64-bit Computing: Bigger, Better, Faster—and Ready

Sixty-four-bit computing is here, and it's available to system builders now. Sixty-four-bit motherboards are available and affordable. Microsoft has officially announced the release of a x64 XP Professional Operating System, and Linux has supported 64-bit for some time. Though recent advances in 32-bit processors have been impressive, the idea of data coursing through 64-bit wide registers at over 2 GHz is even more impressive.

I recently took the plunge myself, building a 64-bit whitebox PC, and I can't help but continue to be excited about the possibilities this new breed of processor and supporting chipsets. For white-box system builders and their clients, it's a thrilling new world.

In this TechBuilder recipe, I'll give an overview of where the 64-bit world has been and where it is now. I'll describe components that are available today. And I'll take a stab at where we are headed with 64-bit hardware and software. For those just dipping in a toe, I've also included a parts list and some assembly tips for a 64-bit evaluation machine. I promise that once you build your first 64-bit white-box system, you'll be hooked, too.

But Why 64 Bits?

A 64-bit CPU has two main advantages over a 32-bit processor. First, it processes data in packets that are twice the size of what a 32-bit CPU can handle. For word processing, Web browsing, and other simple tasks, this won't boost performance by much. But for more demanding tasks such as digital video editing or 3D gaming, 64-bit processing helps the CPU execute code faster--much faster.

Second, a 64-bit CPU can access far more system RAM, as much as 18 exabytes (EB)--that is, 18 quintillion bytes of data. By contrast, a 32-bit CPU can address no more than 4 GB of RAM. If 18 EB seems like overkill, it is. In fact, AMD has limited the range of the addressable memory space in its Athlon 64 processor to "just" 1 terabyte (TB)--that's 1 trillion bytes, equal to 1,000 GB.

In the following table I've compared 32-bit vs. 64-bit resources:

Why 64-bit Now?

Today's 32-bit systems are at their limit. And it's not just scientists and engineers who are pushing the envelope. There's also a new breed of demanding consumers and business users looking for more oomph from their PCs.

Today's new breed of sophisticated users are pushing for ever more computing power. These aggressive users are interested in doing far more than just sending e-mail and editing Word documents. They're adept at making and editing home movies, altering digital photographs, ripping music files, and playing stunning 3D games. And they are relentless in their pursuit of new CPU-intensive applications. For these users, the extra crunch of 64-bit processing couldn't come a minute too soon. Oh, and did I mention they have money?

At the same time, some very large companies--including E*Trade Financial and Fuji Film--are counting on complex information systems to sell and deliver their products, calling for the granularity of data and real-time data streams that 64-bit computing enables. So there is significant, growing demand for 64-bit applications for both consumer and commercial activities.

What's more, many corporate users would like to migrate away from expensive RISC-based systems to less expensive computers running on processors from Intel and AMD. Yet they still want the kind of impressive computing power their older systems deliver. For them, 64-bit computing could be the answer.

What are Intel, AMD Up To?

While 64-bit computing has been around for well over 10 years, until recently it was accessible only to those operating high-end, big-dollar servers. These machines were powered by RISC-based processors, such as Sun Microsystem's SPARC, IBM's Power, and Hewlett-Packard's PA-RISC. But In the PC marketplace, 64-bit computing had to wait until 2002, with the advent of Intel's Itanium and AMD's Hammer programs.

Intel's 64-bit Itanium introduced a new architecture to rival the current 32-bit IA-32 standard. This new architecture, IA-64, is based on a model known as Explicitly Parallel Instruction Computing (EPIC). While IA-64 has many advantages, its biggest drawback is that it is not natively compatible with x86 code. So while Itanium can fly when running 64-bit applications, it supports older 32-bit applications only in a much slower emulation mode.

Intel has recently offered some 32-to-64-bit compatibility on its Xeon and Pentium 4 processors, using an emulation strategy the company call EM64T, for Extended Memory 64 Technology. Basically, any Xeon or Pentium processor that supports EM64T has access to greater amounts of addressable memory--one major benefit of 64-bit computing--as well as higher clock speeds and other improvements over a "conventional" 32-bit processor. Essentially, these CPUs offer a half-way move to full 64-bit computing.

AMD, with a much smaller chunk of the market, has taken a different approach to the 64-bit challenge. Rather than develop a new architecture, as Intel did, AMD extended its current x86 architecture to completely support 64 bits. This means the relatively new AMD64 processors (including the Athlon 64) can not only support future 64-bit applications, but also are natively compatible with current x86, 32-bit code.

For server applications, AMD's design of its Opteron x64 processor yielded a 64-bit processor that is similarly backwardly-compatible with x86 software. Most important, AMD's x64 processors are compatible with x86 operating systems in a way that does not compromise the performance of existing x86 applications.

AMD recently released the Turion 64, a 64-bit processor designed specifically for notebooks. Turion is available at clock speeds of up to 2 GHz with 1 MB of L2 cache. With this processor, AMD is aiming squarely at the market currently dominated by Intel's Centrino technology and Pentium M processors. With Turion's modest power requirements, the CPU would appear to meet the needs for "slim & lite" whitebook builders.

Also, AMD's Turion (unlike the Intel Centrino) is not a complete and sealed platform upon which OEMs and other builders must base their machines. Instead, AMD is relying on third parties such as SIS to provide the chipsets, enabling laptop makers and whitebook builders to offer a choice of VIA, SIS, or ULI chipsets, and either Broadcom or Atheros wireless. This type of interoperability will ultimately lead to both greater competition and more (that is, better) choices for notebook buyers and builders alike.

What about 64-bit Motherboards?

Good news: All the piece parts for 64-bit computing are at last available to system builders. We have the arrival of chipsets like VIA's K8T800 to support the 64-bit CPU's operating systems. We have the XP 64-bit Edition trial version. We have 64-bit Linux. And we have 64-bit application software. What's more, they're available at price points low enough to promote the replacement of 32-bit CPUs and motherboards.

Combine that with faster clocking and backward compatibility, and you can see why many builders are choosing to sell the new hardware combinations now, even without an overwhelming demand for specific 64-bit applications. In the case of WinXP users, having 64-bit-ready hardware will afford system builders a simple upgrade to XP Professional x64.

Today's 64-bit motherboards come in s754, and the upcoming s939 and s940 versions; s754 is currently the most affordable and versatile. It would appear that s939 will be the favorite in the near future for desktop applications and s940 for servers. That's because s939 has an obvious performance edge over s754: It can literally double memory bandwidth over Socket-754 by using processors with dual-channel memory controllers, thus delivering seriously better performance. In actual number terms, s939's 128-bit data path offers up a potentially juicy 6.4 GB per second at DDR400 speeds, compared with 3.2 GB/sec. for the single-channel s754.

But while s754 processors may not be as quick as identical-clocked S939 counterparts, they are significantly cheaper. So manufacturers tend to release fully-loaded S939 boards and slightly barer, cheaper S754 models. Also, while s939 holds a promise for the future, s754 chips and motherboards are readily available today. Abit, MSI, ASUS and DFI all currently offer popular choices for integrated s754 motherboards.

The ASUS K8V SE Deluxe motherboard, featured in my parts list below, combines the AMD Athlon 64 processor with VIA's K8T800 chipset. Advanced features include increased performance with HyperTransport, an optional ASUS Wi-Fi slot, AGP 8x, S/PDIF digital audio, IEEE 1394, and dual SATA RAID.

64-bit Operating Systems—You Have a Choice

Both Microsoft and Linux vendors now have reliable 64-bit versions of their OSes. For most system builders, I recommend Microsoft, though I will also discuss your Linux options.

Let's first look at Microsoft. The company's 64-bit offerings of Windows Server 2003 x64 and its newly unveiled Windows XP Professional x64 Edition. Both these Windows x64 Editions support both AMD64 and Intel EM64T processors, but they cannot be used with Intel's Itanium processors.

Here are my top five reasons for moving to a Microsoft 64-bit OS:

1. High Performance: A 64-bit OS lets you run the next generation of high-performance, 64-bit-native applications. Using 64-bits delivers more data per clock cycle, helping systems to run faster and more efficiently.

2. Large memory support: Adding 64-bit instructions enables support for more than 4 GB of memory. This, in turn, helps applications run faster when working with large data sets. It preloads substantially more data into virtual memory, which allows rapid access by the 64-bit processor. Windows XP Professional x64 Edition supports huge amounts of memory: up to 128 GB of RAM and 16 terabytes (TB, or a trillion bytes) of virtual memory.

3. Flexibility: In addition to supporting 64-bit applications, Windows XP Professional x64 Edition provides a rich platform for integrating 64-bit technical applications and existing 32-bit business applications using the Windows on Windows 64 (WOW64) x86 emulation layer. This lets customers move to 64-bit computing without sacrificing their existing investments in 32-bit software and Windows expertise.

4. Multiprocessing and Multicore: Windows XP Professional x64 Edition supports up to two single or multicore x64 processors for maximum performance and scalability.

5. No Change in Programming Model: Developers with 32-bit skills will be comfortable and quickly productive in the 64-bit Windows environment, finding it virtually identical to the development environment for 32-bit Windows.

Here's another reason: It could be free! If you purchased your 32-bit version of XP professional recently, you may be eligible for Microsoft's Technology Advancement Program. However, before you commit to turning in your 32-bit version of XP, be prepared to answer 'yes' to the following questions:

• Have you read and understoodd the information on Microsoft's Windows x64 Web site?
• Are you pushing the boundaries of 32-bit machines, and do you anticipate gaining a benefit from the new architecture?
• Have you investigated whether 64-bit device drivers are available for your PC components and peripherals, because you know 32-bit drivers will not work with 63-bit XP?
• Are you prepared to back up all your data and settings, since XP Professional x64 requires a clean install? Do you know that the contents of your hard drive will be erased during the installation?

For open-systems fans, the popular Linux distributors are also supporting the move to 64-bit systems. The table below lists all Linux OS distributors that currently offer 64-bit support:

The Linux community moves quickly, so here are two good sites for more information and current developments on 64-bit Linux: Speed Edge Technologies and AMD64.

A Word About 64-bit Security

At least two documented cases of 64-bit viruses have already been discovered. The first, found in 2004 by Symantec, was dubbed W64.Shruggle. It seemed to test the concept of a 64-bit infector and was not actively spread. More recently, W64.Rugrat.3344 was discovered. It's another proof-of-concept virus that infects 64-bit executable files.

These and other new virus strains don't necessarily require a true 64-bit machine, and they may run successfully on 32-bit computers with 64-bit emulators. Though neither virus is considered to be widespread or particularly heinous, they do serve as a reminder that the future 64-bit world will most likely be just as susceptible to attack as the 32-bit world is today.

AMD, Microsoft and Intel are all including code in their 64-bit products that attempt to block hackers from exploiting two dangerous conditions, buffer underrun and buffer overflow. AMD and Intel's chips include a feature that prevents worms and viruses from executing dangerous code in either of these two conditions, and they require software support from the OS.

64-bit Drivers and Applications: What's Available Now?

While you may not find a driver for every application you run, a reasonable number of 64-bit drivers are available for both XP and Linux. In fact, the upcoming release of Windows XP Professional x64 Edition will include device drivers from several hardware manufacturers--including ATI and Nvidia--indicating more general support for critical hardware. Still, we are likely to see this first version of 64-bit XP roll out to those system builders who require only a few key drivers to deliver XP with their new 64-bit systems.

To see if 64-bit drivers are available for 64-bit configurations you are building, one place to check is AMD's AMD64 Ecosystem page. This currently lists some 1,000 software packages from more than 300 software developers. Intel has resources, as well, in its 64-Bit Resource Center. But this focuses mainly on migration strategies and tools for server deployment.

As you might expect, full 64-bit offerings are being delivered first to those application areas that will derive the most benefit from the technology's double-wide registers and faster speeds. For example, applications that manipulate large data stores have led the way, including back-end server operations, engineering applications, computer-aided design (CAD), and 3D visualization.

Another hot market for 64-bit systems is gaming. Gamers and game-makers ready to push the envelope for speed and graphics are anxiously awaiting the arrival of full 64-bit systems. Game makers will no doubt use the technology to produce life-like 3D animations. Already, game makers build their most sophisticated 3D titles around complicated database engines that store the reactions of game objects and computer-controlled characters in response to player actions. The advent of 64-bit computing will enable them to create ever more realistic games.

In fact, some game makers have already started to use 64-bit technology. For example, Epic Game's Unreal Engine 3 provides the 64-bit platform used to develop the popular game Unreal Tournament 2004. It is a complete game-development framework for next-generation consoles and DirectX9-equipped PCs. Unreal Engine 3 also provides an array of the core technologies, content-creation tools, and support infrastructures required by top game developers. Scenes and characters emerging from its 64-bit color High Dynamic Range rendering pipeline are bigger and badder than ever--and more realistic, too. Here's a look at one:

Similarly, Crytek, the developer of UbiSoft's popular game FarCry, has its own 64-bit platform. Called CryENGINE, the platform was used to produce the popular game FarCry. CryENGINE uses AMD64 technology and lets game developers showcase larger, smoother, and more detailed worlds, offering gamers a near-cinematic experience in game play.

What You Need To Build A 64-bit System

Here is my parts list for building a robust and affordable 64-bit PC. I've combined the AMD Athlon 64 3200+ 2 GHz. processor with VIA's K8T800 chipset utilizing an ASUS K8V SE Deluxe motherboard. Other features include increased performance with HyperTransport, an optional ASUS Wi-Fi slot, AGP 8x, S/PDIF digital audio, FireWire, and built-in Dual SATA RAID.

I hope you'll give it a shot or find other parts to build a system that suits your particular 64-bit needs.

Assembly Tips

All the building techniques used for 32-bit machines will also apply to building a new 64-bit-ready PC. Motherboard manufacturers have done an excellent job of integrating 64-bit components into existing PC building formats. Form factors for major components have stayed the same, and cooling and power requirements are similar. So if you can build a 32-bit system, building a 64-bit system should present few new challenges.

Here are some tips based on my own assembly of a 64-bit box, though they could as easily be applied to any system you're building:

1. After gathering and inspecting your components--and laying everything out makes the job go quickly and efficiently--remove the cover from the case and visualize the layout. Take a few minutes to visualize how your peripherals will attach to the motherboard and how cables can best be run. If there is a new component or one from a new manufacturer (for example, a new case), now is the time now to examine it carefully. Planning now will prevent setbacks during assembly.

2. Install the diskette drive and configure the hard disk and CD-ROM drive now, while it's out of the box, and install them into the bays.

3. Configure the motherboard before installing memory, processor and fan. Then, just to be sure, review the motherboard configuration twice. While your need to refer to a manual or check list will vary with the number of systems you build, I use this as an opportunity to both document my system and perform a final check of the configuration. Later, when the motherboard is installed, making changes becomes more difficult; so do it now.

4. Install the motherboard and connections to the case. Again, I recommend that you check these twice to avoid having to dig back in to the box to find a pin header that might be obstructed by cables or components. This also eliminates the need for using dental mirrors and curiously shaped needle-nose pliers!

5. Cable up the drives, and install any additional PCI cards before your final inspection and power-up. Next, power up the system, and ensure that it passes the initial power-on self test (POST). Then partition and format the hard drive. Finally, install the CD-ROM driver and get ready to download and install the 64-bit OS of your choice.

As I said, a 64-bit PC is essentially no different from your 32-bit systems--until you see the performance, that is. And when you do see the performance gains, full 64-bit performance is sure to get your juices flowing. Whether you build systems for gaming, video production, audio, database performance, or just pure speed, now is the time to join the 64-bit revolution. Welcome aboard!

ANDY MCDONOUGH is a professional musician, composer, voice actor, engineer, educator, and writer happily freelancing in New Jersey, where he's just had his hair blown back by the speed of his 64-bit system .

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