Avast runs as 32bit under Windows8 pro 64 bit

[eddydc]

Hi,

Despite I'm running  Windows8 pro 64 bit, when I look at the task manager, avast seems to run as 32 bit. Reinstalling Avast doesn't make any difference. How can I make Avast run as 64 bit?

Cheers

Eddy

[DavidR]

The parts of avast that require to be 64bit, drivers, etc. are.

There are many such topics where the developers have stated that there is no real advantage in having a completely 64bit version of avast.

[user_1000]

Avast is just a 32 bit program. There is no a native x64 version of Avast.

[user_1000]

(snip)
There are many such topics where the developers have stated that there is no real advantage in having a completely 64bit version of avast.

By the way, even Microsoft Notepad has a native x64 version.

[DavidR]

But what has that got to do with this topic.

[user_1000]

But what has that got to do with this topic.

I was just saying. Even a negligible software has a native x64 version. Many things can be justified by saying "There is no real advantage of..."

[RejZoR]

Because Notepad or Calc aren't even virtually as complex as avast!. And since it's a part of the OS, they basically compile it together with the rest of the Windows core logic. avast! on the other hand has been built on 32bit code. In theory, they could make it native 64 but would require a lot of work. the question here is, is it worth it? And the answer is, it's not worth it since you wouldn't really gain anything particularly measurable. But the parts that do mattter, the scan engine, drivers, core logics, that works on both, 32bit and 64bit levels.

Eventually, when 64bit completelly replaces 32bit (like it happened in teh past when 32bit replaced all of the 16bit code in Windows Vista 64bit and above), then avast! willa lso get a nudge to a full 64bit.

[eddydc]

Since a AV software is heavy on a system, I would say it would benefit from being also 64 bit if the OS was 64 bit.

[Pondus]

i think igor have explained why not in detail several times........ or was it lukor ?

if anyone know the link to that topic ?................. post it here   

[DavidR]

Well I have to believe what the avast system developers say on the benefits or lack of them in avast having a native 64bit version. When all of the crucial elements are 64bit anyway.

I don't know where you are getting the "Since a AV software is heavy on a system" from as avast is relatively light on my systems.

[igor]

Since a AV software is heavy on a system, I would say it would benefit from being also 64 bit if the OS was 64 bit.

Well, "would say" doesn't mean it really would... do you have any technical reasons to think there would be any measurable difference?
You know, 64 bit executables are bigger, use more memory, and (as far as I can say) some compilers might not even provide the same level of optimization of the 64bit generated code than they do for 32bit... so in the end, the result may actually be slower (or more resource consuming) than the 32bit version.

[RejZoR]

Besides by far the biggest bottleneck are HDD's themself. AV engine can throughput 1GB/s but casual HDD can only do 150MB/s sequential at best. SSD's are a bit better at 500MB/s and beyond but they are quite expensive and not big enough compared to HDD's.
So until 1GB/s SSD's become very mainstream, i don't think it's worth bothering further.