Windows 7 / 64 bit

[Bryan Thatcher]

I need to justify why we should upgrade to Windows 7 and start using the 64 bit version of Revit. Does anyone have a list of performance specs between the 32 bit w/ 3G of RAM and 64 bit w/ 6G of RAM. Any other solid arguments would be helpful also. Thanks.

[cdatechguy]

If you have models over 100mb, you have justified getting a 64bit system.

I opened a site plan and 9 attached buildings with most all modeling elements turned on in Windows 7 64bit with 8GB of Ram running Revit 2009 64bit. Prior our only 64bit system was XP, and it would crash at 7 of the 9 buildings. One of the buildings is 120mb, the rest 20-90mb. I was able to rotate the model with no issues with Windows 7. :)

If I tried to open the site plan with 9 buildings with no modeling elements turned on (worksets) with a Windows XP 32bit machine it would crash due to lack of memory.

Now, before you go by my recommendation here is an FYI....not all plotter drivers are available right now! I am the only person in my office with Windows 7 installed, everyone else will be updating to 64bit Vista before the end of the year. Reason being, lack of driver support.

Revit is not faster btw, I just don't have memory issues like I had before.

[RobertB]

64 bit w/ 6G of RAM. That is not enough RAM. That's like putting a Band-Aid on a severed limb. You might slow the bleeding but not by enough to matter.

With 64-bit your minimum RAM should be 8GB. A better system would be 12 or 16GB of RAM.

[-SL-]

That is not enough RAM. That's like putting a Band-Aid on a severed limb. You might slow the bleeding but not by enough to matter.

With 64-bit your minimum RAM should be 8GB. A better system would be 12 or 16GB of RAM.
^^ this.

A year or so ago, during our first foray into 64-bit land (Windows Vista Business 64-bit), all our CAD workstations came equipped with 8GB RAM. We quickly discovered that wasn't enough. Bumping it up to 16GB/RAM made a noticible impact; we hardly ever have memory issues anymore since moving to 16GB/RAM.