Having recently had cause to install Windows XP 64-bit, here’s my findings as to what does – or doesn’t – work with it:
All drivers will need to be 64-bit
Any application that does not have a driver component or an explorer / desktop extension will, generally, work
Any application that has a driver component needs to be 64-bit for that driver portion
Any application that ties into Explorer – such as ZIP applications – or the desktop – such as MSN Searchbar and Google Desktop – will need to be 64-bit aware for those tie-ins to work
ActiveX controls on webpages need you to start 32-bit IE, as a general rule
Drivers:
Nvidia, ATI, Creative Labs and Saitek all offer 64-bit drivers.
Printer drivers are the biggest challenge: Outside of the drivers shipping with WinXP64, you’ll have a hard time getting anything printed. Our Lexmark E232 is not yet supported, for example. The same kind of situation seems to hold for HP, Brother, Epson – all the big manufacturers. You may get away with using a driver for a printer similar to your own, in my case the E312, but it’s not optimal.
The only other bit of kit that is not supported is my age-old Intel “Pro” Webcam. People with more gadgets – such as cellphones hooking up to the PC and other such things – report that those will, more often than not, also not work with WinXP64.
Applications with driver components:
I have finally workable partitioning software. Acronis have developed 64-bit software, and it works quite well. No word on Partition Magic.
AV software is very limited. NOD32 and AVG support WinXP64, as does Avast! – Trend Micro, Panda, Symantec and McAffee do not, currently.
Nero Burning ROM 6 and 7 work, but don’t expect ImageDrive or InCD to work. Also, there’s no official support.
Applications with Explorer or Desktop tie-ins:
Neither MSN Search Toolbar nor Google Desktop will install on WinXP64.
7-zip has a 64-bit version out. Archiving programs without 64-bit versions will mostly work, but won’t have the Explorer right-click tie-ins.
Other applications:
Haven’t found much that doesn’t work, including DirectX and OpenGL games. The latest patched version of the original “Spellforce” refuses to run in x64. That’s not to say there aren’t more incompatible applications – there are, including games – I’m just not running any.
Posted by yorickdowne 
