Topic: 64 bit or 32 bit - Autocad mainly

[JCTER]

So I'm on the advent of a new work machine.

The IT consultant we use for occasional help says that there shouldn't be any problems as far as our office goes, so long as things are ok on my end with CAD software.

So, as far as Autocad goes, is there any reason -not- to install 64 bit Windows 7 and 64 bit versions of Autocad?

As far as Autocad goes, we're not going to do any verticals, but may get addons such as CADWorx.  We may get Navisworks soon as well though priority for that has somewhat lessened.

I do some 3d modeling that can, at times, get a bit demanding, even with the use of xrefs and layers to aid me as much as possible.

I'm basically wanting to go with 64 bit to hopefully get more performance, and just wanting to make sure "the coast is clear"

Anyone have any cautionary tales?

[mjfarrell]

do it
to it

[JohnK]

I am using Win7 x64 and AutoCAD MEP 08 x86 with "little" little problem.

[Kerry]

Be aware that there are/were issues with the Microsoft Jet Drivers reading .MDB files in a 64 bit System
(ie do you rely on accessing Access Programmatically ?)

http://www.theswamp.org/index.php?topic=33933.msg392713#msg392713


My main tip would be to get a goodly amount of system memory (some boards max at 8GB .. you'll find that nom12GB is better

[JCTER]

Thankfully I don't have to deal with Access at all.

Autocad
Outlook
Excel
Firefox

That's pretty much the extent of my general tools.

I don't know what the max memory is for the board, but I will check.  I haven't seen the parts that the IT guy spec'd out.  I gave him some general minimums and he appears to have not pulled any punches.  He told me the video card and one was a nVidia Quadro with 1gb memory, up to 3 monitors supported.  Will be a vast improvement over this GeForce 6800 !!  I also forget to ask about what RAM he's quoted.  He laughed when I said I've got 2GB on my computer and couldn't believe I was still getting by on it.  Hopefully that's a good sign.

However, I will keep in mind the memory expansion ability.

The only other hassle I could think of is... printer drivers?

[LE3]

Thankfully I don't have to deal with Access at all.

Autocad
Outlook
Excel
Firefox

That's pretty much the extent of my general tools.

I have A2009 and 2010 on my x64 machine and all of the above from your list (and word, etc....) and runs without any issue

[JohnK]

Print drivers are a problem; my print server is x86 and causes problems but not too bad for office printer/copiers.

One problem i am having is an uncommon paper size index list between the two (64 and 32 bit) in the PC3 file. I am using Ghostscript installed on the print server and a shared PC3 file.

I can explain more tomorrow; Im going to bed now.

Later,

[JCTER]

hahah, the boss's Laptop has already been spec'd at 64-bit, so I can just sit back and wait for him to find out the real problems with printing, and then just apply his fixes to my computer later.

Dell Precision T5500
Quad Core E5507, 2.26ghz, 4M, 4.8GT/s
4GB DDR3 ECC SDRAM 1333MHz 4x1GB
512MB PCIe x16 NVIDIA Quadro FX 580 Dual Monitor DVI +2 DP Dell Precision TX500
300GB SATA, 10k RPM with 16MB DataBurst Cache

I should be ok.

[JohnK]

Printing to an office doc machine (copy machine or whatever) isnt that bad.

How do you guys print from AutoCAD?

For example (here are my procedure{s}):
I print to file and send that file to the printer (in house custom accounting software) or convert it to a PDF or both.
I have ghostscript installed on the print server and i use a PC3 file for my AutoCAD.



EDIT: for some reason my fat fingers typed the strike-through tag...sorry.

[JCTER]

I plot directly from Autocad to the office printer / plotter using either the system printer or a pc3 file.  I have concerns about the HP plotter over there, but I rarely plot to it, and if necessary, we can use one of the other office computers to plot the PDFs to it.

[JohnK]

hummm...let me think.

Are the drivers on each machine?

Worstcase: x64 driver on your machine and a x86 driver on the print server. It works and shouldn't be a big problem but screened lines can show up goofy on older HP laser jets i noticed.


EDIT: i should add that im just spitballin' here and i tend to talk gibberish when i do that so bear with me.

[JCTER]

Yea, we have drivers on each machine.

[JCTER]

Awesome, this quote was actually lower than the other, and seemingly better:

Processor:    Quad Core Intel Xeon W3530 2.80GHz,8M L3,4.8GT/s,Dell Precision T3500 (317-4243)
Memory:    4GB, DDR3 ECC SDRAM Memory 1333MHz, 2X2GB Dell Precision T3500 (317-0118)
Video Card:    1GB ATI FirePro V5800,Triple Monitor,2 DP & 1 DVI,Dell Fixed Precision (320-9260)
Hard Drive:    300GB SATA,10K RPM Hard Drive with 16MB DataBurst Cache,DellPrecision TX500 (341-8836)
Operating System:    Windows 7 Professional, No Media, 64-bit, Fixed Precision, English (421-1486)

[JohnK]

Yea, we have drivers on each machine.

You'll be fine

[sinc]

Are you locked into Dell?  If not, you may want to compare Xi Computers as well.  I've been more impressed with their machines than with Dell's.