J Walker
Oakton, Va
Senior Member
Joined: 06/12/2003
View Profile
 Offline
|
I am looking at buying a new laptop with a 64 bit memory and OS. My other laptop is 32 bit. Will I be able to share data between the two computers using a flash drive? Will the flash drive work on one computer but not the other? Will my 32 bit programs like MS Office work on the 64 bit computer? Thanks. Progress can be two steps forward and one step backward.
Jim Walker
2000 34' Damon Ultrasport DP
2009 Malibu
Brake Buddy
|
fj12ryder
Platte City, MO
Senior Member
Joined: 08/19/2003
View Profile
|
Yes to all of your answers.
About the only area that you should be concerned with is the availability of 64 bit drivers for your various peripherals.
Howard and Peggy
"Don't Panic"
|
gktsuda1956
Washington
Senior Member
Joined: 10/30/2010
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
Isn't 64 bit the common system design? It's not even much of an issue anymore, is it? I think everything sold now days is at least 64 bit systems. If I remember correctly, 64 bit isn't a software issue but a hardware/operational issue. Isn't it like 64 pipelines of data streaming thru a computer vice 32, thereby speeding up all processes?? But software written for 64 bit is more efficient?
Glenn
Retired Navy Saturation Diver
2011 230RKS Wind River - Outdoors RV
2011 F-350 Crew Cab 6.7L Diesel Short Box
Longview, WA
|
ljr
Pennsylvania
Senior Member
Joined: 03/22/2006
View Profile
Offline
|
64 vs 32 bit refers to the processor. In other words the gizmo that runs software. That means it has nothing to do with how data is stored but program that runs on one may not run on another.
* This post was
edited 01/21/12 01:06pm by ljr *
Larry
|
travelzoo
NW
Senior Member
Joined: 11/18/2008
View Profile
Offline
|
Sometimes drivers for older printers and other hardware is a chore to find for the 64 bit. It's surprising how many hardware items on the store shelf even today do not have drivers for 64 bit. I guess I'm one that feels the average computer user has very little need or use for a 64 bit machine.
|
|
|
ljr
Pennsylvania
Senior Member
Joined: 03/22/2006
View Profile
Offline
|
gktsuda1956 wrote:Isn't 64 bit the common system design? It's not even much of an issue anymore, is it? I think everything sold now days is at least 64 bit systems. If I remember correctly, 64 bit isn't a software issue but a hardware/operational issue. Isn't it like 64 pipelines of data streaming thru a computer vice 32, thereby speeding up all processes?? But software written for 64 bit is more efficient?
Not necessarily more efficient but a program can access more memory. A 32 bit processor can address 2**32 bits of memory. 64 bit can address 2**64 bits. Now, that could translate to efficiency if something you are running avoids loading something else because it can access more data.
To use a crude analogy, say your vehicle stopped when the odometer got ready to turn over. If you added a digit you could drive 10 times as far.
* This post was
edited 01/21/12 01:04pm by ljr *
|
8.1 Van
Millstone NJ
Senior Member
Joined: 03/20/2008
View Profile
Offline
|
All new PCs and laptops made today have 64bit CPUs.
2002 Chevy Express LS 3500 8.1 155" WB passenger van 3.73 posi (GT4/G80)
2003 Thor Citation 41-ZBSR 41ft TT
|
1775
NY
Senior Member
Joined: 09/30/2009
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
|
We moved from 32 bit to 64 bit this past year and all software works on it - but as has been said, drivers are a problem for anything older than a couple of years. If you have Windows 7 Pro with Win XP mode you can use that virtual system to run older peripherals as it is 32 bits even when the PC is 64 bits. My wife is doing this to connect to a device that the manufacturer never wrote a 64 bit driver for. Had I known this before I installed Win 7 64 bit on her computer, I would have installed 32 bit and made it easier for her. (You can install a 32 bit OS on 64 bit hardware - you just do not get the advantages of 64 bit (which for most are insignificant).
Roadtrek 190 Popular 2011
Meryl and Me Hit the Road
|
Fishinghat
Western Washington, USA
Senior Member
Joined: 10/03/2002
View Profile
Offline
|
Generally, a 64 bit operating system on a machine with a processor that can run 64 bit programs (as most have been able to do for some time), will be back-wards compatible and also be able to run programs designed for 32 bit processors.
Windows 7 uses a different filing system than XP, so drivers that would work on an XP machine may not work on a computer running Windows 7. Isn't Microsoft great? LOL
Holiday Rambler Navigator DP, Hummer, and Honda VT1100C Shadow
|
coolmom42
Middle Tennessee
Senior Member
Joined: 02/18/2011
View Profile
Offline
|
The only problem I had was finding an internal wireless adapter card & wireless router for my 64bit desktop. I needed a wireless card for it because the DSL was located in a different room than where I wanted to use it. I had to get a new wireless-N card & adapter (the newest standard) to find one that had a driver for 64-bit.
There is no benefit to a 64-bit processor unless you have over 4 GB RAM (I have 8 GB, for video & photo editing.) There is also no benefit to having over 4 GB RAM unless you have a 64-bit processor.
As others have said, all your software should be ok, the only catch is generally finding drivers for peripherals. You might have to upgrade something to get a device with a compatible driver.
2003 Toyota Sequoia Ltd.
2011 Gulfstream Amerilite 21MB
Equal-i-zer hitch
empty-nesters in Middle TN
|
|
|
