Windows XP Professional x64

[Wes Carter]

A few years ago when the new 64 bit processors first came out I bought an Abit NV8 motherboard with an Athlon 46 bit processor. I also bought Windows XP 64 bit OS. When I installed it there were some problems, most notably device drivers. I finally got everything working after I swapped video cards. But then I had a multitude of problems with software. About half of the software I used was incompatible with the 64 bit OS. So I wiped the hard drive and installed the 32 bit version of XP, which ran fine for a few years.

Recently I had a problem with my hard drive and had to replace it. I could not find my 32 bit XP disc, so I decided to try the 64 bit version of XP again. Surprisingly, everything now works without a hitch. I'm not sure if the Windows Updates have patches to fix some compatibility problems or what, but this time XP 64 is a very smooth and fast OS. I know that some of my enthusiasm is due to the lack of years of accumulated registry errors, bloatware, and whatever else.

And to beat it all, this version of Windows can be bought for less than $50 now. I paid $139 for it in 2005. Just thought I'd share with those who might be interested.

By the way, I can't count how many times I've been told that there is no such thing as a 64 bit version of Windows XP Professional.

 

[John Wetter]

You can thank Vista for XP x64 getting some attention. It's Vista 64 that got the drivers updated from vendors.

 

[Rob Wadsworth]

I have a copy of the Xp Pro/64 on an Abit motherboard as well. Runs very fast and clean. And yes - they have come up with a lot of 64 compatible software upgrades. Especially since Vista also has a 64 OS. One would have thought that the OS writers would've had more available to make it work when it first came out. It turns out that the hardware mfrs didn't come up with it as fast as we would have liked. They have also recently announced that W7 is available in the 64 version.

I like Xp Pro 64 - as well as I like W7. So long as they keep making solid OS I will use them on boxes I build. I like W7 because it looks like Vista w/o the problems. Apparently, some of the Xp drivers will also work on W7. If W7 is a revamped version of Xp as I suspect; then MS is finally showing that it does have their act together. Now, If they will give me a copy of W7/64 for my copy of Vista 64 that is laying around in my filing cabinet - then I will call it even...

 

[Wes Carter]

Rob I've also got that goofy looking curved green box sitting here collecting dust (Vista). I failed to mention that I tried that also, but it didn't last a week. Darn OS gave me the BSOD several times an hour so I gave up on it and figured I bought a $150 coaster with a funky box.

I'm not a gamer, but I do record on my desktop and I'm always looking for ways to make it work better with less latency. I guess with what I've spent trying to get this SOB faster I could have bought a MAC.

But hey, I'm happier than a pig in mud right now. This pc is noticeably faster than my new Vista laptop with a dual core and twice the RAM.

Rob, if you are interested after searching the internet I found a way to get Itunes to work on XP-64 even though it's not supposed to. It seems that the 64 bit version will work if you change one value in the installation file. You can read how to do it here.