Dual boot setup advice - 32 or 64 bit?

[Bunford]

I'm about to cleanse my computer and reinstall Windows.

I'm gonna set up a dual boot system. One boot will be clean and used solely for Ableton Suite 8 and Traktor Pro. The other will be for general use like email, browsing etc.


I can go 32 or 64 bit and wondering which is best. I have a 2.8GHz Core2Duo CPU and 6GB RAM. I've got two separate internal drives at 750GB and 80GB with a 1TB external drive. My music is all on the external drive.

My plan was to split the 750GB to two partitions, installing 32 bit XP on one and 64 bit Win7 on the other. The 80GB will be split in two as well, half for a clean backup image of .each OS.

Should I bother with the 32 bit XP.or just install the 64 bit version? I know my RAM will be limited in 32 bit, but am thinking lots of Ableton and Traktor effects etc are still only 32 bit compatible.

What would be this fabulous forums advice?

[padi_04]

Ableton is a 32bit app, so you earn no benefit in installing x64 architecture.

[neworleansTECH]

6GB RAM will only use 4gb in a 32 bit windows 7 install, and it really is like 3.33 gb, but a 64 bit system can use it all.

[itajeN]

You obviously have a multicore processors, installing 32bit would defeat the purpose. Even though Ableton is in 32 bit, you'd want to go 64 bit to use all your RAM.

[Quenepas]

64bit. Better having to spare than having less. hmmm... in spanish it sounds better...

[Bunford]

Hmmm. So a 64 bit XP is best way to go then it seems.

What about effects like dBlue Glitch (one of my favourites)? I used t ages ago on a 32 bit system but as it wasn't 64 bit compatible, haven't used it in ages. Did they upgrade it?

[padi_04]

in spanish it sounds better...

true haha

[itskindahot]

Hmmm. So a 64 bit XP is best way to go then it seems.

A 64-bit XP is the worst way to go by far. It's quite rarely used and driver support is insanely bad.

You wanna use a 64-bit OS if you have 6GB of RAM for reasons I'm too tired to explain aorn. (And yeah, I realize that Ableton by itself--not sure what goes on if you add VSTs--cannot use more than 2GB.) And when it comes to 64-bit Windows OSes for consumers, Win 7 x64 > Vista x64 > XP x64. (It's different for 32-bit where I'd say Win 7 > XP > Vista.)

[Bunford]

Ok. I want two OS's on my system.

First OS: Minimal, clean and tweaked for performance (particularly audio performance) with Traktor Pro and Ableton on it

Second OS: For whatever else like email, browsing, photoshop, itunes etc

I've a XP Pro key, Vista Ultimate key and a Windows 7 Ultimate key, all inherited from upgrades over past few years and machines never sold on so I still own the keys, so can install any of them, whether 32 or 64 bit.

With the above system specs, and for the purpose mentioned, what two OS's should I install?

[MuzicFreq]

using 64bit Windows 7 and loving it