Windows 7 x64 has been officially on the market for 2 years as of this month. In that time almost every device manufacturer has added support via x64 drivers. Of course, as I say this, there are a few notable hold-outs, so before you assume these companies are up with the times, it’s prudent to confirm full support for the device before you order a shiny new 32gb memory fitted x64 PC.
Supported vs. compatible.
There’s a difference between a compatible driver, and a fully supported driver, in x64 systems. A good example, at least as of a month or so ago, is the Measurement Computing USB DAQ systems. The website states support for windows x64 using the UL library, however the DLL, and it’s dependencies, are not 100% 64 bit compliant. This results in two operating worlds for software.
“Compatible” – Usually means that the device will operate under x64, but will still use it’s x32 code for the most part, and will operate with x32 programs which are running inside of x64.
“Supported” – This should mean that the device driver, and all of it’s dependencies, are 100% 64 bit compliant. This driver should work with x64 programs, and will make sue of 64 bit memory space if needed.
This small difference in compatibility will basically boil down to “compatible” devices not working with x64 installs of software, while “supported” devices will work. Some programs, like Metamorph, state that devices are supported in x64 specifically. In addition, some devices are supported in x64, but may run slower than in x32! In general, I’d highly recommend contacting the software manufacturer for your imaging system, if you’re in the process of or are planning on moving to x64.
If you just bought a 64 bit system…
What if you just bought a new PC and are now reading my post in horror? There is an option available that I’ve managed to work with in every situation thus far. Three options in fact:
- Run x32 software on the x64 OS. I’ve done this in every case, and it’s worked. Simply install the x32 version of software on the x64 OS, make sure to run the software in “compatibility mode”, and install the “compatible” device driver. This has worked on cameras, USB devices and PCI card drivers.
- Run the OS in “XP Mode”. This is a virtual environment for XP, which is fast and runs well, and is specifically made for this type of problem. I’ve not had to yet do this, but it’s a nice secondary plan which doesn’t require wiping the hard drive.
- Install x32 on a second hard drive, and run that drive for the OS. This is the toughest way to solve the problem, but it’s still better than losing the 64 bit capability for the other programs you may have. With this solution you can simply use the system until the fully supported driver becomes available, and then move into the x64 OS.
I’ve been quite surprised by how slowly device manufacturers and software developers have adopted to x64 bit OS’s. The massive advantages for imaging with large memory space would lead me to believe they’d jump at the first chance to shelve x32, and simply run with x64. Obviously there is a need for legacy support, but at what cost to progress? For the short term, customers and integrators will have to do some solid homework, before installing x64 devices and software.
-Austin