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December 18, 2007
64-bit Windows Not Quite Ready for Prime-time
I recently built a new main system. It is really nice with a quad-core processor, 4GB of RAM and two top-of-the-line video cards to enable me to drive three monitors. After reading an article on one of my favorite blogs, Coding Horror, about 64-bit Windows and being encouraged by my friend, Punish, I decided to give it a shot. Everything seemed great and the only problems I had were ones that I was convinced were your typical problems with a new setup and I would take care of them soon enough. Until I decided to try out the new Windows Home Server.
As for the Home Server, I can’t say enough good things about it. I’ll probably have a whole separate post about it, but suffice it to say that with completely automated enterprise-grade backups, every home that relies on its computer for more than just web browsing and email should have one. I’ve only had the thing for a few days and already there have been multiple "No really, it was that easy," moments.
The one drawback to Home Server is that it won’t do its backup and integration magic on a machine running a 64-bit OS. I don’t know why that is and I haven’t seen any announcement on when that will change, but I have to assume that it will. But, for now, my choice was to not use my shiny new toy or give up a gigabyte of RAM on my new box. Those of you that know me know that I can’t pass up a new toy …
So I spent last Saturday completely rebuilding my new box with 32-bit Vista and that’s where those other niggling problems just disappeared. I had a problem where I couldn’t use my HP LaserJet printer from across the network, it had to be local. I had a problem when playing World of Warcraft where the video driver would reset (causing a very annoying fifteen second pause each time) several times an hour and sometimes lock up the system completely. All of that and some other little problems went away when I changed back to 32-bit. And I could use my new toy, yay!
Honestly, I’m looking forward to when I can get my gigabyte of RAM back. But as I get older, my computer is more and more for getting things done and less and less for just seeing if I can do various things. And 64-bit was keeping me from getting things done.
Posted by Legion at December 18, 2007 7:25 AM
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