Hey,

My new rig will be finished soon and I might install Vista 64-bit on it, but how do 32-bit games/applications run on an 64-bit system? I don't have any knowledge or experience with 64-bit systems btw, that's why I end up here to ask my questions :lol:

It is simply app specific. There is a highly robust x86 emulation layer in x64, but there are some proggies that may still be broke, or were only fixed in the latest version.

There are compatibility lists out there, but if you want to to do it mega-comprehensively, check out the

Microsoft Application Compatibility Toolkit 5.0 (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/aa905102.aspx)

Other considerations are:
*drivers for your hardware and peripheral devices.... CHECK, or risk disappointment!
*codecs. This has been pretty much sorted with the VCP/x64 components, but some tweaks/factors be aware of.

Let us know what app/games you play and I can fill you in. A couple of us here run vista x64(including myself) so should be able to answer directly.

With that, I would like to say that unless you are doing some higher end video/design/graphical/processing stuff, the advantages for an x64 switch are minimal. Most apps and games arent x64 optimised > simple as that.

I simply have x64 on because I do alot of HD video editing and x64 with 4+GBDDR2 makes the pure crunch in rendering/encoding in these specific apps happen quicker.

mtfbwya

Ok, thanks for the information :)

Gotta a similar question of sorts. Might as well prepare myself ;)

How does, or better yet "can", Vista 64 emulate or run DOS apps? Does a command line exist for the OS?

Despite eyecandy games.. I do often find myself running DOS, an emulator or Allegro coded games/apps. I'm not sure I can live without my Legend of Zelda (http://zeldaclassic.armageddongames.net/downloads.php) fix *withdrawals* :D

yes, Vista x64 has a command line.

as for DOS games, if it doesn't run normally, you'll have to try the compatibility mode for Windows 95 or Windows 98. to enable, find the .exe file, right click, and select properties from the list. click on the "Compatibility" tab and check the "Run this program in compatibility mode for:" selection. then choose Windows 95 or Windows 98 from that list.

its no guarantee that it will work, but it does open up some options. ;)

there are also 3rd party apps that can work with dos apps within vista

However, with things like game emulators for nes etc, its no problem. The emus work nicely in vista x86 and hence vista x64(which has an excellent x86 emulation layer...far, far better than that which existed in xp64.

mtfbwya