Settle a debate: how many of you use a 64-bit OS or >=4 GB RAM?

[dragabain]

I use 64-bit Gentoo Linux and have 4GB of ram. I'm getting 2 more sticks soon to make it 8GB. I have a quad core and its nice to have all that ram when you run things like folding@home.

 

[Wolfshadw]

<--- Has four systems. All with 64 bit processors and 2GB of RAM.
1 XP-64 <--Graphically most powerful
1 XP Home
1 XP Pro
1 XP MCE <-- Most powerful CPU

-Wolf sends

 

[Deleted member 978]

I have to agree with Frozenlead -- also, only 1 in 5 people actually use computers.

And, the vote doesn't show those that use multiple 64bit OS's on the same hardware -- I run Mac OS X 10.5.1 and Vista x64 Ultimate on my MacPro with 8GB RAM.

There is little or no point install Vista x64 if you don't have 4GB or more or RAM or don't plan to.

Before those who jump in saying what applications support 64bit, be sure to qualify "applications" -- if you mean Games, not many (a few, very few). If you mean real world get things done applications such as Video editing/composition and/or Audio creation and/or graphics and 3D Processing then you will need as much RAM and processing power as you can get.

I've got Photoshop HDR files that are over 100MB per image -- keeping a good undo level state and my RAM is quickly consumed. My single SD based video capture from a MiniDV device will be 4GB+ file size (just for SD stuff, not even HD quality), the more of this data I can fit into RAM the faster and smoother my video editing experience. And then toss in video compositions (Motion 3) where even moderate projects will require RAM previews (just not enough CPU power even with 8 processors to keep a steady realtime state at 30 fps) and force render copies of segments of the project. And anyone that does significant audio creation using FX and Virtual Instruments will need to bounce the tracks due to limits of the CPU and RAM.

I could NOT imagine trying to do all this with a handicapped 32bit OS that can't address more than about 3.5GB RAM and has a 2GB RAM thread limit (aka Vista 32bit and WinXP 32bit). Actually I can imagine, I've done this on a 32bit OS and the process if PAINFULL and extremely slow!!

Vista x64 didn't feel "smooth" until I tossed 8GB of RAM at it.

 

[Element2k3]

@Ivdax

bollocks!! I use 64 bit for years now (linux, xp and vista) and I do 3d modelling, animation and compositing! you got no clue how usefull 64 bit is for such programs. and who said you don't get the drivers??

 

[Maziar]

64 BIT CPU + 4GB RAM + XP 64 😀

 

[Thanatos421]

2 systems -

1) Vista 64 4g DDR2 - No problems here what-so-ever with it, don't know what all the fuss is about 😛

2) XP 32 2g DDR

 

[rodney_ws]

32 bit processor (Core Duo), 32 bit OS (Windows XP MCE) and 2 GB of RAM (best $40 upgrade EVER)

 

[loner47]

new system as of nov 2007
6000+;m2nsli deluxe;8800gt;2x2gb ddr2 800
vista 64bit home premium
no problems at all, solid as a rock and games like there's no tommorrow.
crysis all settings very high no AA 1680x1050 on 20" widescreen

 

[LAN_deRf_HA]

I've been running 64 bit vista for awhile now, never had a single driver problem or crash despite all the weird crap I do.... and this is with creative drivers

 

[baddad]

1) Gaming machine most powerful 64 bit Vista 4G
2) XP pro 32 Bit 2G do most everything on except gaming
3) DVD carousel machine XP home 32 bit 1G
4) Wife"s machine XP Pro 32 bit 2G
5) Daughters machine XP home 32 bit 2G

 

[righteous]

MU - Thanks for the edit: Vote submitted accordingly.

And I think you may find 64 bit and 4GB categories (32 and 64 bit) to be over-represented vis~a~vis the general user population. This being an enthusiast site consisting of users with e~Peens. :lol: (and Yes, I count myself in that group...)

HAHA! That's the indication I get. LOL too funny.

 

[Thanatos421]

For real... the only time my 4 gigs of RAM even gets close to fully loaded is when Vista is idle and prefetching. During gaming it only hits 40-60% max.

 

[russki]

MU - Obstaining from voting for the following reason:

64 bit proc / 32 bit XP / 2GB RAM at present, BUT

going to

64 bit proc / 64 bit Vista / 4 GB RAM (2x2 GB for expandability) as soon as 45 nm procs are out en-masse and reasonably priced.

 

[computertech82]

I run 4gb of ram on a 64bit cpu, with a 32bit OS. Was thinking about a 64bit OS, but vista not that great. Might reconsider IF the service pack actually makes vista worth it.....

 

[foste]

I run a single server with a couple Xeons w/8Gb and a 6600 w/8Gb for Virtual Machines If I wasn't running 4-12 VM's in our test lab I wouldn't need to go past 4Gb. Even with the VM's I have absolutely no need for more then 4 cores. Our office SQL and Oracle databases only support 12 people they perform well with a roomy four gigs.

The video and modeling users need more power then business users.... quite the change

 

[Guest]

Currently using 64 bit cpu + OS (vista) and 2 gigs of RAM.
Next upgrade will extend this to 8 gigs of RAM 😀

 

[TechnologyCoordinator]

64-Bit CPU (Opty 175)
32-Bit Vista Ultimate
3 Gigs of RAM
My motherboard will only address 2.75 of it :-(

 

[Thanatos421]

You not have PAE enabled?

 

[TechnologyCoordinator]

You not have PAE enabled?

What's that?

I've got an Asus A8N-SLI motherboard (S939). I've looked through all the BIOS settings (up to date BIOS as well) and search using The Google and couldn't find a resolution.

The issue isn't Windows, as the motherboard in it's BIOS says it only has ~2.75 (I don't remember the exact amount).

 

[badge]

Q6600/Vista 64 Ultimate/8 GB PC8000.

 

[halcyon]

E6850
8GB RAM
Vista 64

Seems to handle my virtualization tasks well enough. Never had a challenging time finding drivers for Vista 64 (which runs amazingly, and therefore, surprisingly well.

 

[Thanatos421]

What's that?

I've got an Asus A8N-SLI motherboard (S939). I've looked through all the BIOS settings (up to date BIOS as well) and search using The Google and couldn't find a resolution.

The issue isn't Windows, as the motherboard in it's BIOS says it only has ~2.75 (I don't remember the exact amount).

Oh, if BIOS is only reporting 2.75 then it's not PAE which is Physical Address Extension. It was 32 bit Windows version of dealing with more than 2 gig of RAM. That's a feature of Windows though, if you are seeing only 2.75 in BIOS then ouch 🙁

 

[TechnologyCoordinator]

I'm home now and here's the actual number: 2815MB of RAM

 

[Kari]

Refresh the page.

doesn't work for me, it still gives those voting options but clicking on them gives just a message saying that I have allready voted. 'see the results' button does the same thing.
coming to think of it, I've never seen any results on the new forum
Weird...

 

[exit2dos]

Here are the current results:

I think the results will be skewed towards those of us with 64-bit/4GB due to the title of the thread. ie - I think many not using 64/4 won't click into it.