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Re: windows 64 vs 32 bit

  • To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
  • Subject: [mg108299] Re: windows 64 vs 32 bit
  • From: David Bailey <dave at removedbailey.co.uk>
  • Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 07:55:12 -0500 (EST)
  • References: <hndb3r$df1$1@smc.vnet.net>

becko BECKO wrote:
> I am not sure if this is the right place to ask this, but I can't think of any better. Would I gain some performance with Mathematica if I installed 64bit windows 7? I have a quad-processor, but only 2 gb ram, so I am not sure. Thanks.
>  		 	   		 
> 
The big advantage of 64-bit Windows, is that it has an enormous virtual 
address space of approx 1.8 x 10^19 bytes, unlike 32-bit windows, which 
has a theoretical maximum address space of approx 4 x 10^9. In practice, 
this means that memory can be used more effectively.

The Windows version of Mathematica has both 32 and 64 bit versions 
within it, so after switching to 64-bit Windows, you would only need to 
re-use your existing install disk.

Of course, the real gains from 64-bits come when you install more 
memory, which can be exploited in 64-bit mode by a single hungry 
application, whereas in 32-bit mode each process reaches a limit as to 
how much memory it can use.

Although the address space limit in 32-bit mode is 4 x 10^9, in practice 
the limit is much lower. This is because the operating system itself 
uses up part of this address space, and also the address space tends to 
become fragmented.

I think it would probably be worth a try, but why not install some more 
RAM, then the choice would be obvious!

David Bailey
http://www.dbaileyconsultancy.co.uk


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