Appropriate Windows version for Mysql

Question

I have a HP ProLiant DL380 G5 server and I would like to install mysql on it .

My questions are:

1. Which MySQL version should I install from this link for better performance, 32 bit or 64 bit?

2. Which version of Windows should I install on server for better performance: 2003, 2008, XP, or 7?

Answer 1

1. 64 bit always. You do understand 32 vs 64 bit generally?

2. Windows Server 2008 R2 of course. Windows 7 is desktop, Windows 2003 is obsolete

Have you considered Linux though?