Unfortunately, my chipset supports a max of 4GB and that is what I
have installed. This means that both 32 and 64 bit OSs have the same
amount of memory available, viz 3.12 GB. See MSKB 929605 for more
info.

Are there any performance benefits in this situation to using 64 bits
over 32 bits (Windows and/or Linux)? I am only interested in better
performance and nothing else like driver availability.
--

Cheers,

DrT

** Stress - the condition brought about by having to
** resist the temptation to beat the living daylights
** out of someone who richly deserves it.

On Mon, 29 Jun 2009 22:37:36 +0100, DrTeeth
wrote:

Unfortunately, my chipset supports a max of 4GB and that is what I
have installed. This means that both 32 and 64 bit OSs have the same
amount of memory available, viz 3.12 GB. See MSKB 929605 for more
info.

Are there any performance benefits in this situation to using 64 bits
over 32 bits (Windows and/or Linux)? I am only interested in better
performance and nothing else like driver availability.



My standard reply, which goes beyond your situation.

The advantage of running a 64-bit version of Windows basically exists
only if you also run 64-bit applications under it. Bear in mind that
there are very few such applications available yet. If you are
presently running 32-bit Windows, you don't have any 64-bit
applications, so to achieve any advantage, you not only have to
replace Windows, but also your applications, *if* (and that's a big
"if") 64-bit versions exist.

Also note that you will need 64-bit drivers for all your hardware.
Those drivers may not all be available, especially if some of your
hardware is a few years old. So it's possible that you might also have
to replace things like your printer, scanner, etc.

So the answer to your question is that it may not be a great idea
right now. That will undoubtedly change in the near future, but for
now, 64-bit Windows mostly means some extra trouble and expense for
little or no benefit.

On the other hand, installing 64-bit Windows instead of 32-bit Windows
makes you able to buy 64-bit software as it becomes available, instead
of the older 32-bit versions. That means that installing 64-bit
Windows--even though it may do very little for you at present--puts
you into a better position for the future.

One additional point: the 64-bit version lets you use more than the
approximately 3.1GB of RAM that the 32-bit version can use. Very few
people need or can make effective use of more than 3.1GB, but if you
are one of them, that's something else to consider.


--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

Does your chipset (Board) support 64 bit OS?

Applications must be specificaally written to take advantage of a 64 bit
system.. Win 64 OS will creagte teo two Program Files folders - one for 32
and one for 64 applications.

"DrTeeth" wrote in message
...
Unfortunately, my chipset supports a max of 4GB and that is what I
have installed. This means that both 32 and 64 bit OSs have the same
amount of memory available, viz 3.12 GB. See MSKB 929605 for more
info.

Are there any performance benefits in this situation to using 64 bits
over 32 bits (Windows and/or Linux)? I am only interested in better
performance and nothing else like driver availability.
--

Cheers,

DrT

** Stress - the condition brought about by having to
** resist the temptation to beat the living daylights
** out of someone who richly deserves it.


Two benefits of 64bit even if only 4gb RAM is as good as it gets:

You get to use ALL of the memory

You can open more stuff (multitask) without suffering a crash

It will not be any faster when running 32bit applications, but I have
noticed that IE 8 64bit is faster to load my Pageflakes home page

As long as you can get 64bit drivers for all of your external hardware, give
it a whirl..

--

Mike Hall - MVP Windows Experience
http://msmvps.com/blogs/mikehall/

Unfortunately, my chipset supports a max of 4GB and that is what I
have installed. This means that both 32 and 64 bit OSs have the same
amount of memory available, viz 3.12 GB. See MSKB 929605 for more
info.

Are there any performance benefits in this situation to using 64 bits
over 32 bits (Windows and/or Linux)? I am only interested in better
performance and nothing else like driver availability.
--

Since you're only seeing 3.12 GB with a 32 bit OS you would get almost a
full gig more with 64 bit. That would improve performance if you
sufficiently load the system - you would be able to run more applications
before the system would have to start using the page file. An important
issue is whether or not the BIOS supports memory mapping above the 4 GB
address space. In order for the OS to use all 4 GB for itself and
applications the memory addresses for hardware need to be moved up.

On Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:51:16 -0400, just as I was about to take a
herb, "Mike Hall - MVP" disturbed my reverie and
wrote:

You get to use ALL of the memory

See the MSKB, not if the chipset's maximum supported memory is
installed...as in my case.
--

Cheers,

DrT

** Stress - the condition brought about by having to
** resist the temptation to beat the living daylights
** out of someone who richly deserves it.

On Mon, 29 Jun 2009 18:50:48 -0700, just as I was about to take a
herb, "Victek" disturbed my reverie and
wrote:

Since you're only seeing 3.12 GB with a 32 bit OS you would get almost a
full gig more with 64 bit.

No, no, no.

I have already said that both 32 and 64 bit OSs see the same amount of
memory and I gave a reference in the form of an MSKB to show exactly
why.
--

Cheers,

DrT

** Stress - the condition brought about by having to
** resist the temptation to beat the living daylights
** out of someone who richly deserves it.

On Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:51:16 -0400, just as I was about to take a
herb, "Mike Hall - MVP" disturbed my reverie and
wrote:

It will not be any faster when running 32bit applications, but I have
noticed that IE 8 64bit is faster to load my Pageflakes home page

I have noticed that the 32bit version of IE8 is used in a 64 bit
version of Win7. Are you SURE of the 'bitness' of the version of IE
you are using?
--

Cheers,

DrT

** Stress - the condition brought about by having to
** resist the temptation to beat the living daylights
** out of someone who richly deserves it.

"DrTeeth" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:51:16 -0400, just as I was about to take a
herb, "Mike Hall - MVP" disturbed my reverie and
wrote:

It will not be any faster when running 32bit applications, but I have
noticed that IE 8 64bit is faster to load my Pageflakes home page

I have noticed that the 32bit version of IE8 is used in a 64 bit
version of Win7. Are you SURE of the 'bitness' of the version of IE
you are using?
--

Cheers,

DrT

** Stress - the condition brought about by having to
** resist the temptation to beat the living daylights
** out of someone who richly deserves it.


Yes.. there are two versions of IE8.. I use the 64bit version..

--

Mike Hall - MVP Windows Experience
http://msmvps.com/blogs/mikehall/

"DrTeeth" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:51:16 -0400, just as I was about to take a
herb, "Mike Hall - MVP" disturbed my reverie and
wrote:

You get to use ALL of the memory

See the MSKB, not if the chipset's maximum supported memory is
installed...as in my case.
--

Cheers,

DrT

** Stress - the condition brought about by having to
** resist the temptation to beat the living daylights
** out of someone who richly deserves it.


Windows 32bit sees the extra memory but can't use it

Windows 64bit sees the extra memory abd can use it..

--

Mike Hall - MVP Windows Experience
http://msmvps.com/blogs/mikehall/