Thread: postgresql on 64-bit windows

postgresql on 64-bit windows

From
Jeff Davis
Date:
It looks like there's no 64-bit version of postgresql for windows:
http://swik.net/PostgreSQL/Planet+Postgresql/Magnus+Hagander:+PostgreSQL
+vs+64-bit+windows

but that the 32-bit version of postgresql works just fine on 32-bit or
64-bit windows, including Vista. Is this correct?

There's a thread here about possibly supporting 64-bit postgresql on
windows:
http://archives.postgresql.org/pgsql-hackers/2008-07/msg00081.php

Are there major issues holding that back or is it just a lack of demand?
Is there still active work going on?

Regards,
    Jeff Davis


Re: postgresql on 64-bit windows

From
Tom Lane
Date:
Jeff Davis <pgsql@j-davis.com> writes:
> There's a thread here about possibly supporting 64-bit postgresql on
> windows:
> http://archives.postgresql.org/pgsql-hackers/2008-07/msg00081.php
> Are there major issues holding that back or is it just a lack of demand?

Both.  It's a lot of work for probably-marginal reward.

            regards, tom lane

Re: postgresql on 64-bit windows

From
Magnus Hagander
Date:
Jeff Davis wrote:
> It looks like there's no 64-bit version of postgresql for windows:
> http://swik.net/PostgreSQL/Planet+Postgresql/Magnus+Hagander:+PostgreSQL
> +vs+64-bit+windows
>
> but that the 32-bit version of postgresql works just fine on 32-bit or
> 64-bit windows, including Vista. Is this correct?

Yes.


> There's a thread here about possibly supporting 64-bit postgresql on
> windows:
> http://archives.postgresql.org/pgsql-hackers/2008-07/msg00081.php
>
> Are there major issues holding that back or is it just a lack of demand?

Both.

The 32-bit version covers almost every case on Windows (thanks to our
multi-process architecture), and works absolutely fine on Win64 (and
does get some advantages in running on Win64 vs Win32).

See some other earlier thread about some major obstacles around datatype
sizes on Win64 for the main obstacles.


> Is there still active work going on?

I don't know of anybody actively working on it right now.


//Magnus

Re: postgresql on 64-bit windows

From
"Dann Corbit"
Date:
> -----Original Message-----
> From: pgsql-general-owner@postgresql.org [mailto:pgsql-general-
> owner@postgresql.org] On Behalf Of Magnus Hagander
> Sent: Thursday, October 16, 2008 10:22 PM
> To: Jeff Davis
> Cc: pgsql-general@postgresql.org
> Subject: Re: [GENERAL] postgresql on 64-bit windows
>
> Jeff Davis wrote:
> > It looks like there's no 64-bit version of postgresql for windows:
> >
>
http://swik.net/PostgreSQL/Planet+Postgresql/Magnus+Hagander:+PostgreSQ
> L
> > +vs+64-bit+windows
> >
> > but that the 32-bit version of postgresql works just fine on 32-bit
> or
> > 64-bit windows, including Vista. Is this correct?
>
> Yes.

I guess that at some time a 64 bit version will be valuable.  If not,
then why bother building 64 bit versions at all?  For instance, on a
machine with 256 GB of RAM, how much can you use to cache tables, etc.?
How large can a table become?

> > There's a thread here about possibly supporting 64-bit postgresql on
> > windows:
> > http://archives.postgresql.org/pgsql-hackers/2008-07/msg00081.php
> >
> > Are there major issues holding that back or is it just a lack of
> demand?
>
> Both.
>
> The 32-bit version covers almost every case on Windows (thanks to our
> multi-process architecture), and works absolutely fine on Win64 (and
> does get some advantages in running on Win64 vs Win32).

Things that perform 64 bit math (e.g. the 64 bit date/time data type)
should get a big speedup when a true 64 bit version is created.  I guess
that you can measure this difference on a 64 bit Linux verses a 32 bit
Linux.  It would certainly be interesting to see what the Linux
difference in performance is on identical hardware, but with a 64 bit OS
and compiler compared to a 32 bit OS and compiler.  I guess that the
Windows speedup will be proportional.

> See some other earlier thread about some major obstacles around
> datatype
> sizes on Win64 for the main obstacles.
>
>
> > Is there still active work going on?
>
> I don't know of anybody actively working on it right now.

Is it planned?


Re: postgresql on 64-bit windows

From
Magnus Hagander
Date:
Dann Corbit wrote:
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: pgsql-general-owner@postgresql.org [mailto:pgsql-general-
>> owner@postgresql.org] On Behalf Of Magnus Hagander
>> Sent: Thursday, October 16, 2008 10:22 PM
>> To: Jeff Davis
>> Cc: pgsql-general@postgresql.org
>> Subject: Re: [GENERAL] postgresql on 64-bit windows
>>
>> Jeff Davis wrote:
>>> It looks like there's no 64-bit version of postgresql for windows:
>>>
> http://swik.net/PostgreSQL/Planet+Postgresql/Magnus+Hagander:+PostgreSQ
>> L
>>> +vs+64-bit+windows
>>>
>>> but that the 32-bit version of postgresql works just fine on 32-bit
>> or
>>> 64-bit windows, including Vista. Is this correct?
>> Yes.
>
> I guess that at some time a 64 bit version will be valuable.  If not,
> then why bother building 64 bit versions at all?  For instance, on a
> machine with 256 GB of RAM, how much can you use to cache tables, etc.?

All of it, it will just have to be in the form of OS cache. This is the
case where it helps to use win64 even if you are only running 32-bit pg.

> How large can a table become?

Same limit as in 64-bit version AFAIK.


>>> There's a thread here about possibly supporting 64-bit postgresql on
>>> windows:
>>> http://archives.postgresql.org/pgsql-hackers/2008-07/msg00081.php
>>>
>>> Are there major issues holding that back or is it just a lack of
>> demand?
>>
>> Both.
>>
>> The 32-bit version covers almost every case on Windows (thanks to our
>> multi-process architecture), and works absolutely fine on Win64 (and
>> does get some advantages in running on Win64 vs Win32).
>
> Things that perform 64 bit math (e.g. the 64 bit date/time data type)
> should get a big speedup when a true 64 bit version is created.  I guess
> that you can measure this difference on a 64 bit Linux verses a 32 bit
> Linux.  It would certainly be interesting to see what the Linux
> difference in performance is on identical hardware, but with a 64 bit OS
> and compiler compared to a 32 bit OS and compiler.  I guess that the
> Windows speedup will be proportional.

It should be, yes.


>> See some other earlier thread about some major obstacles around
>> datatype
>> sizes on Win64 for the main obstacles.
>>
>>
>>> Is there still active work going on?
>> I don't know of anybody actively working on it right now.
>
> Is it planned?

Can't speak for others, but I am not currently planning it myself
anytime near. But that may change.

//Magnus