Microsoft 64 bit technology offers 32 bit compatibility but DOS and 16 bit support are no longer available. Several Microsoft application servers have 64 bit versions with 64 bit Office applications expected by 2010. Manufactures such as Adobe and Apple are offering or have in the works 64-bit versions of their popular software.

One of the main advantages of the 64-bit operating system is memory addressing. A 32-bit OS is limited to 4GB of RAM. However, the amount of memory a 64-bit OS can access is exponentially greater, potentially up to several million gigabytes of RAM.

As more 64 bit applications are written and as the cost of memory comes down, the 64-bit revolution will be just around the corner.

After reviewing the Windows 7 system requirements from Microsoft for a second time I went back to a previous post of mine in Business Intelligence back on June 5, 2009: Windows 7 Release Candidate ready for testing – part 2 to put together a shopping list.

I wanted a processor that supported the 64 bit OS and Intel Virtualization Technology for compatibility with legacy apps. The Intel Processor Spec Finder was a big help in making my choice. A matching mother board that would support lots of DDR3 dual channel memory was also on my list. AMD has some very good processors that should run Windows 7 without a problem. However, I lean toward Intel from habit more than anything.

Poking around the local CompUSA store, I came up with an Intel Core^TM 2 Duo E8200 2.66 GHz processor and an Intel DP45SG mother board. I wanted the flexibility to experiment with different video cards and of course the DDR3 dual channel memory support. I could have gotten a less expensive board but I prefer to run Intel on Intel. I found a cheap case and added a 400 Watt power supply just to be on the safe side. In my next post, I will discuss the Windows 7 RC installation and what I found running both new and old software apps.