Athalon 64 x2 and Win 8.1 - 32 or 64 bit?

[yoderc]

I have a m2n sli deluxe mb with Athalon 64 x2 5600 cpu. I'm now being force to upgrade from Win xp pro SP3; too many programs have updated themselves and they no longer work in XP :twisted:.

I bought the full version of Win 8.1 and it comes with both 32 bit and 64 bit versions. I don't know which would be better for me.

I've been doing some research and saw something about older Athalon's don't support the 64 bit version, but couldn't pin down if my cpu was one of them.

A little bit of cpuz's results:

Processor 1 (ID = 0)
Number of cores        2 (max 2)
Number of threads    2 (max 2)
Name            AMD Athlon 64 X2 5600+
Codename        Windsor
Specification        AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 5600+
Package            Socket AM2 (940)
CPUID            F.3.3
Extended CPUID        F.43
Brand ID        4
Core Stepping        JH-F3
Technology        90 nm
Core Speed        2813.1 MHz (14.0 x 200.9 MHz)
HT Link speed        1004.7 MHz
Stock frequency        2800 MHz
Instructions sets    MMX (+), 3DNow! (+), SSE, SSE2, SSE3, x86-64
L1 Data cache        2 x 64 KBytes, 2-way set associative, 64-byte line size
L1 Instruction cache    2 x 64 KBytes, 2-way set associative, 64-byte line size
L2 cache        2 x 1024 KBytes, 16-way set associative, 64-byte line size
FID/VID Control        yes
max FID            14.0x
max VID            1.350 V
Features        XD, VT

Questions:
1. Can i use either or am I limited to the 32 bit version.
2. Is one of the versions better than the other? Stronger, faster, more stable?

The main use of the computer is gaming (DDO mostly). I'll probably turn all the new windows crap off if i can. I've got other devices, but see no need to sync them all up.

If you need more details, lemme know. Any help is appreciated. oh, and i just doubled my ram to 8 gig if it matters.

- yoderc

 

[LTC8K6]

"Athlon 64" didn't mean anything to you? :biggrin:

64bit please. You can also use more ram that way.

http://www.cpu-world.com/CPUs/K8/AMD-Athlon 64 X2 5600+ - ADA5600IAA6CZ (ADA5600CZBOX).html

 

[Z15CAM]

Opp's! Disregard my post - I was thinking Toledo Socket 939 and DDR 1 (400) not Windsor Socket 570 AM2 using DDR2 ;o)

But I would stick with Win7 64-Bit SP1 for an old DDR2 DeskTop capable of running over 4 GB's of Ram , not Win8, as 8 was designed for LapTops, Tabloids and Touch Screens with low voltages.

Win7 32-Bit OS only uses a Max of 4 GB's of Ram.

 

[LTC8K6]

Win8.1 64bit will be fine, imo.

The fact that it has features for touch screens won't hurt anything.

It will be quite a change from XP.

 

[Z15CAM]

OK. Go for Win 8.1 64-Bit. It's not that much diff from Win7 64-Bit Sp1 but you will loose your Customary XP Start Menu which MS has attempted to bring back "By Demand" with their flakey WinX.

I doubt WinX has has the VGA Chipset drivers for the AMD 570 Socket AM2 Windsor CPU - Maybe 3 Parties have AM2 ChipSet Driver for WinX but I would not want to go there.

I recommend Win7 64-Bit Sp1 over Win8.1 for your platform as Win7 most likely provides the Best Drivers and will accept 3 Party Drivers for your attached Hardware of that Era more readily then Win8.

Good Luck with that old platform - She's still fast enough - As LT6K8 says "It will be quite a change from XP" 32-Bit to a 64-Bit OS - Win7 or Win8.1. Go for it have fun ;o)

 

[Hi-Fi Man]

Windows 8.1+ 64 bit requires the CMPXCHG16B instruction, socket 939 CPUs do not have the required CMPXCHG16B instruction but socket AM2 CPUs do though.

Since Windsor is a socket AM2 CPU I say go for it.

 

[Z15CAM]

Getting Off topic from Socket 940 (570?) AM2 - Getting to Old for all this confusion:

Hi-Fi Man: OK! Your saying and I know an AMD Socket 939 Toledo will load XP 64-Bit, Win7 SP1 64-Bit and Win7 32-Bit.

NOT Win8 - Good Point; however, irrelevant in this thread but a Very Interesting Observation and Conclusion, from you, for Members to understand the description of the OP's Platform - Which I almost jumped to with a wrong conclusion - I got duped by the OP's reference to the Athlon 64 x's 2 thinking Toledo 939 socket rather then the Windsor Socket 940 AM2 - Should have read his CPUZ result more closely - Forgive Me.

However; I still can't see any benefit Win8.1 has over Win7 SP1 64-Bit when it comes to a DeskTop Platform without a Touch Screen and you loose the Start Menu.

If you are use to XP File Explorer Navigation, Win7 is blessing over Win 8.1 ;o)

 

[superunknown98]

He should be able to upgrade to windows 10 if he wants the start menu back.

 

[SPBHM]

no reason to use a x86 OS if you have more than 2GB of ram IMO

I have my Athlon 64 X2 running 8/8.1 x64 since launch in 2012, it works well.

 

[yoderc]

Thanks for the replies, guys.

It's good to know my cpu isn't so ancient it won't support the 64bit OS.

When I saw both versions of 8.1 in the box, it made me wonder if there was some benefit of installing Win 8.1 32 over 64, specifically.

I've already committed to the 8.1 so the references to Win 7 don't help much (and frankly, just confused me ). I'm jumping from Win XP to 8.1.

"Athlon 64" didn't mean anything to you? :biggrin:

That 64 printed on the cpu wasn't a guarantee of a 64 bit OS; i was limited running Win XP at 32 bit (for some unremembered reason). I wasn't assuming anything anymore...that's why I asked .

So the consensus seems to be: 64 platform. Done!

Thanks again for the help

 

[Leyawiin]

Confused or not you should have gotten Windows 7 for that old rig. I'm not even sure if the 32 bit version of 8.1 will install (it theoretically can support it, but Microsoft might not allow it - guess you'll soon find out).

 

[Ketchup]

I am a bit surprised that no one has actually asked you how much RAM you have (unless I missed it).

If you have 3 GB or less, go 32-bit. 4 or more, go 64. And if you don't like the start screen, 10 will be a free upgrade, and will bring the start menu back.

 

[LTC8K6]

He has 8gb of ram so he must go 64bit.

 

[Ketchup]

He has 8gb of ram so he must go 64bit.

Yep.