abudhu
06-29-2005, 04:31 PM
Well I just installed Windows XP Professional x64 onto a seperate partiton on my computer to test it out.
I will do some better "test" later (i.e. actually timing the seconds)
Installation:
Well what can I say? Windows has yet to make a different graphical Installation since Windows 98 it seems. Blue Screen of Death followed by fuzzy graphics. Most Major Linux Distributions have already made their GUI Installs much more appealing, can't windows catch up? In anycase, installing was extremely speedy. Much speedier than XPx32 ever felt. Took about 40 minutes to install it.
Score: 4/5
Startup:
Once again it would seem Windows has yet to catch up to every other Major Linux Distribution. Their awful Boot Loader comes to life again in a scary fashion. Black on...Dark Grey! Text ask you which OS you would like to choose. Has anyone used GRUB boot loader? If you have, you know what an excellent boat loader looks like. It doesn't even give you an option, once again, like most Linux Distros, to boot into any Fail-Safe mode from the Bootloader. That it seems is still reserved for Pounding F8 in the short time you have before Windows loads. Speaking of Pouding the F8 key, you are going to need reflexes of steel to hit F8 now. XPx32 took 2.5 Sweeps to load Windows up to the WELCOME SCREEN. XPx65 took 1.5, I barely had time to blink.
Once the welcome screen loads it took about 2 seconds before I was tossed into Windows itself. A large improvement over my current load time of about 10 seconds.
Score: 4/5
Load Times:
XPx64 loads incredibly fast. Items just pop up and dissapear. IEx64 brings about a long needed sense of security, though I won't be caught dead using it other than for Windows Update. Speaking of which, Windows Update is also snappier. Retrieiving items has never been quicker.
Score: 5/5
Drivers:
Drivers didn't seem to be an issue for me as everything I run from my Mobo Chip to my Graphics Driver is Nvidia driven. A Forceware download and Chipset download from Guru3D was all I needed. Windows took them, installed them, and went off. Yay...I have sound again.
Score: 3/5 (Why because, there are lots of people and a LOT of programs that don't work under Win XPx64 yet...)
Bottom Line:
Windows XPx64 is flying nicely on my computer at this moment. I can't wait to try to install some more programs and see how this puppy handles. In fact the first two things that shall be installed: VMWare 5.0, then Windows XPx32 under VMWare :D
If you have a 64bit computer at home/at work I would say update to this OS. It promises lots of saftey and hey, IE has yet to give me a pop-up so thats an improvement isn't it? ;)
Overall: 4/5
----
Edit:
Possible Explotation I see in the near future: Though as secure as 64 bit technology is, it seems Microsoft made a fatal error. Their WoW64 system (Windows on Windows) which allows 32 bit application to run alongside 64 bit application would seem to me, to allow any and all 32 bit virus and spyware applications to simply run along and inside Windows x64. Lame.
However, in other related news, has anyone heard of the SWEET anti-virus/spyware technology that Longhorn is implementing? Essentally one of the Major reasons Longhorn is taking forever to come out is that Microsoft rebuilt the code ground up based on Windows 2003 Server. Besides this point, they are attempting to make Longhorn self sufficent in that it will constantly check itself to see programs that only MICROSOFT deems worthy. Meaning, if it isn't microsoft certified through them Longhorn will not allow it to run. This means that any Virus/Spyware trying to enter your computer and exploit holes will not be allowed to be executed under longhorn. This is the GENERAL idea, I'll try to dig up the article that has more detail later. Essentially this will actually make it so Hacker HELP longhorn, as holes are discovered Longhorn will literally SHUTDOWN parts of windows that have been affected. By shutting down sections of windows, it allows longhorn to send that information to X client and vendor and await a patch. Once the patch is available the ever checking Longhorn will automatically apply the patch and reactivate the section it shutdown. Furthermore, they are also creating a tool in the same fashion, that will NOT allow any program to alter the Kernel or install anything to it that microsoft does not deem fit.
Pretty cool stuff.
I will do some better "test" later (i.e. actually timing the seconds)
Installation:
Well what can I say? Windows has yet to make a different graphical Installation since Windows 98 it seems. Blue Screen of Death followed by fuzzy graphics. Most Major Linux Distributions have already made their GUI Installs much more appealing, can't windows catch up? In anycase, installing was extremely speedy. Much speedier than XPx32 ever felt. Took about 40 minutes to install it.
Score: 4/5
Startup:
Once again it would seem Windows has yet to catch up to every other Major Linux Distribution. Their awful Boot Loader comes to life again in a scary fashion. Black on...Dark Grey! Text ask you which OS you would like to choose. Has anyone used GRUB boot loader? If you have, you know what an excellent boat loader looks like. It doesn't even give you an option, once again, like most Linux Distros, to boot into any Fail-Safe mode from the Bootloader. That it seems is still reserved for Pounding F8 in the short time you have before Windows loads. Speaking of Pouding the F8 key, you are going to need reflexes of steel to hit F8 now. XPx32 took 2.5 Sweeps to load Windows up to the WELCOME SCREEN. XPx65 took 1.5, I barely had time to blink.
Once the welcome screen loads it took about 2 seconds before I was tossed into Windows itself. A large improvement over my current load time of about 10 seconds.
Score: 4/5
Load Times:
XPx64 loads incredibly fast. Items just pop up and dissapear. IEx64 brings about a long needed sense of security, though I won't be caught dead using it other than for Windows Update. Speaking of which, Windows Update is also snappier. Retrieiving items has never been quicker.
Score: 5/5
Drivers:
Drivers didn't seem to be an issue for me as everything I run from my Mobo Chip to my Graphics Driver is Nvidia driven. A Forceware download and Chipset download from Guru3D was all I needed. Windows took them, installed them, and went off. Yay...I have sound again.
Score: 3/5 (Why because, there are lots of people and a LOT of programs that don't work under Win XPx64 yet...)
Bottom Line:
Windows XPx64 is flying nicely on my computer at this moment. I can't wait to try to install some more programs and see how this puppy handles. In fact the first two things that shall be installed: VMWare 5.0, then Windows XPx32 under VMWare :D
If you have a 64bit computer at home/at work I would say update to this OS. It promises lots of saftey and hey, IE has yet to give me a pop-up so thats an improvement isn't it? ;)
Overall: 4/5
----
Edit:
Possible Explotation I see in the near future: Though as secure as 64 bit technology is, it seems Microsoft made a fatal error. Their WoW64 system (Windows on Windows) which allows 32 bit application to run alongside 64 bit application would seem to me, to allow any and all 32 bit virus and spyware applications to simply run along and inside Windows x64. Lame.
However, in other related news, has anyone heard of the SWEET anti-virus/spyware technology that Longhorn is implementing? Essentally one of the Major reasons Longhorn is taking forever to come out is that Microsoft rebuilt the code ground up based on Windows 2003 Server. Besides this point, they are attempting to make Longhorn self sufficent in that it will constantly check itself to see programs that only MICROSOFT deems worthy. Meaning, if it isn't microsoft certified through them Longhorn will not allow it to run. This means that any Virus/Spyware trying to enter your computer and exploit holes will not be allowed to be executed under longhorn. This is the GENERAL idea, I'll try to dig up the article that has more detail later. Essentially this will actually make it so Hacker HELP longhorn, as holes are discovered Longhorn will literally SHUTDOWN parts of windows that have been affected. By shutting down sections of windows, it allows longhorn to send that information to X client and vendor and await a patch. Once the patch is available the ever checking Longhorn will automatically apply the patch and reactivate the section it shutdown. Furthermore, they are also creating a tool in the same fashion, that will NOT allow any program to alter the Kernel or install anything to it that microsoft does not deem fit.
Pretty cool stuff.