[AccessD] X64

I built a new system last night and this morning, installing Windows Server
2003 X64 and SQL Server 2005 X64.  The system currently has a dual proc AMD
code but once I get the chance to wring it out I will probably move my quad
core in there.  The system currently has 4 gigs ram but I have a matching 4
gigs in another system which I will pull out of that system and drop in this
one so that I can test X64 with 8 gigs RAM.  It will be interesting to see
what effect this will have on my large databases.  I have some queries that
take awhile to run (5+ minutes) that I can run "side by side" on the x32 and
x64 systems.  

Interestingly these same queries dropped from 20-30 minutes down to 5-6
minutes by using "cover queries" that included the PKID and a single field
together in a single index, rather than my old method of just using that
single field in the index (not including the PKID).

The x32 system will have the same processor (different / older motherboard
though) running Windows 2003 x32 and SQL Server 2005 x32 with only 4 gigs or
ram.  I think I will run the same 5 minute query on both systems with 4
gigs, then move the additional 4 gigs into the x64 system and run again,
then move the quad core into the x64 system and run again.  This will
provide a fairly "apples to apples" test of x32 vs. x64, 4 gigs vs. 8 gigs,
and dual cores vs. quad cores.

Unfortunately the system is low level formatting a 400 gig partition right
now which is taking FOREVER!

Once I have that 400 gig partition to use to hold the database I will run
these tests.

John W. Colby
Colby Consulting
www.ColbyConsulting.com