

You can only install the x64 version of Vista if you have a 64-bit processor.

For those with 64-bit processors, it seems obvious that installing the x64 version of vista would be ideal. The x64 version has increased security based around the 64-bit structure and programs compiled for 64-bit processors will likely run faster.

What's the problem with installing Vista x64 on a 64-bit system?

1. Most hardware does not currently have 64-bit drivers.

Out of all the boxes that I have installed x64 Vista on, I could always get it to boot up. However, the lack of 64-bit drivers for many hardware devices typically left me without any chance of burning DVDs or listening to audio. Networking devices and card readers were frequently not supported as well. Vista x64 is pretty but it's not very fun without network access or audio.

2. In Vista x64, any driver that is not properly signed will not be able to enter the kernel and will fail to load.

Think how many times you have ignored that warning that a certain hardware driver is not properly signed. With vista x64, if your driver has not be blessed by Microsoft, it will not work. Forget about it.

I have tired to get around this by booting with the F8 option Disable Driver Signature. It doesn't make a difference.

3. Vista x64 currently does not backward support most x86 (32-bit) drivers.

For the most part 64-bit systems run 32-bit applications very well. However, vista x64 doesn't run x86 drivers... at least at this stage.

4. Vista x64 does not support 16-bit software.

You may think that you never, ever run 16-bit software. However, XP actually handles this legacy fairly well.

5. Very little x64 software currently exists.

x64 software runs better on a x64 system with an x64 OS. Currently, however, there is very little x64 software out there. If you have that magical combination, you do get a nice performance boost. Currently, however, this combination is way to far ahead of the curve.

Windows Vista Benchmark:

Windows Vista Ultimate	32-Bit	64-Bit
Integer Performance
Emulate 6502
single-threaded scalar	47	45.8
multi-threaded scalar	46.7	62.1
Blowfish
single-threaded scalar	106.5	118.7
multi-threaded scalar	106.5	119.6
bzip2 Compress
single-threaded scalar	160.1	172.3
multi-threaded scalar	157.6	95.3
bzip2 Decompress
single-threaded scalar	129.1	139.4
multi-threaded scalar	133.6	143.9
Floating Point Performance
Mandelbrot
single-threaded scalar	108	77.6
multi-threaded scalar	108.1	98
Dot Product
single-threaded scalar	50.9	150.9
multi-threaded scalar	50.6	150.2
single-threaded vector	124.4	196.5
multi-threaded vector	122.2	196.6
JPEG Compress
single-threaded scalar	104.8	103.9
multi-threaded scalar	105	103.1
JPEG Decompress
single-threaded scalar	97.8	115.3
multi-threaded scalar	97.9	114.4
Memory Performance
Read Sequential
single-threaded scalar	139.2	137.6
multi-threaded scalar	143.3	142.7
Write Sequential
single-threaded scalar	110	109.9
multi-threaded scalar	116	115.1
Stdlib Allocate
single-threaded scalar	129.2	92.2
multi-threaded scalar	126.9	92
Stdlib Write
single-threaded scalar	40.9	88.2
multi-threaded scalar	42.1	96.8
Stdlib Copy
single-threaded scalar	59.7	100.3
multi-threaded scalar	66.4	105.5
Stream Performance
Stream Copy
single-threaded scalar	103.9	106.2
multi-threaded scalar	104.5	106.2
single-threaded vector	97.3	96.3
multi-threaded vector	95.7	95.1
Stream Scale
single-threaded scalar	118	118.3
multi-threaded scalar	115.3	116.1
single-threaded vector	97.2	98.9
multi-threaded vector	95.6	97.1
Stream Add
single-threaded scalar	95.1	97.8
multi-threaded scalar	91.5	93.3
single-threaded vector	107.4	108
multi-threaded vector	103.4	103.7
Stream Triad
single-threaded scalar	84.1	90.2
multi-threaded scalar	81.3	87
single-threaded vector	86.4	87
multi-threaded vector	83.1	83.2

OVERALL:	99.8	110.7

Conclusion:

64-Bit version is FASTERN Than 32-Bit but most users with 64-bit hardware should install the 32-bit (x86) version of Vista.

Vista x64 is the turning point for operating systems as they transition to 64-bit. Currently, however, the majority of users will be very disappointed by installing Vista x64. The lack of 64-bit drivers for most current hardware will be very disappointing and frustrating to most users. Why push for 64-bit now anyway? The performance gains promised by 64-bit will not be seen for years until 64-bit compiled versions of software is the norm.