Is this a valid reason for 32 bit?

[Deleted]

Well we got these cool new laptops for school with 8GB of 1333mhz RAM n shit. AV school.
But they have 32 bit versions of win7.... When i asked our so called tech support why. He said that its because: "We've been having some problems with drivers on 64 bit windows before".

So they select a laptop with 8GB RAM, And the 5GB of it just sits in the laptop untouched. Nice.

[Deleted]

64-bit drivers were a problem in the days of Windows XP, and earlier Windows Vista.

Unless we're talking drivers for older peripherals and printers (which may be the case when dealing with schools), its usually 64-bit that has better support today.

[Sephiracle]

Tends to happen when your district has poop tech support or idiots on the board. If they can get a grant for lappys with 8 gigs of ram they need to get a grant to get new printers.

[gameleon]

If it's all modern hardware being used, there shouldn't be any problem with using the 64-bit version. There can be some driver issues however if the laptops are connected to older hardware.

[Jodah]

One thing I learned quickly in school is that usually the computer "techs" have no clue wtf they are doing. They get the job because they are the only ones that can follow on screen directions, which most of us know are often a waste of time or wrong.

[Fuzzykins]

32-bit needs to be phased out, IMHO. :<

[Deleted]

Well yeah its also running an I7 640m (that nicely went to 3.2ghz during minecraft and ran very good :O ) with a Quadro FX 1800m..
1080p screen also :/ and all that with a 32 bit OS... Daaamn

Its an EliteBook 8540w

[Skelly]

I had to switch my laptop to 32-bit two years ago in my first year of University, because the VPN client the University used didn't support 64-bit machines. I haven't checked up since, but I dearly hope they've fixed it.

[Sephiracle]

One thing I learned quickly in school is that usually the computer "techs" have no clue wtf they are doing. They get the job because they are the only ones that can follow on screen directions, which most of us know are often a waste of time or wrong.

Which is unfortunately probably the reason why i haven't managed to get on with them at my local school district...

[Deleted]

I liked 64bit before it was cool.

Cool? I dont really like having 1.5gb out of 3gb in use while idle when i could have less than 20% RAM in use with 8GB of RAM ://

[Deleted]

Well we got these cool new laptops for school with 8GB of 1333mhz RAM n shit. AV school.
But they have 32 bit versions of win7.... When i asked our so called tech support why. He said that its because: "We've been having some problems with drivers on 64 bit windows before".

So they select a laptop with 8GB RAM, And the 5GB of it just sits in the laptop untouched. Nice.

Tell your headmaster that the tech guys suck and that they are wasting his money by not doing their jobs correctly.
There are no problems with 64bit (hasn't been for a year at least now).

Suggest 64bit to the head, tell him the reasons why and suggests that he gets them set-up for 64bit.

[llDemonll]

coming from an administrators standpoint, 32-bit is MUCH easier to administer than 64-bit. all programs are natively 32-bit compatible, they will all appear in the start menu, they don't need special drivers etc., etc., etc. There really isn't a point to running 64-bit in an environment like that unless you're running high amounts of RAM (which you are). My guess is they downgraded after purchasing the computers and it's a waste to take RAM out

[Deleted]

send the ram to me, i'll find a use for it...

[elimin]

coming from an administrators standpoint, 32-bit is MUCH easier to administer than 64-bit. all programs are natively 32-bit compatible, they will all appear in the start menu, they don't need special drivers etc., etc., etc. There really isn't a point to running 64-bit in an environment like that unless you're running high amounts of RAM (which you are). My guess is they downgraded after purchasing the computers and it's a waste to take RAM out

I claim false. Its all about your existing architecture, we did away with x86 awhile ago and haven't looked back.

[taekvideo]

32-bit needs to be phased out, IMHO. :<

So does ipv4 and the US system of measurements.

[noteworthynerd]

64-bit drivers were a problem in the days of Windows XP, and earlier Windows Vista.

Unless we're talking drivers for older peripherals and printers (which may be the case when dealing with schools), its usually 64-bit that has better support today

This, I'm guessing they are using specialized soft/hardware which only runs correctly on 32-bit, which is the same reason that all our computers at the bank I work for are still 32-bit.

Also, I may be wrong, but I'm fairly certain that, even though the OS can't utilize more than 3GB of RAM, individual programs can, right?

[llDemonll]

I claim false. Its all about your existing architecture, we did away with x86 awhile ago and haven't looked back.

very true, but for companies who havent (like my company), then all it does is cause compatibility issues

[taekvideo]

I figured it out!!!
They must have drivers that aren't y2k-ready.
Get them to update and it should work fine.

[Jaerin]

There are still a number of applications that we have at work that have problems with 64-bit.

Sometimes its just easier to give what is stable and needed rather than what is unstable and possible. Just like overclocking, great you can OC your processor 12x faster than it is stock, but your computer vomits all over itself every 20 mins...I'll take the slower stable machine thanks. Besides you won't see a difference anyways unless you are running multiple apps together anyways.

[Demoness]

I am tech support for a college in Georgia, and we run x86 instead of x64. The reason is because of the crazy amount of legacy software that schools have to use. Educational software is infamous for having the worst compatibility issues ever. However, your tech department must be incompetent if they are purchasing PCs with over double the usable RAM x86 can recognize. Either that, or they are attempting to future-proof the machines, and will try to squeeze five or six years out of them. By that time, they may have worked out their issues and get x64 working on campus for you guys.