Windows 7 apps for 64 bit systems questions


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I am getting a new 64 bit system real soon. I know that you need 64 drivers, etc. My question is, when I download apps, some I do not see x86 or x64.

I hear all of you saying that you have all your Vista 64 stuff working in 7. My questions are->

What do you do when your downloading and your stuff don't have 64 bit software?

Are you running them in some x86 mode or something?

Is this bad?

Drivers for your hardware, any x64 issues in this day and age?

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I am getting a new 64 bit system real soon. I know that you need 64 drivers, etc. My question is, when I download apps, some I do not see x86 or x64.

I hear all of you saying that you have all your Vista 64 stuff working in 7. My questions are->

What do you do when your downloading and your stuff don't have 64 bit software?

Are you running them in some x86 mode or something?

Is this bad?

Drivers for your hardware, any x64 issues in this day and age?

I'm sure you could of found these answers if you looked harder.

it's running in "x86" and it's not "bad". The CPU just flips to 32bit\x86 mode. No Emulation.

And no you should be able to find 64-bit drivers no problem now a days.

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That about covers the lot of it then. My damn AV will run in x86 mode. Thanks Billmaster

Most AV software works on 64-bit Windows because it installs a 64-bit driver to interface with the OS. The AV software itself doesn't need to be 64-bit.

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I used to run NOD32 for years and years until 2007 when I found Avira. I don't think even Norton could slow down the Q9650 I ordered this morning! Thanks for teh good luck.

If any of you x64 users have any tips, please pass them along. I am not asking, nor expecting anyone to find these apps dl's. I am just stating what I install to see if there are any of you that run x64 now, that have what I have and its a PITA to install.... you kinda get the idea.

This list is really short, lol.

Firefox

Office 2007

Opera

gTalk

Malwarebytes AntiMalware

EDIT: I got the parts ordered. I'll be rebuilding this weekend. It was Oct 03 when I first built this one. I feel like a kid with a new toy on the way, lol.

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Been running Vista X64 for nearly a year totally problem free. As long as you have relatively modern hardware, you should have no issues at all.

For the record, you'll gain very little from using any 64 bit browser, personally I'd stick to the 32 bit versions as they work just as well, plus you get the benefit that there are X64 game engines for some games like Half-Life 2, FarCry, and UT2004, as well as the fact that you can use 4GB and more of ram.

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I made sure to order 4GB of RAM to start. I think the mobo can support up to 8 for expansion. I'll just my 32bit FFox and flash. Thanks again.

I'll keep a watch for apps parading around in 32bit as I install stuff. If my quad core flips to 32 bit to run Firefox, it only flips the Ffox processes to 32?

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This list is really short, lol.

Office 2007

Opera

No problems whatsoever with those.

I've been running XP64 since over three years now, and Win7 x64 since January. Never had any problems with apps or drivers. Apps that must be 64-bit (av, firewall) pretty much all have a 64-bit version avaiable, and driver-wise 64-bit support is also fine :cool:

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I'll keep a watch for apps parading around in 32bit as I install stuff. If my quad core flips to 32 bit to run Firefox, it only flips the Ffox processes to 32?

Only the 32-bit software is handled differently. You can see this in action in the Task Manager; 32-bit processes have "*32" appended at the end. Another thing you might notice is that 32-bit installation paths default to "Program Files (x86)", but this isn't a reliable way of telling what the program is actually going to run as; 32-bit software can include some 64-bit executables and vice versa.

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Cool, I am good to go then. I have count of about 5-7 more apps that I cannot find anything other than x86 versions for. I guess these will be running in 32. :(

Im so freaking happy to FINALLY upgrade this thing. I just realized also, I get to install 7 x64 this weekend as a test. The RC comes out Tuesday, so I can take notes this weekend and do it right the second time. :p

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I made sure to order 4GB of RAM to start. I think the mobo can support up to 8 for expansion. I'll just my 32bit FFox and flash. Thanks again.

I'll keep a watch for apps parading around in 32bit as I install stuff. If my quad core flips to 32 bit to run Firefox, it only flips the Ffox processes to 32?

It doesn't "flip" anything as such. A 32-bit program has to be 32-bit, and a 64-bit program has to be 64-bit.

What happens is that the name of the architecture (32-bit x86 or 64-bit AMD64) is embedded in the .exe file. When it sees 32-bit, it loads the exe inside an emulator (yes guys, it is an emulator) that emulates a 32-bit Windows environment (ie a 32-bit registry, file system, DLL files, etc).

This emulator redirects requests for things like the registry and file system so the 32-bit program is given data for the emulator rather than being allowed to interfere with data belonging to the 64-bit OS (which wouldn't work). It also includes 32-bit versions of all the system DLLs which the 32-bit program will use. When these DLLs or the program itself has to communicate with the kernel (which is 64-bit), the emulator is also responsible for converting all the data from 32-bit to 64-bit before passing it to the kernel, and then back again from 64-bit before handing it to the program.

When it comes to actually running the 32-bit code on the processor, this is achieved without emulating the 32-bit CPU instructions because AMD64 processors are capable of running both 32-bit code and 64-bit code directly. In other words, to run the 32-bit code, the emulator simply switches the CPU into 32-bit mode and runs the code. When 64-bit code wants to run, it is switched to 64-bit mode.

This emulation, conversion of data, and mode switching does have a certain bit of overhead that makes it slower than if the program was running on 32-bit Windows, but it's not enough to really be noticeable or worth worrying about. It also ends up using more memory as it has to have a 32-bit environment loaded next to the 64-bit one, but again, it's not really enough to worry about.

Not really related to the emulator, but 64-bit Windows also uses more resources than the 32-bit version, as 64-bit data is larger which means a 64-bit program will use slightly more memory and take up more space on disk (usually anywhere from 10-50%). It's also worth noting that anything that interacts directly with the kernel has to be 64-bit, meaning you can't use 32-bit drivers or 32-bit versions of things like packet filters or antivirus software.

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What happens is that the name of the architecture (32-bit x86 or 64-bit AMD64) is embedded in the .exe file. When it sees 32-bit, it loads the exe inside an emulator (yes guys, it is an emulator) that emulates a 32-bit Windows environment (ie a 32-bit registry, file system, DLL files, etc).

It's not an emulator. It's redirection. There's a difference.

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It is an emulator (even Microsoft refers to it as such) that does more than just redirect/reflect the registry and file system. You can get hung up on semantics all you want, the point is that there is a lot more to it than "The CPU just flips to 32bit\x86 mode. No Emulation," and I thought it might be helpful to explain in more detail what it entails and how there is in fact measurable overhead resulting from it (which remarks like that imply there isn't).

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I haven't found a need yet to run 64-bit applications.

Running 32-bit stuff is usually fine. You end up with compatibility issues if you try to use 64-bit browsers and 64-bit media players.

They may not work any better than the 32-bit versions, but you end up with more headache.

Sticking with 32-bit apps is just fine.

You want your OS to be 64-bit to get access to more RAM.

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Interesting thread, i was thinking the same thing as i am about to install Windows 7 64

When i was on XP 64 (errghh!) i couldnt use Live Messenger, can any reccomend any alternative? Something lite weight is fine for me, i dont like all the backgrounds, sounds and nudges n crap they have.

I tried mozilla 64 and i wouldnt reccomend it...

What other 64 bit apps come into the light when they can be used, surely there is alot of software that is preffered when on 64

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I've been using Windows 7 x64 Build 7077 for quite some time now and its the first time I've ever installed a 64-bit OS. I was suprised that every piece of software I use worked without issue - Office 2007, Live Messenger, iTunes, CCleaner etc and all the hardware on my Dell Inspiron 1525 had drivers built into Windows 7, with the only exception being my Memory Card Reader, though the drivers were available on WU straight away after setup.

Even most of the pre-installed software that came with my Dell works without issue - Roxio Creator DE 10.1 and Works 9. The only one that doesn't is the Dell Support Centre, but there are known compatibility issues.

Edited by bbfc_uk
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I've been using Windows 7 x64 Build 7077 for quite some time now and its the first time I've ever installed a 64-bit OS. I was suprised that every piece of software I use worked without issue - Office 2007, Live Messenger, iTunes, CCleaner etc and all the hardware on my Dell Inspiron 1525 had drivers built into Windows 7, with the only exception being my Memory Card Reader, though the drivers were available on WU straight away after setup.

Even most of the pre-installed software that came with my Dell works without issue - Roxio Creator DE 10.1 and Works 9. The only one that doesn't is the Dell Support Centre, but there are known compatibility issues.

I crossgraded my first home user in July of 2008, and crossed over myself in January of this year. None of the three crossgraders (or myself) have more than 2 GB of RAM (only ONE has that much; I have 1 GB, and the other two have 512 MB of system memory), and all have C2D-subset processors (Pentium DC, Celeron DC, and single-core-but EM64T Celerons, respectively). There are no driver OR application issues on any of the four systems (all game at least lightly; three of us also run Office 2007 Enterprise).

So, since drivers aren't an issue, applications and games aren't an issue, and (to be honest) even RAM isn't an issue, it's more "Why NOT 64-bit?" as opposed to "Why 64-bit?" when it comes to Windows 7 (if the CPU support is there).

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I've been using Windows 7 x64 Build 7077 for quite some time now and its the first time I've ever installed a 64-bit OS. I was suprised that every piece of software I use worked without issue - Office 2007, Live Messenger, iTunes, CCleaner etc and all the hardware on my Dell Inspiron 1525 had drivers built into Windows 7, with the only exception being my Memory Card Reader, though the drivers were available on WU straight away after setup.

Even most of the pre-installed software that came with my Dell works without issue - Roxio Creator DE 10.1 and Works 9. The only one that doesn't is the Dell Support Centre, but there are known compatibility issues.

I GOT THE QUAD CORE UP AND RUNNING!!! lol.

The only x64 of windows 7 I had was 7077. Its my first 64 bit OS also. Im installing most of it tomorrow.(software)

This thing is straight up SMOKIN FAST. I'll never use another 32 bit OS as long as my hardware permits.

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