How many folk use a 64 bit operating system - for large image processing?

[g__day (Matthew)]

Just wondering how many folk here use a 64 bit operating system (preferably Windows XP 64 bit - to gain the advantage of addressing more than 3GB of RAM, now that memory prices are so low?

What have been your experiences please?

[Tandum (Robin)]

Vista 64 with 6 gig ram here. Drivers are a problem, there aren't any for my canon scanner, otherwise it works fine.

[darrellx (Darrell)]

Hi

I use WinXP 64bit with 6GB RAM. VirtualDub, PCFE, Registax and K3CCD all work great. I have downloaded and installed AVIStack (the alternative to Registax), but I haven't used it yet.

I have two 500GB hard drives in the system, but the OS runs on a 75GB Western Digital RAPTOR (10,000rpm). Speed is good.

Darrell

[Kal (Andrew)]

I use Windows XP Pro x64 version, but I don't take advantage of the features. Infact, I regret buying it - driver and patches are released slower than normal 32 bit windows versions. Still no SP3 released for this O/S for example.

[AlexN]

vista ultimate 64bit with 8gb of ram.. no problems at all...

4 250gb hdds in JBOD for storage, 3 1tb disks for more storage
2x 36gb raptors in RAID 0 for OS

Regularly work with multiple 8mp images open at once, a few times with 190+mb HDR images... not a single hic-up.

[Wavytone]

is 64 bit, no problems with really big images. I'm using a 24" C2D iMac with 1GB but it can handle a 2GB image, without overly straining. It just works™.

That you Windows folks even need to ask suggests you really know in your heart-of-hearts there is a better OS. A MUCH better OS.

[g__day (Matthew)]

Is it still possible to buy the Windows XP 64bit upgrade (by swapping disks for the 64 bit version or the like)?

Is driver support better in the 64 bit world for XP or Vista?

[AlexN]

i found vista's 64 bit to be better supported.. I think mainly because vista was initially released with 32 and 64 bit versions, where as xp64 was something of an after thought.

[Tandum (Robin)]

Xp64 is immature, vista 64 is far better but you will have driver problems at some stage with something for sure. They only got a 64bit compatable iTunes going last month for example. It wouldn't even install before that. Drivers are at the discresion of the manufacturer. My canon scanner isn't that old but they have decided not to provide 64bit drivers to force you to buy a new one. The Bistards ... I just moved it to my unix server and share it on the network

[AlexN]

Robin makes a valid point that I dont think he even intended..

If you want 64 bit that truly works, look for an OS that ends in nix... Unix, Linux and various other 64bit distro's of the same... Gentoo 64bit is incredibly versatile..

[Tandum (Robin)]

I would not recommend running linux as a desktop unless you know it well.

[gregbradley]

I was running my astro gear on a Vista 32 bit Home Premium. Most of the astro software I had worked fine like the Sky V6, Photoshop, CCDstack.

But hardware was another story.

My SBig STL11 worked fine.

But my new Apogee U16M camera would not work using the supplied software. I found out eventually after about a month that I had to manually register the drivers using the DOS window. This was after some bright spark posted this tip on a Yahoo group.

But trying to register the driver manually I must have clicked something too quickly or something and it crashed my computer which would not reboot despite the disk having a separate section to load a copy of Vista in case this happens (so what was the point of that Microsoft?) and I had to get a new hard disk and have my computer repaired. So buyer beware when it comes to Vista and astro gear. If my experience serves then it would be a big mistake.

The guy at the computer shop said Vista had big compatibility problems and that a lot of people were wanting XP. He said that even Hewlett Packard had come up with a disk to revert Vista computers back to XP as they had had so many requests. So Vista for astro is a big flop for Microsoft and a giant leap backwards. Lucky they are a large company and can afford a few messups eh?

I now use only Windows XP (32bit) and everything loaded and worked fine (well almost - you know how it goes).

Then I was unable to get a FLI filter wheel to work no matter what I did. I managed to get it working in XP with only one tip from FLI tech support.

If you must use it make sure the user account control is turned off and you run everything as administrator and be prepared to perhaps having to manually register the drivers.

Its a bit early I think to run some of these later programs with Astro gear which is a small industry and lacking the resources to get their software/firmware smoothly running with the latest Microsoft monstrosity.

Its not that it is impossible to make things run in Vista its whether or not you want to subject yourself to that much difficulty and trouble. Be prepared to be thwarted and need to consult with tech support a lot and their suggestions not working.


Greg.

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

Whilst it's an advantage to access more than 3Gb of RAM, which of the astronomical applications that we typically use are actually capable of running in true 64-bit mode other than ImagesPlus x64 and the up-and-coming Photoshop CS4? Not too many I'd venture....

[AlexN]

Chris. this is true... But they can run fine in 32bit under a 64bit OS.. and having that ability to access >3gb of ram is great... Having starry night pro/photoshop/maximdl and a few other bits and bobs all running (and working) at the same time is great. especially when theres no pauses / wait times to jump between them.

[g__day (Matthew)]

Well I spent $80 for 2 sticks of 2GB DDR2 RAM (800) and upgraded my PC from 2GB to 4GB and my youngest son's from 1 GB to 2GB (I like cascading upgrades and the ability to offset PC expenses against tax). Now Photoshop does seem marginally faster - even on plan old WinXP.

I guess now at least I am upgrade ready when my choices are locked in - thanks all for your veiws and opinions!