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32 bit to 64 bit route

13

Comments

  • NiftyDigits
    NiftyDigits Posts: 10,459 Forumite
    esuhl wrote: »
    A 64-bit CPU will only work in a motherboard that supports 64-bit CPUs. If the motherboard supports 64-bit CPUs, then you can safely assume that you can install a 64-bit OS that is compatible with the machine architecture.



    Yep -- pretty much. Moving to a 64-bit OS will cost money, mean reinstalling your system, and not really give you any major benefits that you'd appreciate in real-life use.

    If I was buying a new PC, I'd go for a 64-bit one every time... but it's not worth upgrading an existing 32-bit system for the time, money & hassle.

    Actually I don't agree with this. There is no cost involved, other than perhaps the recommendation of purchasing more RAM...which would bring noticeable benefits.
    On the other hand, they could upgrade the RAM anyway, whilst sticking with 32 bit so as to reap benefits that way.
  • esuhl
    esuhl Posts: 9,409 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    NiftyDigits wrote: »
    Actually I don't agree with this. There is no cost involved...

    Well... I was assuming that installing a pirate copy of the OS wasn't an option!
  • esuhl
    esuhl Posts: 9,409 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 8 October 2014 at 4:09PM
    almillar wrote: »
    A 32 bit operating system can only address 3 ish GB of RAM. This is where the limit came from when some people had XP (32 bit) computers.
    Safe to say that while you're at 2GB of ram, stick with 32 bit.

    It's not a hard 3GB limit; the limit is 4GB of addressable memory (of which RAM will be a subset).

    And a 32-bit operating system running on 32-bit processor using PAE (i.e. any mainstream processor since the Pentium II) can address 36-bits of memory at once (a maximum of 64GB).
  • NiftyDigits
    NiftyDigits Posts: 10,459 Forumite
    esuhl wrote: »
    Well... I was assuming that installing a pirate copy of the OS wasn't an option!

    Pirate copy?? The OP has stated that he has a legitimate licence for Windows 7 and both a 32 and a 64 bit disc.
    When I bought Win 7 I got both the 32bit and 64bit install disks (same key)
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 0 Newbie
    Holiday Haggler
    If you've got less than 4gb of RAM I can't imagine a good reason why you'd want a 64bit machine.

    I'm rocking 16gb on my laptop and the only way to do that is with a 64bit architecture (I run virtual machines; that's why i need loads of ram)
  • esuhl
    esuhl Posts: 9,409 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    NiftyDigits wrote: »
    Pirate copy?? The OP has stated that he has a legitimate licence for Windows 7 and both a 32 and a 64 bit disc.

    It wasn't the OP that said that. :)
  • kwikbreaks
    kwikbreaks Posts: 9,187 Forumite
    NiftyDigits wrote: »
    You can't upgrade from Vista 32 bit to Windows 7 64 bit. In this case you would have to run a clean install.
    It would have been a clean install as I never run upgrades. Can't remember what happened in the way of errors or messages at the time just that I had to use the 32bit install. I've backed it out since and given the laptop away as a Vista machine so I can't check exactly what the spec was.
  • NiftyDigits
    NiftyDigits Posts: 10,459 Forumite
    esuhl wrote: »
    It wasn't the OP that said that. :)

    Oh yes :o Just noticed that the OP is bumbling along on Vista.
    Still, no cost to upgrade to 64 bit and certainly no need for Pirate Software, as they have a legitimate licence.

    Pirating is not the availing yourself of the installation media, but the bypassing of the need for a licence.
    The OP can install 64 bit Vista using the same licence. Though pointless unless intending to take the RAM to 4GB or more.
  • kwikbreaks
    kwikbreaks Posts: 9,187 Forumite
    esuhl wrote: »
    It wasn't the OP that said that. :)
    No it was me muddying the water who has the Win 7 disks. I had it in mind that the cpu in the laptop I had at the time was capable of 64bit but I had to do a 32bit install. I assumed as you stated that it would be the motherboard or something else stopping it. Now ND suggests that isn't the case so I really don't know. Nor do I care other than for interest as my current machines all run 64 bit apart from a netbook and an EEE Box which certainly couldn't.
  • NiftyDigits
    NiftyDigits Posts: 10,459 Forumite
    islandman wrote: »
    I read recently that a 64bit on your laptop is better than 32 bit, so went through what I believed to be the route to change this. However to confirm it was a success, I clicked on start/control panel/system & maintenance/system and it still shows 32 bit.
    So where have I gone wrong?

    Does this machine have a brand name and model number?
This discussion has been closed.
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