Why I hate x64

by | Jul 17, 2008 | x64 | 11 comments

Update

More on x64 here:
http://www.owcer.com/2008/10/more-on-x64/

I hate x64. x64 promised to increase the capabilities of computers. More memory, greater speed, bigger, faster, etc… And then, things stop working. Things I like. Things that nobody told me would stop working. Here’s a list I started of things that don’t work quite right in x64. I’m sorry to say that I discovered most of these the hard way 🙁

Software that does not run on x64

  • Motorola Q9 Update for Windows Mobile 6.1 does not support Windows x64
    The software that updates the Motorola Q9 from Windows Mobile 6.0 to Windows Mobile 6.1 does not run under Windows Vista x64.

  • Flash player not supported in 64-bit browser…
    http://forums.firingsquad.com/firingsquad/board/message?board.id=software&message.id=11143
  • HP Inkjet Printers – Products Not Supported in Windows XP Professional x64
    http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c00364959&lc=en&cc=us&dlc=&product=87608
  • Microsoft Fingerprint Reader does not work with x64
    http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/mouseandkeyboard/Download.mspx
  • Programs become unstable or do not start after you install an x64-based version of Windows on the same partition as a 32-bit version of Windows
    http://support.microsoft.com/kb/896455
    Have fun setting up that dual-boot environment!
  • WebSphere Application Server V6.1.0.11 and later, 32-bit edition, is supported on 64-bit editions of Windows platforms X64 (Intel EM64T / AMD Opteron) hardware. Earlier versions are not.
    http://www-1.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?rs=180&uid=swg21237405

Software with disabled features on x64

  • Send to OneNote 2007 print driver and Internet Fax not available on 64 bit OS. The Office Clean-up wizard not available on 64 bit OS.
    http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/onenote/HA101668651033.aspx
  • Visual Studio 2008 does not support “edit and continue” on x64
    http://forums.microsoft.com/MSDN/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=2277574&SiteID=1
  • Groove File Sharing not supported on 64 bit OS
    http://www.microsoft.com/communities/newsgroups/en-us/default.aspx?pg=2&p=1&tid=ea7444ed-cf8e-426f-af8d-0e1ed146821f&dg=microsoft.public.groove.synch
  • Team Foundation Server 2008 application server role will not install on x64 – this means you can’t use an x64 server in a single server configuration on an x64 server
    http://internationalized.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!43F3A7682D1564E4!213.entry

11 Comments

  1. Arup
    Arup on July 18, 2008 at 10:27 am

    Been using x64 XP since two years and Ubuntu x64. Everything x32 that I need work on XP x64, from Open Office to Scribus to Opera. Have no problems, with 8GB RAM and Quad Core, I find the performance, not to mention added security of a x64 OS indispensable. XP64 matured greatly with the release of SP2 and is now among the fastest and securest of MS OSs till date being that its based on NT 5.2 core. Even Ubuntu x64 has matured finally and is now a great alternative, neither of the OS give men any sweat running x32 programs from Open Office and others. I have latest drivers for all the hardware including Canon printer and scanner, Logitech has provided an excellent x64 webcam driver. Day in day out my x64 OS runs fast and rock solid as compared to my older flaky x32 XP. What more can one ask for?

  2. Software Developer (and a user of 64-bit Vista)
    Software Developer (and a user of 64-bit Vista) on July 18, 2008 at 1:12 pm

    Windows XP 64 bit is actually neither XP nor Vista. It’s actually more close to Windows Server 2003, just with an XP marketing badge. It does not and won’t have wide support from software and hardware vendors. Don’t use XP 64-bit, go for Vista instead if you need a 64-bit OS!

  3. Eugene Rosenfeld
    Eugene Rosenfeld on July 18, 2008 at 2:02 pm

    Arup, I don’t contend with any of the potential benefits that an x64 can bring. My assertion is that we are nowhere close to realizing even a fraction of these benefits. The reality is that if you don’t need more than 3 GB RAM in your computer, x64 does _nothing_ for you. On top of that, having such a large list of diminished capability between x86 and x64 is unacceptable. Don’t even get me started on driver issues. When there are entire sites like Planet64 (http://www.planetamd64.com/) devoted to the issue, there is unquestionably a huge problem. As far as what I could ask for: this list should be empty.

  4. F3nNec
    F3nNec on July 18, 2008 at 4:13 pm

    using Windows xp x64 for about 1 year, must sai, best OS i had!
    to Software Developer (and a user of 64-bit Vista):
    STFU 64-bit vista sux ballz!11 vista was made for T-agerz 2 have success with gurlz showing them “Aero glass effect”
    btw if u wanna latest best OS from Microsoft stik with Windows Server 2008 x64 😉

  5. Lancef
    Lancef on July 18, 2008 at 8:31 pm

    I love and hate it but I love it a bit more. I was an early adopter having exchanged a copy of XP Pro for it in the MS launch deal. Found it merely interesting and a means to play FarCry 64 on a game machine with a pull-out boot drive until SP2. Now I run it on my main system. Had to overcome lack of spellcheck on OE (fixed with the .exe from OE32 run from seperate dir)and besides iTunes the thing I am really missing is the ability to play instant movies on Netflix. Fwiw I keep writing them asking for it. Running 8gb on intel quad 6600. Will probably use it until 7 comes out.

  6. Guti
    Guti on July 19, 2008 at 8:14 am

    It is of course a problem on the applications theirselves, and not in the x64 OS itself.

  7. jobi
    jobi on July 19, 2008 at 1:09 pm

    F3nnc… well you can STFU, because Vista 64-bit blows Xp 64-bit out of the water any day of the year. I have been using it for years now with excellent performance. Good luck running Xp after support for that OS stops from Microsoft. Vista was built for users to take advantage of the technology that will be designed for tomorrow. Still running directx 9 applications? lol. Try directx 10. It’s far superior than Xp 64-bit can ever handle.

  8. Anonymous
    Anonymous on July 20, 2008 at 12:20 am

    Are you kidding me?? These disagreements are completely out of date?? iPhone? Works PERFECTLY on Vista x64. I know, I have two of them (old and new). Virtual PC 2007 – IT IS WRITTEN IN AND FOR X64!! WTF?!? Where did dig up these fossilized links? New software HAS 64 bit capability and WORKS SUBSTATIONALLY BETTER than the x86 brethren. Photoshop CS4 IS 64bit, Lightroom x64 IS 64bit, NIS 2009 IS 64bit, LAME IS 64bit. Media encoder x64 IS 64bit. Get with the times. DO YOUR HOMEWORK!!

  9. Eugene Rosenfeld
    Eugene Rosenfeld on July 20, 2008 at 12:44 am

    I use VPC 2007 every day. It is a 32 bit app. It may run on an x64 host, but does not support x64 guests. That’s why I also use VMWare. Btw, check this reference:
    http://download.microsoft.com/download/4/4/c/44ccd131-67fb-4224-a96e-193be1765b43/relnotes.htm
    That’s from Microsoft’s own web site. If you’ve actually installed it, you can even check your task manager:
    “Virtual PC.exe *32”.

    iPhone on x64? I don’t think so. Take a look:
    http://www.google.com/search?q=iphone+x64
    This applies to the original iPhone. I’m not sure it applied to the 3G.

    That’s great that Photoshop CS4, Lightroom, NIS 2009, LAME, and Media encoder work on x64. But they aren’t listed on this post now are they?

  10. Anonymous
    Anonymous on July 20, 2008 at 5:17 pm

    Use x84 linux, everything works fine there 🙂

  11. lanceness
    lanceness on July 23, 2008 at 11:37 pm

    iPhone and iTunes now working on my XP x64 system thanks to this article

    http://yukichigai.googlepages.com/iphonex64

    Of course it works on Vista x64 without modification but I am not there yet.