64 bit Vista and CAD programs

I'm heading into the Industrial Design field and am shopping for a new laptop. I'm looking at the Asus M50VM-A1 model with 3 or 4 gb of memory. I understand that you need 64 bit vista to use that memory to full potential. My only worry is that I'm going to get to school and they will give me the student software package of CAD software and oops its all 32 bit, so then I'm stuck finding 32 bit software and have a 3 or 4 gb computer only running 2 gb. Are most CAD softwares now compatible with vista 64?

 

It's not wether or not the program is 32 bit. 32 bit programs run on x64. I'ts the installer. It won't work if it's a 16-bit installer. I doubt you'll have any problems.

Apparently, you can reload 32 bit if you don't like x64 and vice-versa, although I can't seem to find the Vista media on the web

 

Ah ic. Ok thanks for the help.

 

actually there is a problem with autocad architecture 2008 and 64 bit. they disabled it from installing on a 64 bit operating system. there was a work around but it required you to edited the setup.exe file. that was the only autocad program i had a problem with in vista 64. i think the 2009 versions fixed that, however the 2009 versions are sluggish and ugly. if you are using autocad architecture 2008 and you need help with the work around just ask.

 

you can use all of the 3gb ram in a 32 bit os. its only the 4gb that you cant use all of it. I would not get a 64bit os if you need to use cad.

 

Thanks for being a little more application specific. I did not know this, as I'm not a CAD user (yet).

 

Vista 32 can use up to 3.5 gigs of the memory on your 4 gig laptop. However you shouldn't have any issues with Vista 64.

Honestly, I used Windows XP for about 6 years because I had heard Vista 64 was terrible, I delayed upgrading. But to be honest, I've never had a smoother experience. Vista 64 "Just Works" for me. I've had no issues with 64bit or 32bit applications.

In fact my only issue is that some software developers have been extremely slow in supporting any 64bit O.S. because they don't want to spend the $$ for additional development R&D, but it's slowly coming around (Lightroom 2.0 for example).

While I absolutely hate the fact that Vista has so much DRM in it, the only other choice for me is Mac, and their O.S. has just as much DRM as Vista. If not more. Linux isn't even a choice for me because the developers can't seem to get on board with better GUI's. At the same time that Linux developers want their O.S. to become widespread, they become absolute snobs when people suggest they start offering more GUI's and replacing those tedious command lines.