What was Safes reason for choosing Mastercam?

We needed a CAD/CAM package which would enable us to continue our capability of producing
the ever increasingly complex designs of aircraft components, in particular, components for the
L3 upgrade and LEP programs for the C130 and P3.

I spoke with as many users of various CAD/CAM systems as I was able, keeping in mind that
these assessments were made five years ago they may no longer be current, but here is a very
brief list of my findings:

ProCAM
Teksoft ProCAM was no longer supported by Teksoft, as they had focused on the
CAMWorks package, since the death of the person who developed ProCAM
Outdated
Not an option

GibbsCAM
Seemed to be a package more suited to the injection mold making industry

CAMWorks
Some limitations in toolpath creation
Required Solidworks as the CAD part of the package, which is produced by a separate
company
Difficult to justify expenditure on a separate CAD package, when we already have
Unigraphics and AutoCAD across the road in our Engineering Design section. We really
needed a package with a strong emphasis on CAM and less on CAD.

BobCAD, Rhino and other cheap packages
Fine for hobby machine shops, but dont contain the capabilities and support / updates
required by a professional aeronautical workshop
Do not have support for importing of files from high-end CAD packages used by Aircraft
designers.

Unigraphics
Strong in CAD, not so strong in CAM

Catia
SolidWorks on steroids
Great package
Cant justify spending $100,000 for our requirements.

ProE
Great package
Beyond our needs (stress analysis, etc.) and price range


MasterCAM
Most seats globally
Well supported
Used by substantial machine shops
Supports file imports from a wide range of file types, including Catia (L3) and
Unigraphics updated and current file versions
Strong CAM capability
Solids, CAD capabilities are suited to machine shop use (no stress analysis / motion etc.)
Modular design, additional capability / modules can be purchased later, as the technology
is required (edm, punch, lathe, 5-axis, etc.)
Price which we can justify for our requirements.

Is it a good all rounded package that meets your needs?

While purchasing any CAD/CAM package is always a gamble, because it is a large outlay of
money, and you dont really know what you have got until well after the purchase has been
completed and the learning curve of the user has started to level off, that the limitations /
capability is realized as to whether the package is robust and suits the needs.

How complex is MasterCAM to learn?

How hard is it to learn Microsoft Excel? What does Excel cost by itself, $300? A software
package which cost $20,000, costs that much, because it is that much more complex. Excel
click on an icon you get a function MasterCAM click on an icon you get another
program.

It takes time to learn the benefits/drawbacks of all the various operations available, and which
one is the best choice for a given situation.

J ust as with Excel, I doubt that I will ever delve into every available capability in MasterCAM,
and at version X5, it is a very stable, user friendly system and has fulfilled all our requirements
with ease.

I have no hesitation in recommending MasterCAM as an all round very capable CAD/CAM
package.

Do you guys have any problems with it i.e. backup service, non user friendly etc.

Any questions I have can be quickly resolved, although most were at the early stages of learning,
and were a result of DOS errors (Dumb Operator Syndrome). A phone call or email to Roy
Parlane in Auckland or to his technical support person in Christchurch they are both friendly and
approachable, and if they can not solve the problem, then they will request assistance
MasterCAM. There is also a forum at www.Mastercam.com where assistance can be sought form
the wider MasterCAM community, and other online training facilities.


If we were to get the same package and the need arises would we be able to draw / write a
programme that can be easily transfered to your machine and vice-versa (not so much
programming each others machines but minimizing programming time for the other base I
guess)

Yes. In MasterCAM, there is an Operations Manager window, where a tree of all the machining
operations is listed, in sequence, under the machine to be used.

To use an existing file for a different machine, it is just a matter of selecting the new machine
from the Machinr Type menu, select and copy all the required operations from the previous
machine, to the new machine.

What hardware do you recommend to run a CAM package (we have a up spec computer
here already however single monitor, standard keyboard and mouse etc)

To spend $20,000+on a software package, and then skimp on a few hundred dollars for decent
hardware, to enable efficient use of that software is just silly.

Office programs use the keyboard as the primary input device and the mouse as the secondary
input device, CAD/CAM the mouse is the primary input device and the keyboard is secondary.

Mouse
You need a comfortable precise wireless mouse with plenty of programmable buttons.
http://www.logitech.com/en-us/mice-pointers/mice/devices/5845


Keyboard
When editing a CNC program, or inputting data, a small mistake can lead to a very expensive
disaster a backlit keyboard improves vision on the keys, and helps reduce errors, also having
programmable key can be beneficial, and a display showing CPU and memory usage, gives an
instant display of how hard the computer is working.

G15


G19 - http://www.logitech.com/en-us/keyboards/keyboard/devices/4956



3D Navigation
A 3D navigation device also speeds up use of CADCAM, again programmable keys to allow
instant selection of common views and functions, but using the puck, to rotate, pan, zoom, while
continuing to work with the mouse, is a vast improvement over having to stop using the mouse,
right click, select from the sub menu, cumbersome rotation with the mouse, continue work with
the mouse.

http://www.3dconnexion.com/products/spacepilot-pro.html



Monitors
Dual monitors is a must, I have two 22 widescreen monitors, this allows one screen to be
dedicated to the CADCAM working area, with all the toolbars, icons, levels window, operations
window, help window, communications program, and all other supporting software run on the
other screen.



Speakers
Good speakers, to understand what is being explained in the training videos.

Graphics Card
Graphics cards suited to CAD/CAM/Design work. General graphics cards are design for fast
moving graphics in games, the speed is a trade off for accuracy. Graphics cards for CAD/CAM
require the focus to be on accuracy rather than speed they need to fully render the image. On a
gamming card, the difference becomes obvious when rotating an image, and suddenly some of
the surfaces disappear.

Nvidia makes the Quadro FX family of cards. I am running two FX1700, one for each display.
Running both displays from one card seemed to have cause interference on the second display.
The Nividia website will have more detail on these, some get very expensive, but the FX1700
was a middle of the road card at reasonable cost.


Hard Drives
Suitable hard-drives, I have two 500GB drives.

Memory
Plenty of fast RAM, I have 8GB.

Operating System
I am running Windows XP64 Pro, an operating system able to access the RAM, and which is
supported by MasterCAM. 32bit windows can only access a maximum of 3.5 to 4GB of RAM.

External Drive
An external drive for backing up data I have a 1TB external USB hard drive, stored in a fire-
proof safe.

Media Drive
A CD/DVD burner, for transfer in/out of files and data.

CPU
A top of the range CPU from a reputable manufacturer fast powerful, supported processor
fast front side bus a power-supply able to cope with the demands of the system and graphics
cards adequate cooling (fans).

Miscellaneous Notes
A system with insufficient power or cooling will become unreliable when its workload increases.

Lots of USB ports I have twelve (2 front, 4 back, 2 in each display and 2 in the keyboard), and
use them with my mouse, keyboard, external drive, pen drive, camera, 2 displays, Mastercam
key, 3d navigator and printer, leaving only 2 spares.

Communications ports for your machines COM/Ethernet.

With Motherboard/CPU, there is always a break-point. The latest and greatest is always big
dollars, but if you came back 2 or 3 steps, the reduction in speed is not that great, but the price
drops substantially. 10% gain in speed can cost 300% in price, for the very latest.





Is Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Right for
Me?
White Paper
Charlie Russel
Microsoft MVP
Author of Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Administrators Companion 2
nd
Edition (Microsoft
Press, 2006)

Published: May 2006
For the latest information, please see http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/64bit/default.mspx
Abstract
This whitepaper outlines the factors that users should consider before adopting Windows XP Professional x64 Edition. The paper
starts by defining what 64-bit computing is, how its different from 32-bit computing, and its benefits. The paper then details who the
key target audience is in the short and longer terms, and finishes with a discussion of the potential roadblocks to adoption.


The information contained in this document represents the current view of Microsoft
Corporation on the issues discussed as of the date of publication. Because
Microsoft must respond to changing market conditions, it should not be interpreted
to be a commitment on the part of Microsoft, and Microsoft cannot guarantee the
accuracy of any information presented after the date of publication.
This White Paper is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO
WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, AS TO THE
INFORMATION IN THIS DOCUMENT.
Complying with all applicable copyright laws is the responsibility of the user. Without
limiting the rights under copyright, no part of this document may be reproduced,
stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any
means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), or for any
purpose, without the express written permission of Microsoft Corporation.
Microsoft may have patents, patent applications, trademarks, copyrights, or other
intellectual property rights covering subject matter in this document. Except as
expressly provided in any written license agreement from Microsoft, the furnishing of
this document does not give you any license to these patents, trademarks,
copyrights, or other intellectual property.
2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
Microsoft, Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, Windows Server, and Windows
Vista are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the
United States and/or other countries.
All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.



















Contents
Introduction .................................................................................................................... 2
What Is 64-Bit Computing? ........................................................................................... 3
What does 64-bit mean?............................................................................................. 3
What are the benefits? ................................................................................................ 5
Who Is It Right For? ...................................................................................................... 8
Immediately ............................................................................................................... 8
Soon ........................................................................................................................... 8
What Do I Need to Consider? ...................................................................................... 10
System requirements ................................................................................................ 10
Applications ............................................................................................................. 10
Devices ..................................................................................................................... 13
Evaluation ................................................................................................................ 14
Windows Vista readiness ......................................................................................... 15
64-bit readiness checklist ......................................................................................... 15
Conclusion ................................................................................................................... 17
Glossary ....................................................................................................................... 18
Memory Terms ......................................................................................................... 18
Processor Terms ....................................................................................................... 18
Related Links ............................................................................................................... 20
Why Mastercam.doc? 1
Acknowledgements
Greg Amrofell, Microsoft
J ohn Clavin, Microsoft
Serena Ho, Microsoft
Shawn Maloney, Microsoft
Padmanand Warrier, Microsoft
Lisa Pere, Studio B
Elsa Rosenberg, Studio B
David Talbott, Studio B

Why Mastercam.doc? 2
Introduction
Since the introduction of MicrosoftWindowsXP Professional x64 Edition in April of 2005,
the availability of systems and components that support 64-bit computing has significantly
increased. If you go to buy or build a new desktop computer today, the chances are that one of
the choices youll need to make is whether to select Windows XP Pro x64 as your operating
system or to choose regular, 32-bit Windows XP. In this paper, Ill give you the information to
make an informed decision, including most users top three questions:
What is 64-bit computing?
Who is it right for?
What do I need to consider before choosing to install Windows XP Pro x64?
Ill also discuss evaluation and transitional techniques to allow you to test out 64-bit computing
in your environment, with your software and hardware, to see whether Windows XP Pro x64 is
the right choice for you.
Why Mastercam.doc? 3
What Is 64-Bit Computing?
The first thing to understand when youre making a decision about 64-bit computing is what that
really means. In this section, Ill cover some of the basics that it helps to understand when youre
trying to decide whether 64-bit is for you:
What does 64-bit mean?
Is 64-bit worth the effort?
What will the future bring?
The goal is to give you a clear understanding of what 64-bit means and what 64-bit computing is all
about.
What does 64-bit mean?
Lets start by defining what we mean by 64-bit in general and by x64 specifically. The CPU of a
computer (its brain, if you will) can address, or communicate with, memory in various forms, as
Figure 1 shows. Some of that memory is actually part of the chip that contains the CPU in the
form of registers and cache; most of the memory is external to the chip, in the form of RAM and
even hard-disk space. As the CPU communicates with that memory, both internally and
externally, it processes data in chunks. In the case of a 64-bit computer, the CPU does that
processing in chunks of 64 bits at a time. In the case of the original IBM PC, the CPU did that
processing 8 bits at a time. (For more information about basic terms and concepts in this white
paper, see the Glossary and Related Links sections.)

Figure 1: The memory pyramid
What Is x64?
The term x64 was created by Microsoft to describe processors that support the AMD64
architecture. The AMD64 architecture is an extension of the same processor architecture that has
been used to power personal computers since the original IBM PC. Because the x64 architecture
extends rather than replaces the existing architecture of personal computers, applications and the
Why Mastercam.doc? 4
operating system still use the same basic language and instructions. You can, in fact, run 32-bit
Windows on an x64 processor without any difficulty.
So, are all 64-bit processors x64 processors? No, hardly. There are other 64-bit processors on the
market today, running other operating systems. But both AMD and Intel manufacture processors
that support the x64 architecture: AMD calls its processors AMD64; Intel calls its processors
EM64T. Both are completely compatible the same programs run on either companys
processors.
Whats the difference between 64-bit and 32-bit?
The biggest difference between 64-bit and 32-bit processors is that 64-bit processors have a
larger address space. That is, they have the ability to communicate directly with more memory.
A 32-bit processor can directly address a maximum of 4 gigabytes (GB) of memory. This
seemed like a lot when the first 32-bit mainstream CPU, the Intel 80386, was introduced in 1986
but has now become a serious limitation for some users and applications.
A 64-bit processor running Windows XP x64 supports 128 GB of physical memory, and 16
terabytes (TB) of virtual memory. This enables scenarios and applications that would be difficult
or even impossible in 32-bit Windows. Table 1 shows the overall differences in memory between
32-bit and 64-bit Windows XP. This table includes several kinds of memory that only the
operating system actually has to worry about, but Ive included them for completeness. Most of
us can happily ignore them and focus on two types: physical memory and total virtual address
space (virtual memory).
Table 1: Memory and Address Comparison of 32-Bit and 64-Bit
Windows XP Pro
General memory limits 32-bit 64-bit
Physical memory (RAM) 4 GB 128 GB
Total virtual address space (based on a single
process)
4 GB
16 TB
Virtual address space per 32-bit process
2 GB (3 GB if system is
booted with /3GB switch)
4 GB if compiled with
/LARGEADDRESSAWARE (2 GB
otherwise)
Virtual address space per 64-bit process Not applicable 8 TB
Paged pool 47 megabytes (MB) 128 GB
Non-paged pool 256 MB 128 GB
System page table entry (PTE) 660 MB to 900 MB 128 GB

There are, of course, other differences between 64-bit processors and 32-bit processors, and
some of those differences, such as having twice as many registers available, can give a well-
written application a definite speed improvement. But the reality is that most current applications
will not run much faster in Windows XP Pro x64 than they run in 32-bit Windows XP Pro, even
if they are rewritten as native 64-bit applications. What they will have is the ability to do things
that just havent been possible in 32-bit Windows.
Where we will see an immediate impact are on those applications that are already pushing up
against the limits of 32-bit Windows. Digital media applications, Computer-Aided Design
(CAD) applications, and games are areas where the increased efficiency and memory space of 64
Why Mastercam.doc? 5
bits will be felt first and most strongly. A classic early example is Cakewalks SONAR
professional digital-audio workstation application. When Cakewalk ported its application to
Windows XP Pro x64, it didnt really expect a major speed improvement since it knew the
application wasn't particularly memory constrained. As Ron Kuper, chief technical officer for
Cakewalk explained, When we got the initial benchmarking results, we thought there was
something wrong. We hadnt expected to see a significant difference in performance, but we saw
from 20 to 30 percent performance improvement. Kuper attributed the improvement to the
greater efficiency of the x64 processor, and especially to the increase in the number of registers,
which allow many of SONARs calculations to happen directly in the register.
Weve been here before: 16-bit to 32-bit transition
The transition from 32-bit to 64-bit is a major leap, but its something that computer users have
been through before. When the original version of Windows NT was released, it was a 32-bit
operating system introduced into a 16-bit processing world. As such, Windows NT faced many
of the same challenges that x64 editions of Windows face today:
Compatibility with existing applications
Drivers
New applications that take advantage of the new architecture
See What Do I Need to Consider? for details about these issues, but bear in mind that just as the
move from 32 bits to 64 bits today, that earlier transition wasnt without pain and difficulties,
mostly in the same areas.
Windows NT and its descendents, including Windows XP, overcame these initial challenges to
adoption to become the most widely used operating systems on computers of today. And the
result is a level of security, stability and reliability that was unheard of before. Ive been around
long enough to remember all too well how often I had to reboot my computers when Windows
3.1 would run out of resources, or just plain crash. The move to 32-bit Windows made a huge
difference, and enabled a whole new range of applications that werent even considered with 16-
bit Windows.
What are the benefits?
So, what are the benefits to 64-bit computing that will make the near-term pain and difficulty
worthwhile? The benefits are in five basic areas:
Compatibility
Performance
Security
Reliability
Potential
Lets take a brief look at each.
Compatibility
Windows XP Pro x64 is a natural progression from existing 32-bit Windows XP Pro, and the
vast majority of programs written for Windows XP Pro will run in Windows XP Pro x64 without
Why Mastercam.doc? 6
any change or modification. The mechanism that Windows XP Pro x64 uses to run 32-bit
applications is called Windows on Windows 64-bit, better known as WOW64.
WOW64 provides each 32-bit application with its own protected environment that fully supports
32-bit applications. The application runs at full speed because of the underlying hardware
compatibility.
Performance
The first and most obvious benefit to 64-bit computing is performance. With the support for
vastly more memory than existing 32-bit computing, 64-bit software has the ability to do many
things that simply arent practical today.
The ability to have 128 GB of RAM in Windows XP Pro x64 opens up whole new scenarios in
the CAD world. Before, having the ability to do real-time, three-dimensional modeling was
simply not possible on a desktop PC. Loading a fully shaded three-dimensional drawing of an
engine took more than an hour, and making changes to it was impossible. But with Windows XP
Pro x64, the drawing can be worked on in real time, letting the designer see changes as theyre
made.
The improved performance of Windows XP Pro x64 isnt limited to memory. The underlying
architecture of the 64-bit processors has substantial improvements over existing 32-bit
processors doubling the registers and improving I/O efficiency.
These architectural improvements translate directly into overall performance improvements,
especially when paired with the new generation of I/O hardware that supports PCI-X and PCI
Express.
Even 32-bit applications can benefit from these I/O improvements, especially those large
applications that needed to use the /3GB switch because of memory constraints. Windows XP
Pro x64 is able to provide a full 4 GB of memory space to these applications without any
constraint on the operating system itself, providing a real boost for the applications that need it
the most.
Security
An important new feature in the x64 processor architecture is the Data Execution Prevention
(DEP) bit that controls which areas of memory can be used to execute code. Though AMD and
Intel have different names for and slightly different implementations of this feature, the result is
an enhanced layer of hardware protection against some of the most destructive worms and
exploits.
Buffer overflow exploits have been the single biggest source of security problems and updates to
Windows in the past several years. A buffer overflow happens when an area of memory (a
buffer) expects to have a maximum amount of data but is given more and doesnt handle it
correctly. For example, if your e-mail client is designed to handle attachments that have, at a
maximum, 255-character filenames and you receive a message that has a 256-character filename,
a buffer overflow can occur. When this happens, adjacent memory space is overwritten and
malicious code can end up being executed. The infamous MSBlaster worm was this type of
exploit.
Windows XP Pro x64 works with DEP to protect computers against buffer overflow attacks,
stopping this type of nasty exploit in its tracks. While DEP is by no means a substitute for a well-
designed and well-implemented antivirus and anti-malware deployment, it is an important
Why Mastercam.doc? 7
additional layer of protection that could have prevented the spread of the MSBlaster worm had it
been widely implemented at the time.
The 64-bit versions of Windows also support Microsoft Kernel Patch Protection technology,
which prevents unauthorized programs from patching the Windows kernel. This greatly
improves the overall security and reliability of Windows and provides another important layer of
defense against malware. Patch Protection works by preventing kernel-mode drivers from
extending or replacing other kernel services while third-party software is prevented from
patching any part of the kernel.
Reliability
Windows XP Professional x64 Edition is the most reliable version of Windows that Microsoft
has ever released. Building on the proven reliability of Windows Server 2003, and incorporating
the improvements to security and reliability that were added to Windows XP with Service Pack 2
(SP2), the initial release of Windows for x64 processors is a highly reliable and secure operating
system.
Potential
Finally, an important consideration in moving to 64-bit Windows is that 64-bit is the future of
Windows computing. By selecting hardware now that supports 64-bit Windows, youre
preparing yourself for the future. As we move forward with the Windows Vista operating
system, well see 64-bit versions fully integrated and supported for both businesses and
consumers. Applications and hardware that meet the Windows Vista logo requirements must run
and support 64-bit versions of Windows Vista.
The rich new graphics capabilities of Windows Vista, when combined with the vastly larger
memory capabilities of 64-bit computing, will enable a whole new layer of applications and
programs.
Why Mastercam.doc? 8
Who Is It Right For?
So, with all the benefits of Windows XP Pro x64, is it right for everyone? The simple answer is
no, not yet. Some key users are already adopting 64-bit Windows, and more should be in the near
future, but not everyone should jump into 64-bit computing quite yet. As youll see in the next
section, What Do I Need to Consider?, there are some important issues to take into consideration
as you make a decision, but some users should actively consider 64-bit computing now or in the
near future.
Immediately
There are really only two classes of users who should be moving to 64-bit computing now the
traditional workstation user and the enthusiast or early adopter. Lets take a quick look at each
type of user.
The traditional workstation user is one whose computing needs are constantly pushing the
envelope of what computers can do. These include CAD and Computer-Aided Manufacturing
(CAM) users, whose everyday work demands large amounts of memory and processing power to
render large and complex three-dimensional designs. Another big workstation market is in the
area of professional digital-content creation, whether it be animation or digital-media creation
and manipulation. The support for additional memory and the improved register and I/O
efficiency of 64-bit applications can make a significant improvement in the efficiency and
productivity of the digital professional.
There are also always consumers who push the limits of what their computers will do, who
simply have to have the very latest and best. I should know: Im one of them. This group
includes gamers and consumers who are doing serious digital-media work, as well as those who
are essentially self-supporting, who are used to working around problems on their own, and who
want to investigate and work with the newest technology.
Both of these groups should be actively looking to adopt Windows XP Pro x64. You still should
certainly work through the points presented in What Do I Need to Consider? to make sure you
dont have any blocking issues.
Soon
The next wave of the move to 64-bit computing will be users who move to 64-bit in the next 12
to18 months. Many of these users will choose Windows Vista as the vehicle to make the
transition; others will still be on Windows XP. This wave of users will be the mainstream of 64-
bit adoption, including consumers and business users who are looking for the security and
performance benefits of 64-bit Windows but who demand that early-adopter issues such as driver
and software compatibilities be mostly resolved.
Businesses and consumers who demand the highest levels of security will have an additional
reason to choose 64-bit editions of Windows Vista: All kernel-mode drivers running in 64-bit
Windows Vista must be signed by the vendor. While a signed driver is not a guarantee of safety,
it will certainly help identify and prevent many malicious attacks, while giving Microsoft the
ability to help developers improve the overall quality of drivers and reduce the number of driver
related crashes. Combined with the built in hardware support for DEP, this will help make 64-bit
Why Mastercam.doc? 9
Windows Vista the most secure and reliable Windows ever, and will make it an attractive choice
for security-conscious businesses and consumers.
Why Mastercam.doc? 10
What Do I Need to Consider?
What are the factors you need to consider before you decide whether to adopt 64-bit Windows?
In this section Ill cover the system requirements, including how to tell whether your existing
computer is x64 capable. Ill go over which applications are and are not supported, and Ill cover
devices and device drivers (whats required and whats currently happening).
System requirements
The basic requirement for running Windows XP Pro x64 is an x64-compatible processor. This
requirement seems obvious but has caused a lot of confusion, if my e-mail box and the public
newsgroups are any indication. Knowing whether your system meets this requirement should be
easy, but unfortunately, it hasnt been as easy as we might hope.
No processor or computer bought before mid-2003, when AMD first released its Opteron
processor, is x64 compatible. Nor are Intel Itanium (IA-64) processors; even though the Itanium
processor is 64-bit, it uses a completely different architecture and is not supported by Windows
XP Pro x64.
Beyond this basic requirement, how do you tell whether your current or planned processor is x64
compatible? For details about how to tell whether your processor is compatible with Windows
XP Pro x64, see http://msmvps.com/blogs/xperts64/archive/2006/01/19/81462.aspx.
Applications
Windows XP Pro x64 supports native 64-bit applications and most 32-bit applications. The catch
is the word most, of course. To understand the potential issues, lets look at how 32-bit
applications run in a 64-bit operating system. Figure 2 illustrates this discussion.
Running 32-bit applications on a 64-bit operating system
In order to run a 32-bit application in a 64-bit operating system, there needs to be a methodology
to translate the 32-bit instructions so that the 64-bit operating system can understand them. As
we saw earlier in Compatibility, that mechanism is WOW64.
32-bit application performance
Most 32-bit applications will run at full speed in 64-bit editions of Windows. Ive been running a
wide variety of 32-bit applications since I moved over to Windows XP Pro x64 last year, and in
general, I havent found a significant difference. Some applications seem slightly faster, but none
of them seem slower.
Ive also noticed that a few 32-bit applications can take advantage of larger datasets when
running in WOW64 and processing large amounts of data. Adobe Photoshop CS2, a 32-bit
application used by professionals and enthusiasts alike, shows a marked speed improvement
when handling large images. Resizing a 6144 x 4096 image by 400 percent, for example, took
more than 150 seconds in 32-bit Windows but less than 50 seconds in Windows XP Pro x64 on
the same dual-processor machine.

Why Mastercam.doc? 11

Figure 2: Windows XP Pro x64 Architecture
Known issues
As we would expect with the introduction of a new computing architecture, there have been
some application issues that have inhibited early adoption of Windows XP Pro x64. The major
problem areas are:
Drivers
Windows Explorer extensions
16-bit application components
Drivers
The problem arises when an application has a dependency on a kernel-mode driver. Because
drivers run not in the WOW64 subsystem but directly in the kernel, they need to be fully 64-bit.
The application itself can continue to be 32-bit, but if it uses its own driver, as opposed to using
native Windows drivers, the application developer must supply a 64-bit driver for the application
to work.
So, what kinds of applications have a dependency on a driver? Well, the first one that most
people run into is antivirus programs. Virtually all of these programs use their own custom
kernel-mode driver to perform real-time scanning of the computer. These drivers need to be
Why Mastercam.doc? 12
rewritten to support Windows XP Pro x64. Some of the bigger antivirus vendors have been slow
to make their consumer-level programs available for 64-bit users, but other, smaller vendors
have jumped in, and there are several excellent x64-compatible antivirus choices at this point.
Another kind of program that has had issues with the 64-bit driver requirement are those
applications that perform direct disk manipulation. Disk-partitioning and disk-imaging software,
backup programs, and disk-defragmentation programs are the most common problem areas. The
situation has started to improve in the past couple of months Ive seen three major
defragmentation vendors release x64-compatible versions of their software but disk imaging
and partitioning are still issues.
Windows Explorer extensions
Another issue that affects some aspects of 32-bit applications is a dependency on extensions to
Windows Explorer. A classic example is WinZip, which adds extra features to the standard
shortcut menu options that are available when working with .zip files in Windows Explorer.
Unfortunately, those extra features dont work in Windows XP Pro x64. WinZip itself works just
fine, but the shortcut options in Windows Explorer do not. Why? Because a 64-bit program cant
call a 32-bit dynamic-link library (DLL). A 32-bit program cant call a 64-bit DLL either, I
might add. So, how to resolve the issue? Well, you can find a couple of workarounds that I use at
http://msmvps.com/blogs/xperts64/search.aspx?q=Explorer+Extensions&p=1.
16-bit application components
The 64-bit editions of Windows do not support any 16-bit applications (e.g., Windows 3.1
applications), nor do they support MS-DOS applications. These applications simply will not run.
There arent all that many such applications left, but there are some. The biggest group is
actually 32-bit applications that use a 16-bit installer. This wasnt all that uncommon in the early
days of Windows 95, and some of those applications are still around, unfortunately.
How do you resolve this issue? Well, there are two basic workarounds if you cant find an
updated version of the application or a replacement. You can run your computer in what is
known as a dual-boot configuration, in which you can shut down Windows XP Pro x64 and
restart in a 32-bit version of Windows. For details on how to run this type of configuration, see
http://msmvps.com/blogs/xperts64/archive/2005/11/21/76180.aspx.
Dual booting is a bit of a nuisance and isnt for everyone; I used to dual boot my laptop but
found it just too much bother. Instead, I run an older, 32-bit version of Windows in a virtualized
session, as described at http://msmvps.com/blogs/xperts64/archive/2006/03/29/88280.aspx.
Looking ahead
When will more applications be native 64-bit applications? And what capabilities can we expect
to become possible as x64 becomes mainstream? Ah, crystal ball time, always a chance to make
a fool of oneself.
My opinion is that with the release of Windows Vista this year we will start to see applications
being written to run natively in 64-bit Windows. The first wave of these applications will, in
many cases, be what I think of as parallel applications: When a new version is released, it will
be available in both 32-bit versions and 64-bit versions, at essentially the same point in time.
This change wont happen overnight when Windows Vista is released but will follow the normal
release cycle of any new operating system and the applications written to take advantage of it.
Going forward, I expect the release cycle after the parallel release to include some applications
Why Mastercam.doc? 13
available in 64-bit only, and 64-bit only will be the norm in most cases during the release after
that one. New applications will follow similar paths, but those that process really large amounts
of data might be released in 64-bit versions only.
Another key factor in the move to 64-bit will be the price of RAM and the motherboards that
support more than 2 GB to 4 GB of RAM.
Devices
Another major factor you need to consider as you plan your move to 64-bit computing is the
availability of drivers for your hardware. New computers and motherboards that are compatible
with x64 will generally have solid driver support for their components, but other peripherals,
especially older ones, can be a problem.
64-bit driver requirement
As I explained earlier, all hardware needs a 64-bit driver to work in 64-bit editions of Windows.
Because drivers run in kernel mode, they cant run in the WOW64 subsystem, meaning that all
drivers need to be rewritten for x64.
The responsibility for writing drivers is, ultimately, with the manufacturer of the device. This has
been an uneven process at best so far, but the situation is improving and should improve more
substantially with the release of Windows Vista.
Problem device classes
Many device classes havent seen a big issue with drivers, but there have been exceptions. The
device classes that have been a particular concern include the following:
Scanners: The situation for scanners and the all-in-one printers that depend on them is improving,
but slowly. The reality is that these products have a relatively short lifespan in the marketplace and
many existing models might never have 64-bit drivers, especially single-function, standalone,
consumer-grade scanners.
USB and wireless network devices: Most recent regular network cards are well supported, as are
most built-in network interfaces, including built-in wireless networking devices. But USB network
devices, including cable and DSL modems, are still a major area of missing drivers, as are add-in
wireless devices, especially PCI wireless devices and PC-Card wireless devices that support
802.11a/b/g. There have been some beta-quality, unsupported, wireless device drivers for the most
common three-protocol chipsets that are available, but Ive seen no indication when a final driver
version will be made public.
Bluetooth: Some Bluetooth devices are currently supported; others are not. In general, Bluetooth
keyboards and mice, printers, and cell phones (for synchronization) are supported, as well as file
transfers and dial-up networking. In Vista, support for Bluetooth headsets is planned as well. But
before buying a Bluetooth device, ask about 64-bit support.
Printers: Older and low-end printers have been an issue for many early x64 adopters. Printer
manufacturers, in an effort to keep costs to an absolute minimum, have focused on host-based
printing at the lower end of the price spectrum. These consumer-class printers have only the most
basic functions included in the hardware of the printer, whereas most of the functionality and
intelligence require proprietary software running on the host computer. Unfortunately, this means that
these printers wont be supported on Windows XP Pro x64 until the proprietary software is rewritten.
The good news is that most mainline, business-class printers use either Printer Control Language
(PCL) or PostScript (PS) and are supported or have reasonable workarounds. For details on alternate
print drivers in Windows XP x64 Edition, see the Microsoft white paper at
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/techinfo/overview/x64printdriver.mspx.
Why Mastercam.doc? 14
Older devices: The reality is that all independent hardware vendors (IHVs) face the same issue
when trying to decide whether to write drivers for older hardware resources. If the vendor has to
choose whether to write a driver for an existing older device or for a brand-new device of the same
class, the decision is going to be pretty easy to make. The better IHVs have taken advantage of the
lessons learned in creating device drivers for their newest models to create drivers for older models
with relatively fewer resources required, but its still a tradeoff and one that wont change.
Windows Vista and device drivers
The good news on the device-driver front is that its getting better every month, and the problem
areas will be much better in Vista. Because the Windows Vista logo requirements mandate that a
device work under 64-bit Windows Vista to get the Designed for Windows Vista logo,
manufacturers and IHVs have a strong incentive to provide 64-bit drivers, and end-users will be
able to easily identify hardware that is 64-bit capable.
Another important criterion for Windows Vista is that all 64-bit kernel drivers must be signed.
This requirement will help improve the security and reliability of the operating system and will
make 64-bit Windows Vista the operating system of choice.
Evaluation
For some users, especially those building or buying a new computer, evaluation will happen the
hard way, with a new machine that has only Windows XP Pro x64 on it. But if you have any
control over this, I strongly suggest a staged evaluation. Order your new computer with 32-bit
Windows XP and run a dual boot configuration with the trial version of Windows XP Pro x64,
available for order or download from Microsoft at
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/64bit/evaluation/trial.mspx.
The trial version is the full product, with no limitations or differences, except that it is time-
limited to 120 days from the initial installation. This version is an excellent way to test out the
waters and evaluate whether youre ready to move to 64-bit computing full time.
Dual boot
The best way to set up an evaluation system is to set up a dual-boot configuration. In this
configuration, you install both 32-bit Windows XP Pro and Windows XP Pro x64 on separate
hard disks or partitions. My Acer Ferrari 4005 laptop, for example, came with Windows XP Pro
pre-installed on drive C; drive D was a second partition on the 100 GB hard disk. (If the system
hadnt already had two partitions, I would have had to use a third-party program, such as Acronis
Disk Director, to create the second partition without losing my existing 32-bit installation.)
Once you have your partitions or hard disks set up as you want them and youve downloaded the
trial version of Windows XP Pro x64, you need to create a bootable CD with the trial version on
it. The trial is provided as a .ISO file an exact image of the CD you will be creating. For
excellent instructions on how to write a .ISO file to a CD correctly, I recommend How can I
write ISO files to CD? at http://www.petri.co.il/how_to_write_iso_files_to_cd.htm.
You will need to boot from the CD you have created and installed Windows XP Pro x64. For
details on how to perform this step, see Dual or Multi-Booting including Windows XP
Professional x64 Edition at http://msmvps.com/xperts64/archive/2005/11/21/76180.aspx and
Upgrading an AMD64 Turion Laptop to Windows XP x64 Edition at
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/64bit/bowman_05nov07.mspx.
Why Mastercam.doc? 15
Once you have your system set up for dual booting, you can easily evaluate Windows XP Pro
x64 at your own pace. If you have a problem with a driver or program that doesnt work, you can
simply reboot and run 32-bit Windows.
If your evaluation goes well, you should move to running almost exclusively in Windows XP Pro
x64. For me, this took about a month from the time I first installed Windows XP Pro x64 on my
Ferrari. At that point, Id found all the drivers that were available for my peripherals, and Id
reached a confidence level that I had everything working well.
Upgrading from the trial to full copy
Once your evaluation of the trial version has reached the point that youre ready to move to the
full version, youll need to obtain a copy of Windows XP Pro x64 (if you dont already have
one). Because there is no retail version of Windows XP Pro x64, this requires you to obtain an
OEM or system-builder version. These are available only with new computers or non-peripheral
hardware purchases. If youre doing this evaluation process on a new computer either one you
built yourself or bought from an OEM you should purchase the 64-bit edition from your
original OEM or the vendor that sold you the parts to build the new computer.
Once youre ready to perform the upgrade, and assuming your trial copy hasnt expired, simply
insert the Windows XP Pro x64 CD into your CD/DVD drive and do an upgrade from the trial
version to the full version.
If your trial version has expired, youll need to do what is known as a repair install. Boot from
the Windows XP Pro x64 CD and repair your existing installation with the full copy. For
excellent instructions about how to do a repair install, I suggest How to Perform a Windows XP
Repair Install at http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm.
Windows Vista readiness
As I mentioned earlier, 32-bit and 64-bit editions of all versions of Windows Vista will be
available. By installing and using Windows XP Pro x64 now, youre not only getting ready for
Windows Vista but also making your transition easier because there will not be support for
cross-platform upgrades from Windows XP to Windows Vista.
64-bit readiness checklist
Checklists are always useful ways to decide whether youre ready to make the transition to a new
operating system or environment. These lists serve to remind you of all the areas that you need to
check and provide a running scorecard on your readiness. Your checklist will, of course, include
different applications and devices than mine would, so add yours to the list that Table 2 shows,
and check them off as you find drivers or alternatives.
Why Mastercam.doc? 16
Table 2: Windows XP Pro x64 Readiness Checklist
System Ready
Processor x64 capable

RAM 256 MB minimum, 512 MB recommended

Hard disk separate 20 GB minimum partition or drive free

Hard disk controller driver

Applications Ready
Productivity applications (Microsoft Office2003)

Antivirus


Devices Ready
Printer
Scanner
Hard disk separate 20 GB minimum partition or drive free
Sound Card



Why Mastercam.doc? 17
Conclusion
Selecting Windows XP Professional x64 Edition is not the right choice for everyone today, but
for those users who are pushing the limits of 32-bit Windows XP, it is the smart choice as long as
they understand the current state of application and device support. As we move forward to
Windows Vista, I expect to see 64-bit computing move to the mainstream, especially for those
users who demand the highest levels of security, reliability, and functionality.


Why Mastercam.doc? 18
Glossary
Some of the terms that get tossed around when we start talking about 64-bits can be a bit
daunting if youre not used to them. This mini-glossary might be useful.
Memory Terms
Cache. Fast memory that is (usually) part of the actual CPU. This memory can be read faster
than RAM. When the processor needs to read the contents of a memory location, the data can be
read faster if it resides in cache instead of in RAM or virtual memory.
Memory address space. The total, directly addressable combination of physical and virtual
memory that a processor can use. For a 32-bit processor, RAM is limited to 4 GB. For
current x64 processors, RAM is limited to 16 TB (4,000 times that of a 32-bit processor).
Non-paged pool. System memory that must stay resident in RAM.
Page file (swap file). An area of the hard disk that is used to provide secondary memory storage.
Often referred to as virtual memory, in reality these two things are related but not the same.
Page table. A table of mapping information that maps the location of virtual pages in a process
address space.
Page table entry (PTE). The entry in a process page table that maps a virtual address to the
actual address.
Paged pool. System memory that can be temporarily paged to disk when not needed.
Physical address extension (PAE). A processor-based mechanism that allows 32-bit processors
to address more than 4 GB of memory.
Physical memory (see also RAM). The actual memory installed in the computer.
Physical memory address lines. The total physical memory that a processor can address. For 32-
bit processors, this is limited to 4 GB. For current x64 processors this is limited to 1 TB.
Random access memory (RAM). The actual physical memory that is available for programs and
the operating system to use. Windows XP Pro x64 supports 128 GB of RAM. Most single
processor motherboards are currently limited to 4 GB of RAM.
Registers. A small area of extremely fast storage that can be read directly by the processor. The
number of registers in x64 processors is twice that of x86 processors.
Virtual memory. A mechanism to allow processors to utilize a larger memory-address space than
the physical memory (RAM) in the computer. Each process addresses a contiguous
memory address space that is separate from other processes.
Processor Terms
AMD64. The name that AMD uses to describe its extensions to the x86 processor architecture.
Central processing unit (CPU). The main brain of a computer.
Why Mastercam.doc? 19
Complex instruction set computer (CISC). A type of processor that has a rich set of built-in
instructions. The x64 processors are CISC processors.
Extended Memory 64 Technology (EM64T). The name Intel uses to describe their x64
processors.
Itanium. An Intel-designed 64-bit RISC processor that is not compatible with the x86 or x64
architectures. Also referred to as IA64.
Reduced instruction set computer (RISC). A type of processor that has relatively fewer built-in
instructions than CISC processors do. The Itanium processors are RISC processors.
x64. The Microsoft name for processors that support the AMD64 extensions to the original x86
architecture
x86. The architecture on which the original IBM PC was built. Initially 8-bit, it was extended to
16-bit and then to 32-bit.
Why Mastercam.doc? 20
Related Links
This list is not intended to be comprehensive, but to give you an entry point into the communities
supporting and working with Windows XP Pro x64.
Microsoft Windows XP Professional x64 Edition home page
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/64bit
x(perts)64: The unofficial x64 FAQ
http://msmvps.com/xperts64/
Microsoft Expert Zone: Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Community
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/communities/x64.mspx
Windows XP Professional x64 Edition trial software
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/64bit/evaluation/trial.mspx
Microsoft public Windows 64-bit newsgroup
news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.windows.64bit.general
Planet AMD64 (community site)
http://www.planetamd64.com
Extended 64: The 64-bit Windows Community (community site)
http://www.extended64.com
64-bit Computing Advantage (developer resources for 64-bit coding and migration)
http://www.64advantage.com/
VolkerWs WebLog (64-bit developer-oriented blog)
http://blogs.msdn.com/volkerw
Comparison of 32-bit and 64-bit memory architecture for 64-bit editions of Windows XP and
Windows Server 2003
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;294418
MSDN Library for 64-bit Windows (programmer resources)
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-
us/dnanchor/html/64bitwindows.asp
Using a Substitute Print Driver on x64 Systems
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/techinfo/overview/x64printdriver.mspx.
Wikipedia entry: AMD64
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amd64