64-bit sytems??

Tomcat825

Tomcat825

Tomcat825

Associate
Joined
23 Sep 2010
Posts
1,331
Location
Bucks
We currently have a little Optiplex 725 running 24/7 on SBS 2003 (Small Business Server) but this is becoming unstable for whatever reasons.

We have access to Server 2008 and 2010 but unfortunately this is a 64-bit requirement, so this leads me to my questions.

I've seen people running Win7 Ultimate 64-bit on just standard Sandybridge rigs (iirc) and I was wondering if all newer mobo's work with 32/64bit software straight up now and you don't have to get seperate hardware to run 64-bit??

If so, I need to spec up a 64-bit server that will purely be for storage/Domain Controller so I'll be looking around for a cheap rig!

P.S I've posted this in here as it's not actually about servers, it's about hardware.
 
Its the CPU that processes the 64bit instruction set, the motherboard and other parts are irrelevent to 32/64bit.

All modern CPU's are 64/32bit compatible.
 
You have to go back quite a long way to find a CPU that doesn't support 64-bit - like well before Core2's and Athlon64's! So long as the CPU supports 64-bit then it's just a case of getting 64-bit drivers for the motherboard and hardware. Again, anything released after Vista (2007) is pretty much guaranteed to have 64-bit drivers for it, in fact I think Microsoft won't allow a 32-bit driver to be signed now unless there's a corresponding 64-bit driver too.

I've been running 64-bit OS (Vista and now W7) since late 2007 and the only problem I ran into ever was a £5 webcam from Argos only worked on 32-bit, everything else has worked perfectly.
 
some of the current itx stuff is still 32bit.

most of the VIA's are still just 32bit

but any standard cpu u have to go right back to the early socket A athlons for 32bit
 
DJmartin said:
I thought it was more to do with the RAM. Aren't you only meant to use 64 bit if you have over 4gb?
Click to expand...

32 bit usually only sees 3.2gb as an absolute max, though it can be anything from 2.75gb~4gb depending on your stuff. Far as I know 64 bit doesn't carry many other benefits, but there's no harm running it on a 2gb machine for example.
 
DJmartin said:
I thought it was more to do with the RAM. Aren't you only meant to use 64 bit if you have over 4gb?
Click to expand...

it doesn't really matter

its more than in 32bit, it can only use a maximum of 4gb including things like video ram as well.

so having more than that is a waste.

u can run 64bit on less without a problem thou.

all you need is a cpu capable of doing 64bit then u can use a 64bit OS

some ppl used to stick to 32bit due to the lack of driver support and 64bit software, etc.
not so much the case now thou
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom