Question: Win7 64bit for Gaming

[xanimefreak]

thanks guys w/ the FAST replies and also for all the infos... You all certainly answered my questions...

^_^

 

[newtekie1]

I tried what you say, you can disable unsigned driver enforcement, but as soon as you reboot it wont load the unsigned driver, i could be wrong though i have not tried it for a while.

Also i dont have a problem with x64 particularly, its just that it has been out for ages now, and there is still hardly any progs/games that use it nativley, show me a list of native x64 apps/games i bet its not very big.

The unsigned driver is loaded after a reboot, unsigned driver enforcement only prevents the driver from being installed, once it is installed, it will load just fine from then on.

And it doesn't matter if there aren't that many native x64 programs, the point is that having an x64 OS will allow you to use the programs that are native x64, while x86 will not. Using x86 limits you, even if it is only a minor limitation right now, it is still a limitation. And purposefully limitting yourself for no good reason doesn't make any sense. Besides that, while the programs themselves can only address 2GB of RAM(yes, x86 programs can only address 2GB of RAM, not 4), what x64 allows is for more programs to be open at the same time, thanks to the larger amount of addressable system memory.

 

[TheLaughingMan]

BTW, I believe there is a 64 bit version of the Source engine that is delivered to all of us running a 64bit OS and Steam, so I suspect 64bit games are probably all around us, or at least soon will be. That also goes to prove my point--it doesn't matter whether you are aware of it or not. It's gonna run and still be fun on your computer regardless.

I could be completely wrong, but that was actually a patch to fix some code issues with several of their titles running in a 64-bit OS. It is not a 64-bit version of Source. It was extra code added to Source to help it run correctly in a 64-bit OS. Source is 32-bit through and through.

I remember this because I replayed Half-Life 2 when this patch was released. Before it came out, my game would randomly turn off the A.I. which stopped everyone else from moving, talking, trigger events, etc. It was very, very annoying. The original fix was to force the OS to "run as 32-bit process" because neither Source or the game specifically stated this itself.

Just another case of Source, at that time, showing its age.

That file patches those programs with "*32" in task manager to fully take advantage of your 64-bit OS' capabilities.

And this I just find to be a complete load.

 

[entropy13]

And this I just find to be a complete load.

"Full advantage" in a sense that there would be 4GB of available virtual memory instead of 2GB, and not "full advantage" in a sense that the program functions as if it's specifically made to be a 64-bit version of it.

 

[Crap Daddy]

I switched to 64 because I could, got a 7 retail with both 32 and 64. First problem IE9 64 bit has no support yet from Adobe Flash so I promptly switched to Chrome. On the other hand I remember Dawn of War 2 had a problem with Vista 32 where it ran out of memory so we had to find a workaround in the OS. Yes Crysis 1 has a 64bit but 2 is not. Is this the progress we are waiting?

 

[D007]

I blame the console ports for lack of 64 bit code in games.

If taskmanager says *32, then its not 64 bit.

Some games require that you launch them by the 64 bit exe to run in 64 bit.. but once again, googling that will find you the info.

I switched to 64 because I could, got a 7 retail with both 32 and 64. First problem IE9 64 bit has no support yet from Adobe Flash so I promptly switched to Chrome. On the other hand I remember Dawn of War 2 had a problem with Vista 32 where it ran out of memory so we had to find a workaround in the OS. Yes Crysis 1 has a 64bit but 2 is not. Is this the progress we are waiting?

Really Crysis 2 has no 64 bit? Wth were they thinking? If any game would benefit from that, it'd be crysis..lol

 

[TheLaughingMan]

"Full advantage" in a sense that there would be 4GB of available virtual memory instead of 2GB, and not "full advantage" in a sense that the program functions as if it's specifically made to be a 64-bit version of it.

I don't believe that either for various reasons. I will need proof of that be even plausible true, or actually improving anything.

 

[digibucc]

I don't believe that either for various reasons. I will need proof of that be even plausible true, or actually improving anything.

i've HAD to use it to stop memory leak errors with sims 3 on 7 x64... proof enough for me
that it does something, but idk what. performance wise i can't say, it was maxed and
smooth either way, just stopped crashing after applying the patch.

it doesn't make them use more memory, it allows them to read memory addresses higher
than 4gb. i don't think it makes any difference for performance, it just helps stability.

 

[qubit]

I think you'll find this thread helpful: 32 bit vs 64 bit: How it relates to video cards

In short, none of those games have been released as 64-bit versions. Only a very few games (less than 5 I believe) have been.

64-bit processing only helps speed up certain maths calculations and allows access to more memory.

And welcome to TPU.

 

[mastrdrver]

Yea there are not currently any games/few programs that are x64 (rumor is BF3 is suppose to change that), but why go for x86 when everything is moving toward x64?

Not to mention I thought I remember reading someone saying that x64 of Windows (Vista and 7) are more stable then x86 just because they have the extra address space to live in so in case a programs decides to say "that's it I'm done", you run a lot higher chance of x86 Windows going down with it (don't ask why cause I couldn't tell you exactly).

Plus there is that link qubit link to also.

 

[de.das.dude]

with x64 you are utilizing your CPUs full potential. so over performance WILL BE BETTER.
x64 FTW

 

[Deleted member 24505]

Shock Horror, i am finally on x64, home premium though, i dont care much for the 36 languages etc ultimate comes with.