Does vue 6 have a 64 bit version? if so, what is the avaliblity of it? does it some with each copy of vue, or is there a seperate 64 bit version?

It comes with each copy of Vue Infinite and xStream.    With Infinite, during the install, Vue figures out, based on operating system, which one to install.  With xStream, you get a choice which one - 32-bit or 64-bit - to install.

Lin

Hmm, that throws up an interesting question that maybe you can answer for me also!

I intend buying a new PC in the next 6 months [hopefully] and I intend to go 64 bit so if I transfer this HD which is running on a 32 bit now into a new pc running 64 bit will my Vue6Inf have to be reinstalled for 64 bit or just left as it is??

From all I have read it will run ok as a 32bit on a 64 bit motherboard.
  Keenart can give you all the details but i think you will need to reload your operating system because of all the changes you will have with motherboard and hardware.  Someone correct me if I am wrong. :)

That's interesting - I don't know if it has to be.  Not being a programmer (any more), I would only guess that running it as the 32-bit version, it might not be optimized to take advantage of the increased memory capabilities.  All I know for sure is I love how my 64-version runs under XP-64.

You can swap the old drive into the case with the new motherboard; however, you will have to reinstall your Operating System. As soon as XP senses new hardware and a different configuration it will bulk and ask you to reinstall the OS. I would not recommend this action as you will reinstall over old software, and damage the current installation and files that you may want to keep. 

If you buy an x64 motherboard, you can still install 32 bit software as long as you install the XP x86 OS. If you install the x64 OS, Vue will try to automatically install the version meant for the current OS. 

Some 32 bit software will install on XP 64 without trouble, Vue is one of those, other software programs will not work on the x64. 

I just install the Infinite PLE on my Vista x64, and it installed the 64 bit version automatically. I have only had the PLE on the drive for a couple of minutes and loaded one scene but it loaded and ran okay, better than my Esprit 32 bit, which is constantly crashing.

You definitely want to go 64 bit versus 32 bit if using Vue Inf. The problem with an upgrade, is some of the software and hardware that worked in your 32 bit system may no longer work in the 64 bit system. Do your research and make your choices carefully here, have all of the software, hardware, and drivers for the OS you will run, so you do not run into hassles after installation.

Many thanx for the advice guys, appreciated!!

Hmm Reading through this again I may have given you guys a false idea!

I'll only be swapping this HD as another drive in the new pc not as the main drive. The main drive will be what ever comes with the new pc which is hopefully a 500 Gig whopper!

It's just a lazy way of not having to reinstall everything on to the new one!!

I am going to build a new computer in next few months and I want to build it for XP 64 but for the time being I want to use Windows 2000 Pro So I will not have any problems with drivers.  When all has been worked out for xp 64 bit I then will format my computer and put XP 64 bit on it so can take advantage of the memory. 2 gig with 2000 pro should be enough untill I install xp 64.

 I will get an asus 64 bit mother board for dual core Intel processors of the highest mghtz I can get when I build it.
 Will use a Lian Li Aluminum tower with plenty room for lots fans.  650 watt power supply should be enough I am thinking.
 Will get a good nivida graphic card also and couple 500 gig HD's.  I have enough extrnal's now that can plug in and have all my stuff handy. :)

 To stay on topic I kind of figured that is what you ment thefixer.  I would do the same as you if I were going to use a 64 bit operating system.  Will save you from having to loook to far for what you have stored on the drive now. :)
Keenart has been a big help with helping me look at the right hardware when I get ready to build.   I owe him a big thanks for his suggestions. :)

Easy way round it like i have done is put 64 and 32 bit on 2 partition's, then dual boot.
Keep every update for XP on couple dvd's as most people dont want vista but stick with xp, and unlike 98 where microsoft floged off cheap ther stocks of 98. 
He will soon destroy all old stocks of XP in microsoft warehouses so i backed up my win 3.0 3.1, 3.11, 95 2 versions, 98 2 versions, and my home and pro and xp64.
2 operationg systems or more on comp better way to go and some 332 bit aplications will run better on 64 but not all.

thefixer,I run Vue 64 Infinite on a XP64 OS and it runs beautifully.  The main draw back is that ?SkinVue can't run in Vue 64 bit yet because of the python scripting.

To expand on Traligill's comment Python scripts will run on 64bit systems but SkinVue can't be run because it uses the wxPython library which there isn't a 64 bit version of yet.

I had skinvue in Vue 5 but I see no reason to have it with Vue 6 as I can utilize the Poser Shader tree to get good skin effects!! 
When it doesn't choke that is!!  [LOL].

I keep hoping the choking will be taken care of in an update.

 jugoth, if I create a partation on a 64 bit system and install XP 64 bit one one partation and Windows 2000 Pro on another can I use my external runtimes for poser and my Vue colections of vobs, material, plants and etc with both operating systems by pointing them to my externals I now have loaded with all this type of stuff. :)
Will both systems the 32 and 64 be able to use them that I now use with Windows 2000 Pro. :)

I do not know the exact date but Microsoft is due to decomission the old OS's.  MS no longer supports ME and before which is now gone as of June last year, soon 2000 is next, but do not know the exact date yet.  

They tell me XP is good for another 8 to 10 years.  

iloco,

Check with the mobo company as to whether it will still support 2000 and the newer x64.  Most still do.

Thanks keenart, I will do that. :)
  I hope xp and 2000 are supported for another 10 yrs.  I like 2000 better than XP.  Personal opinion only. :)

Attached Link: Microsofts End of Life-cycle Policy for Software

I have never used 98 me as i bypassed it, and even 2000 i bypassed, though i have never had a problem with my old system, with home, pro and 98 on used a boot disk make a 3 boot at start.
Just check you 2000 but you should have no probs but as i have never used 2000 and only new 1 other person who used it.
But ive never had probs with pointing to external runtimes when needed load into oser and vue, and like 98 me and 2000, vista is a stop gap system till vienna is realesed.
You have to be carefull with microsoft so called support of systems they replace as like old systems, it was the anti virus houses that kept supporting older windows for as long as they could.
I like a  lot of people world wide dont trust what microsoft say's after all they still keep realesing every so often an auto update that screws ya comp up, then week later they realese patch to fix previous patch.
Last time was a doosey the update took out the sound drivers on some motherboard's and they had realese a fix to put i right.

Windows 2000 Pro 3 more years.
 Windows XP 7 more years.

I will install XP when I build a new computer so can get 7 more yrs from that system.:)

I had a dual boot with 2000 and linuk but didnt like the agravation but may have to rethink my way of doing things if I use XP and XP 64 bit just for Vue. :)
 
So if I add like 8 gig of memory then xp 64 bit will use it but when dual boot back to XP 32 bit it will go back to 2 gig as supported by that operating system.  Is this correct. :)

32 bit only recognises so much memory where 64 can go realy high, but when you do check what runs under 64, i.e 32 bit software you will find 64 handles memory better than 32.
If you want check just go to google and check for  benefit's from 64 though it still has small hicup's but just test what will run and not run.

If you run Win XP x64 you can use the Microsoft software Virtual Machine, and it is free, instead of using the duel-boot scenario. The difference is another OS that is a Virtual Machine runs inside of XP x64. The problem is that you would need lots of resources since both OS’s will use the CPU and memory at the same time. 

There is another alternative use a “third party” prog like System Commander, or another like it. It has control of the boot process.

On the subject of Vue, resources, and memory; an observation. When I was running 6 gig of ram on my Vista x64, back a couple of months, Vue was not crashing very often or using very much memory, and was pretty stable. 4 gigs of ram croaked a month ago and had to be sent back RMA. In the mean time, with 2 gigs, Esprit started to crash, a lot. Last week, I got tired of waiting on the 4 gig so put in 2 gig extra, which gives me 4 gig of memory. To my surprise, Esprit has stopped crashing every hour????

So my advice, if you build a new system, make it x64 with 4 to 8 gigs of ram if you want to run Vue and or Poser.

I have 4GB ram running XP64 and haven't run out of memory or crashed yet.  My motherboard will hold 8 but so far, I haven't seen the need for it.  Now, Vista may be a whole different story.  I put Vista-64 on a notebook and it really hogs memory (with Aero and every conceivable service turned off).  Probably should plan on more with Vista.

keenart what you have said has proved an important point to me as lots of vue users are using 64 bits with lots of memory.
  I think e-on should redo its spec sheet if vue is being geared toward 64 bit with lots memory.
 Its causing lots like me and others a big head ache when those with high end machines are getting by with all that power and resources.
 Makes me wonder what the developers of Vue are actualy using now.  I know lot beta tester have gone to more powerful machines with lots memory so what you said has explained why to a certain extinct. :)

Are we going to have to build new computers everytime a new software is developed. I am about to see the end in sight for me if that is the case. :( 

It is surprising that Mr Gates never wanted to go to NT x64 originally; he wanted to stay with the 32 bit. Now that Hollywood needs the x64 for 3D graphics, they have made the move toward x64. So, I am sure, as you say, the rest of us, software companies too, have to tag along, or else.

Guess I am lucky; my grand-father, mother, and father were in electronics early on, so I got to build a lot of stuff when I was young. 

I think for the most part, Microsoft will have to create new about every 10 years or so. The new memory and technological advancements that are already on the horizon will require new systems with new hardware. 

The real question is can we, as a world community, find all of the power to run all of those computers in the future??? A TV takes less than 100 watts, but most computers take 350 to 500 watts. Many homes now have at least 2 computers, which mean we may run out of power. 

I might have to hook up my bicycle to my solar generator each day before I turn on the computer, if the power company around here keeps “browning” me out. Can’t live without my computer!!!

Lol @ keenart.   I guess I will have to start taking more long trips on my Goldwing and get away from the computers more.   

  I think a lot of hobbiest will be left behind as time goes on.  I am sure I may be one of them since most everything now is geared toward the high end 3d graphics and Games. :)

You dont have to worry the pc died as a games machine thank's to cretin software houses doing games needing powerfull machines, american software houses behind the mad rush upgrade.
Even in america joe public have stuck 2 fingers up at software houses and gone to console gaming as thier sick to death of having upgrade to next pc to play a game.
And as for the idiot gates thinking people will upgrade to vista to play some of his vista games what planet he living on, who the hell is gona upgrade to a powerfull dual core system with lot's memory to play a vista game.
He has lost the plot as the rot started with 486 pc as have trip hawkins of electronic art's i believe was him in 1 our magazines saying stuff 386 user's, when the flight sime come adventure game came out on 486.
i have game name slips me mind but he said to 386 users you must upgrade play game as he dont care as he will make sales from 25000 486 core gamers.

Keenart, is it possible to turn the Virtual system off in some way and would it make a difference if it was on a seperate hard drive?   I checked out the Microsoft info but couldn't work this out.

You can boot to the Main OS, and not have to open other VM OS’s which leaves your resources at normal. Open one of the Secondary VM OS’s in the main OS and then you start using resources, VM shares all resources between all OS’s that are open in the Main OS. 

The nice thing is you could have an XP partition, and run Linux, Vista, or any other compatible progsinside of the Main OS, from another partition. That is file sharing at its best, and no rebooting. The down side is that if one OS uses 4 gigs and another OS wants 4 gigs and you only have 6 gigs, you will strain running both OS’s as a VM if you are to use software that makes heavy demands on the system resources. Of course you can just shutdown the secondary OS, and if you have a Primary OS like Vista, resources will be reclaimed and you are back to normal.

Actually you create another partition of the main drive, but could also use another drive to store the other VM’s. The VM software itself has to be installed in the Main OS partition.  Maybe you should check this further. 

I would suggest you backup your main drive, or use another drive to experiment with VM. I use Norton’s Ghost and True Image. If I do not like what is going on I just reinstall the old partition with software in tact and get on with my work. I do not use System Restore.

Thanks keenart!!!!!!!!    I have just upgraded to 8gig of memory so I don't think that will be a problem.   I also use ghost so that should be ok. I will download the software and try it out.

thanks again for your help:)!!