New Dell 7 core laptops w/Windows-7

We are migrating to our new laptops and just found out about the 32 bit to 64 bit issue. How is everyone handeling this???

I would not call it an issue. Get a 64 bit OS so you can take advantage of gobs of memory. Use virtual machines were you need 32 bit needs. Pretty simple.

I just didnt want to go with VM ware. Would have liked to have been a little cleaner.

I have 32bit installed on most of mine and don't have any issues, I do have 2 with 64 bit but I don't have any programming stuff loaded on it

geniusintraining
just wanted to clarify that you
are running 32 bit software on a 64 bit machine without VMware?
and no issues?

XP mode is free for most version of Win7. I was able to connect USB through XP Mode with no issues.

You can run most, I say 95% of 32 bit app on 64bit Win7 with no problem what so ever. I did run into some older instrumentation that got "32 bit" USB chips that requires I run 32 bit Win7 or XP Mode.

Thats good information harryting!

Christoph said:

geniusintraining
just wanted to clarify that you
are running 32 bit software on a 64 bit machine without VMware?
and no issues?

Click to expand...

Yes you can run 32 bit Warez on 64 bit OS but under the hood your Warez are still being executed on a 32 bit kernel layer.

This works for about 75% of software. A lot of popular automation software is in the 25% that will have a issue with this for reasons that would take longer than this post to explain. VM Ware or other virtualization method gives you a guaranteed enviroment with no issues as well as application isolation, app version flexibility and mobility, etc, etc, etc.

IMHO at this point in time it's foolish not run automation apps virtualized. You have lot's to gain and very little if anything to lose.

The benfits of virtualization far outweigh it's negative points.

Take the leap of faith and virtualize. You will never look back. I promise.

I have only 2 sets of software that would not install straight into 64 bit and they are the Beijer screen software played up and Modscan would not install and work in 64 bit. I simply put a dual boot on the laptop for those two programs as I do not use them often.
All PLC software, except for Omron CX-One, is installed either in the included XP mode or a Virtual Box. The only reason the Omron software is straight into 64 bit is that it shuts down clean and does not do all the nasty things like hang onto serial ports that most of the others do. It also does not spray sundry files all over the hard drive - it is a really efficient, clean program. It also plays nice with all other software.