64 Bit XP drivers

Majin · #1 (**permalink**) 26-10-2007, 02:04 AM

I have a StepNote XT5000T
http://www.everex.com/products/xt5000t/xt5000t.htm
and it has a AMD Turion™ 64 X2 Dual-Core Mobile Technology TL-50 (512KB L2 Cache, 1.6GHz)

Yet when I installed my 64 bit edition of XP I could not find any drivers for it other than audio and Graphics and the graphics card drivers freezes the computer apon loading.

What I really wanted is my wireless card driver.

Ive tried the links on http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1174232 yet those do not work.

Digerati · #2 (**permalink**) 26-10-2007, 03:02 PM

You've run into a common problem and the reason why no one should ever go with a 64-bit OS unless they do their homework first and know they have working 64-bit drivers for ALL their hardware.

This is especially true with laptops where the use of proprietary parts are common. And this is not limited to Windows, but all 64-bit operating systems.

Your best bet is to contact Everest - or find the maker of your card and contact them. I note that Hardforum post you referred to is 68 pages long - you might want to scan through that, or post your concerns there as someone might have run into the same problem and can help.

Sorry I could not be of more help. Keep us posted.

jephree · #3 (**permalink**) 26-10-2007, 09:57 PM

Also just out of curiosity:

That laptop is said to ship with Vista 32 bit.

Did you remove Vista? Or did you order it with no OS?

I use XP 64 bit on one machine for gaming and as Digerati points out driver searches are an adventure.

Majin · #4 (**permalink**) 26-10-2007, 10:57 PM

Yea it shipped with Vista 32bit I got a recovery CD with it on there. I am currently using XP 32bit and I wanted to try out 64bit but there are no drivers which is strange because its a 64bit processor.

Is there really that much difference in 32 vs 64 bit? I believe there is more support with software and games for 32 bit if I'm not mistaken.

Digerati · #5 (**permalink**) 26-10-2007, 11:23 PM

Quote:

but there are no drivers which is strange because its a 64bit processor.

Actually that is not strange at all. CPUs have been 64-bit for a long time. Enterprise servers have been running 64-bit for some time too, using 64-bit CPUs. So the problem is not with Microsoft, Intel, AMD or the motherboard makers, the problem is with the rest of the hardware industry - and software industry too. Since all 32-bit software will run on 64-bit platforms, and run very well, there is little financial incentive set up a complete 64-bit software development program for 64-bit versions of software when most people don't need it. So without the software support, the video card, sound card, and other hardware makers have little reason to make 64-bit HW and drivers. It's a Catch-22.