Why so much dislike for XP64?

[IamDavid]

I was very hesitant to install XP64 after reading everything you all had to say about it. I waited nearly 6 months after purchasing it to finally install it. Sure it took an extra half hour or so to track down the drivers but other then that everything was just as easy as XP32.
I use my computer to play games (mainly Dungeon Siege 2 and FEAR), Photoshop for work, create movies and just about everything else you can think of.. Nothing runs "worse" in 64 then 32,infact I'd have to say Photoshop and the Video side runs better. Older games for the kids have no problems either.

I have now been up and running 64 for about a month with no problems, only rebooted twice. Maybe I'm just a lucky one but I HIGHLY recommend it for everyone..

 

[n0cmonkey]

I think most of the hate comes from people who have hardware without drivers or that has crappy drivers.

 

[Canterwood]

The only thing to dislike is the lack of driver support from certain hardware vendors.

In most cases on the desktop though, there's no performance gain in switching to x64 so its easier to stay 32bit for the time being.

 

[OdiN]

Here's why:

- No software for my wireless keyboard elite (and it's from MS =/)
- No drivers for my Visioneer Strobe XP200
- No drivers for my logitech webcam
- No drivers for my ATI HDTV Wonder
- No drivers for my Canon 20D
- No drivers for my Montego DDL

 

[Schadenfroh]

No drivers for my TV tuner
Alcohol 120% does not work
SB Audigy 2 drivers giving weird sound bugs
Been a while since nforce3 drivers have been updated (over a year)
Need For Speed MW said i needed to install DX9 and refused to go any further
Would get "windows system error" has occured every so often, probably due to the beta x64 nvidia nforce3 drivers.

I used it since its release (x64 that is) untill 2 days ago when i bought a copy of xp32bit and went back. I am happy again.

 

[Markbnj]

I don't dislike it, just don't see any reason to go that direction now. When 64-bit OS support swings to mainstream and the hardware guys write 64-bit drivers first, and then worry about backwards revisions to 32-bit, then I'll be there. Just no benefit from being the odd guy out on what is, after all, not Microsoft's end-game 64-bit operating system. XP 64 will be an orphan one way or another. Worth playing around with, I suppose, but not much else.

 

[jlbenedict]

XP x64 edition is more of a "filler" until Vista arrives..
Sort of like Windows Millenium edition was just released to suck up revenue

 

[cubby1223]

Originally posted by: jlbenedict
XP x64 edition is more of a "filler" until Vista arrives..
Sort of like Windows Millenium edition was just released to suck up revenue

It's different. WinME still could use most all Win98 drivers, so there weren't the combatibility issues like you see with XP x64.

 

[JackMDS]

If you have only one computer and it is loaded with Gizmos like the one mentioned above then stick with XP 32bit.

However if you have few computers, and a Network, install x64 and enjoy faster Internet, better Network, and get prepare for the future.

:sun:

 

[IamDavid]

Originally posted by: JackMDS
If you have only one computer and it is loaded with Gizmos like the one mentioned above then stick with XP 32bit.

However if you have few computers, and a Network, install x64 and enjoy faster Internet, better Network, and get prepare for the future.

:sun:

That's been my experience then.. Main PC XP64, the rest 32...

 

[Nothinman]

XP x64 edition is more of a "filler" until Vista arrives..

Technically every Windows release is filler until the next release arrives.

 

[timswim78]

Originally posted by: Nothinman

XP x64 edition is more of a "filler" until Vista arrives..

Technically every Windows release is filler until the next release arrives.

Truer words, about MS, were never spoken.

 

[xtknight]

I have no problems with X64 either besides Wolf: ET 32-bit's PB kicking me out of game and my TV tuner not detected. But otherwise I like it fine. Battlefield 2 works better than it does on 32-bit.

 

[SynthDude2001]

Yep, the main problem seems to be driver issues (mainly the lack of availability). There doesn't seem to be any HDTV tuner drivers available at all (for my tuner or any others, as far as I can tell), so until that's changed, the OS is unusable as a day-to-day system for me. It's kind of a shame too, since I wanted to experiment with 64-bit versions of media encoders and such (although I do have it in a dual-boot setup right now). Reminds me of when Windows 2000 first came on the scene - it was difficult to find drivers for anything (or even get software/games to work, in a lot of cases). In any case, the problem isn't so much with the operating system itself, as it is with hardware vendors being unwilling to write drivers for it. Does that much have to be changed in the code to make them compatible..?

 

[Doh!]

I guess the degree of required coding changes will vary depending on the type of drivers. However, I think it's not necessarily the difficulty of or time required to developing 64-bit drivers but rather the extra manpower to support the 64-bit drivers. Extra time for developing and supporting 64-bit drivers means extra cost. If the revenues generated from releasing 64-bit drivers do not exceed the related cost, I'm sure they'll elect not to release it. Unless the 64-bit OS is natively installed by companies like Dell or HP, it will be pretty difficult to find those much needed 64-bit drivers. I guess as Vista's release date gets closer, we'll see much better support for 64-bit drivers.

 

[SmackAHobo]

are all drivers out for 64 yet? Because i'm just pondering whether i should stay 32bit, or proceed to 64.

 

[SynthDude2001]

Originally posted by: SmackAHobo
are all drivers out for 64 yet? Because i'm just pondering whether i should stay 32bit, or proceed to 64.

Depends on what you mean by "all drivers". If all you need drivers for is a video card, sound card, and maybe printer...then you can usually find those without too much difficulty (if you own commonly used components). If you use TV tuners or other items...you may be out of luck. Overall, unless all your hardware is supported 100% already, I'd recommend staying with regular XP at this point unless you have specific software that could benefit from x64 (or setting up a dual boot, just to play with it).

 

[SmackAHobo]

ok, looks like i'll go with 64Bit

 

[gsellis]

Been around long enough to say I have seen the same complaints about Windows 2.0, 3.0, OS/2 2.0, 2.1, 3.0, Windows NT 3.1, 3.5(1), Windows 95, and Linux. Every new OS (excluding Windows 2, 3 - those were shells) has its teething issues with drivers, or lack there of. This requires the 'Same old, same old' tag

 

[Tom]

Faster internet ?

How much faster ? I don't mean in theory, but really.

Do stupid Flash ads load faster in XP64 ? cause that seems to be the main thing slowing down the internet to me.

 

[Nothinman]

Truer words, about MS, were never spoken.

It wasn't a knock on MS, every commercial product works like that. If they didn't, why even waste time working on new versions?

 

[Schadenfroh]

Originally posted by: Tom
Do stupid Flash ads load faster in XP64 ?

Yep, because flash does not work in IE64, only the 32 version of the browser (included with xp64), last i checked.

 

[Tom]

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh

Originally posted by: Tom
Do stupid Flash ads load faster in XP64 ?

Yep, because flash does not work in IE64, only the 32 version of the browser (included with xp64), last i checked.

That isn't the same as loading faster. The same thing can be accomplished in 32 bit Windows XP by not intalling Flash, or using some ad blocking software.

But my question remains about how much faster is real world internet use in XP64 ?

 

[Schadenfroh]

Originally posted by: Tom

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh

Originally posted by: Tom
Do stupid Flash ads load faster in XP64 ?

Yep, because flash does not work in IE64, only the 32 version of the browser (included with xp64), last i checked.

That isn't the same as loading faster. The same thing can be accomplished in 32 bit Windows XP by not intalling Flash, or using some ad blocking software.

But my question remains about how much faster is real world internet use in XP64 ?

You would not notice any speed change. Besides, you will find yourself using a 32bit browser on xp64 for flash, java, basically any plugin/extension does not work with IE64. Windows update also refuses to use ie64 and launches 32bit version of it when it is detected.

 

[WebDude]

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh

Originally posted by: Tom
Do stupid Flash ads load faster in XP64 ?

Yep, because flash does not work in IE64, only the 32 version of the browser (included with xp64), last i checked.

That is correct. Also there is no java to run under IE64, and given the tender loving relationship between Sun and MS there may never be.

I can understand that some hardware mfg'ers are slow to develop drivers for 64 bit. What I really wonder about is MS's commintment to the program. When they won't even provide 64bit software for their own hardware (like their keyboards and mice), you begin to ask yourself what's going on.