From: "Rich" 

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   Driver coverage is my primary concern particularly since the major =
box vendors like Dell and HP sell only a few models with 64-bit support =
though sometimes hypocritically claiming to have 64-bit CPUs.

   As an experiment I took a brand new dell system sold with 32-bit =
Windows XP Media Center and installed an x64 build of Windows Vista.  It =
was easier than I expected with the only issues being ones I would have =
with the x86 build of Windows Vista  too.  There were two drivers I =
needed to download myself.  One was the intel sata/raid controller.  I =
think the driver is in the box but the specific variant of the device =
dell is using in this system isn't recognized.  The second was the =
creative audigy driver which has to be download from creative's site =
either way.  I also had an issue that the vga driver was used instead of =
the nvidia driver but I was able get the inbox nvidia driver used.

   All in all I have to say my experiment was a great success.  =
Everything has 64-bit drivers.  Based on this I think I will skip the =
experiment I was going to run as a follow up which would have been to =
install 32-bit Windows Vista.

   In regard to app compatiblity, I can't speak to this system but I =
have no problems on the x64 systems I run at work.  There is no MS-DOS =
and Windows 3.1 app support on 64-bit systems which is not a problem for =
me.  I also don't run=20

Rich


  "Frank Haber"  wrote in message =
news:444ab016$1{at}w3....
  For a self-serving white paper that nevertheless may tell you some of =
what you=20
  want:

  =
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/itsolutions/msit/operations/mscom64bitar=
chi.mspx

  Driver support is a problem.  My bleeding edge buddies have retired =
the HDs=20
  that contain desktop 64 bit XP installs, for the mo.  Server-side, 64 =
sounds=20
  priceless if you need it.=20

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   Driver
coverage is my =
primary concern=20
particularly since the major box vendors like Dell and HP sell only a = few models=20
with 64-bit support though sometimes hypocritically claiming to have = 64-bit=20
CPUs.
 
   As an
experiment I took a =
brand new=20
dell system sold with 32-bit Windows XP Media Center and installed an = x64 build=20
of Windows Vista.  It was easier than I expected with the
only = issues=20
being ones I would have with the x86 build of Windows Vista  =
too. =20
There were two drivers I needed to download myself.  One was the = intel=20
sata/raid controller.  I think the driver is in the box but the =
specific=20
variant of the device dell is using in this system isn't =
recognized.  The=20
second was the creative audigy driver which has to be download from = creative's=20
site either way.  I
also had an = issue that=20
the vga driver was used instead of the nvidia driver but I was able get = the=20
inbox nvidia driver used.
 
   All in
all I have to say =
my experiment=20
was a great success.  Everything has 64-bit drivers. 
Based on = this I=20
think I will skip the experiment I was going to run as a follow up which = would=20
have been to install 32-bit Windows Vista.
 
   In regard to app =
compatiblity, I can't=20
speak to this system but I have no problems on the x64 systems I run at=20
work.  There is no MS-DOS and Windows 3.1 app support on 64-bit =
systems=20
which is not a problem for me.  I also don't run 
 
Rich
 
 

  "Frank Haber" <frhaber{at}N0SPMrcn.com>">mailto:frhaber{at}N0SPMrcn.com">frhaber{at}N0SPMrcn.com>
=
wrote in=20
  message news:444ab016$1{at}w3....For
a=20
  self-serving white paper that nevertheless may tell you some of what =
you=20
  want:http://www.microsoft.com/technet/itsolutions/msit/operations/msco=
m64bitarchi.mspx">http://www.microsoft.com/technet/itsolutions/msit/opera=
tions/mscom64bitarchi.mspxDriver=20
  support is a problem.  My bleeding edge buddies have retired the =
HDs=20
  that contain desktop 64 bit XP installs, for the mo.  =
Server-side, 64=20
  sounds priceless if you need it.


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