Dale M. White

I currently multiple boot between, XP, V32 and V64. I don't see to spend
much time playing any games these days, I seem to spend all my time
benchmarking, reloading and re-benchmarking. Guess it's because there is a
slow period in gaming, so I have alot of free time.

I don't know all the technical specs, but from what I have read, there seems
to be a little debate on whether 64bit computing is going to be faster or
slower. In some regards the 64bit code takes up more of the processors L1
and L2 cache, meaning less code gets cached and that's a hit to performance.
On the other side, there is the larger addressable memory spaces. But Since
I'm running with only 2GB, doesn't serve me much good.

Adding to the mix is Vista, which is new and doesn't have the mature level
drivers and optimizations that XP does and the slower or equal to
performance is hard to pinpoint why. I guess if I was really interested I
would create a 4 boot for XP64 to see how it works.

I loaded Far Cry 64 and made my only little benchmarks demo to run on the 3
OS and I didn't see any real performance gain or loss. SP was still about 10
fps faster, but it's 10 fps faster than Vista32.

HL2 is a totally different story. Under XP is benchmarks at 141fps, Under
Vista 32 it scores 130, and Vista64 it scores a 95. The problem (if it can
be called one) is that steam loads a 64bit client when it detects Vista64.
I haven't figured out how to tell Steam\HL2 not to switch to a 64bit client,
and stay at 32 to see what the numbers are. I'm sure there is a way
(probably turn off my internet connection, and tells steam not to update)
but it seems like it always know it needs an update and won't let me run it
until I get it.

Can't answer the SLI stuff, I would assume you would get it just the same as
the 32bit, if nVidia is offering it out.

So if the game works, I don't think you're see a noticeable performance loss
running V64. But I don't think you see much if any performance gains. Maybe
if I had 4Gb of ram, I could offer a better answer. But I don't think that
would help in terms of the benchmarks anyway


"Mark Maylon" <mmaylon@parcelstoo.com> wrote in message
news:9D89AC47-1648-4624-8A22-4CDF51574BAF@microsoft.com...
> Fellow Gamers!!!
>
> Currently running home premium 32 bit. I ordered the 64 bit upgrade disk.
> My question is how is the 64 bit version. I can play most of my games now
> under 32 bit version, cod series, HL2, BF2142, Ect....no problem.I am
> curious if you see and performance increases' or decreases from 32 to 64?
> Technically speaking the 64 bit should outrun the 32 bit. I also ordered
> a second sata drive should I dual boot the 32 and 64 for stability? I
> guess my last concern is SLI in 64 bit.Currently running 2 7900GS 256
> gdr's in SLI mode under vista 32 with the 101.41 beta driver.Can i expect
> to run SLI mode in 64 bit?
> thanks all
>