What you need to install a 64 bit system. How to find out the bitness of the operating system and processor in Windows. Maximum RAM
Everyone already knows that Windows 7 can be 32-bit or 64-bit. The difference between these two versions of the system is the principle of operation of the central processor.
32-bit processor detects up to four gigabytes random access memory, while the 64-bit version of the processor can see up to 16 gigabytes. To make a 64-bit version of the OS from a 32-bit version, make sure that your processor supports a 64-bit instruction set. Otherwise, 64-bit Windows 7 simply will not work for you.
Instructions
1. Download, install and run the program "CPU-Z". Click on the "CPU" tab in order to see the name and model of your processor installed on the computer.
2. We go to the website of the developer of your processor and look at its model. To find out if your processor supports a 64-bit instruction set, refer to the information in the "Instruction set" or "Operating system" fields. If the processor uses a 32-bit instruction set, then it is impossible to install a 64-bit version of the OS on your computer.
3. We copy all personal data from the hard drive of your personal computer to another storage medium, such as a USB drive or a portable hard drive.
4. We go to the website of the developers of your motherboard or computer and find out their model. Download the drivers for the 64-bit version and burn them to a CD.
5. Insert the installation disk with Windows 7 into the drive of the personal computer. Reboot the computer. Select language, region and keyboard settings.
8. Click "Settings hard drive(additionally)". To start recording a 64-bit version of the OS over a 32-bit version, click "Format", and then "Next". We do not press any keys on the keyboard, even if the system prompts you to do so.
9. On the screen " Windows Setup» enter the computer name and name account, and then click Next.
10. Optionally, set password protection and click "Next". Enter the license key for Windows 7. Then follow the installation instructions that appear on the computer monitor.
11. Click the Start menu button. In the search bar, enter "devmgmt.msc" (without quotes) and press the "Enter" key, the "Device Manager" will open. Click on the arrows next to each category to display the installed components.
12. If you find a device marked with a yellow exclamation mark, it means that a driver error has occurred for this device. We install the 64-bit version of these drivers from the disk you burned.
Notes
To install the driver from the disk, double-click the left mouse button on the file with the ".exe" extension.
Some devices use "INF" format drivers. To install them, right-click on the driver and select "Install".
By and large, we don't care what nameplate is glued to the processor.
What reasons should make us move to a 64-bit version of the operating system?
A bit of history:
Previously, all processors were 8-bit. Then there was the transition to 16-bit, which some gaming computers and consoles could not transfer.
The last 32-bit revolution happened a long time ago when Intel released the i486 processor.
You will also be interested to know that the 64-bit operating system is also not an invention of our century. The first of these systems was developed in 1985. It was UNICOS.
And so… what are the advantages in 64 bit windows.
The needs of modern programs are growing, they are given more and more commands (for example, multimedia commands MMX) and more and more memory.
Here with it, with memory, the limit is reached on the 32-bit platform. The processor simply cannot address even theoretically more than 4 GB of memory.
And practically for the Windows operating system, this figure is less than 3.5 GB. For computers with more than 4 GB of memory, there is no alternative ... only switching to a 64-bit version of the operating system.
I wonder what's on my computer?
Just open File Explorer and look for the "My Computer" shortcut. Right-click on it and select System Information.
the inscription says "64-bit", then that's it - your computer has already made the transition to a modern platform.
And if not…
First, find out if your processor is ready for this. To do this, in the same "System Information" window, select "Device Manager" and find the processor. By the name of the model we find it in Google.
Open the control panel and in the search box type "Performance counters and tools". There will be one element left. In its window, press the button with the printer ...
If the resulting report says that 64-bit support is present, feel free to continue.
The very transition to the 64-bit version of the operating system is quite simple. You simply click "Update" in Windows Setup. In this case, your user files will not be affected.
However…problems
That's right... switching from one platform to another can be fatal for some of your old devices in your computer: old modems, unsupported graphics cards, printers.
You can use a tool from Microsoft called Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor.
This application will give a clear answer for the presence of drivers for all your devices.
Also, those programs may stop working, the developers of which have not made new versions capable of running on 64-bit systems.
Although Microsoft claims that almost all 32-bit programs do not lose their functionality even in the 64-bit edition.
This looks like the truth!
For example, I did not meet any incompatible programs when changing the bit depth
And so...stay on a 32-bit operating system and settle for 3.5 GB of memory or switch to a 64-bit system???
At the same time, it is likely that you will have to abandon the use of some old devices and programs.
Difficulties may arise if the network printer is connected to a computer running 64-bit Windows 7.
In this case, a 32-bit PC included in this network will not be able to select this printing device. The solution may be to install a 32-bit printer driver on a 64-bit operating system.
But this is not always possible and only works if it is possible to unpack the installation package and install the driver via an INF file.
Owners of NAS servers or routers with a USB port can resolve the issue faster by connecting a printer or scanner to these devices.
But the performance gain for systems with more RAM is so obvious that it's not worth crying about some modem made back in the last century.
For most printers, cameras, and other peripherals today, there are 64-bit drivers that ensure flawless operation on a high-performance operating system.
However, there is a main nuance in this event:
To install Windows 7, you can select the "Update" option, as advised above, this is to save user files, settings and programs.
However... only if the 32-bit version is used Windows Vista and you want to upgrade to a 32-bit version of Windows 7. Similarly, if your computer is running a 64-bit Windows versions Vista, you can only upgrade to the 64-bit version of Windows 7.
For more information, see the article Upgrading to Windows 7: FAQ on the Windows website.
If you want to migrate from a 32-bit version of Windows to a 64-bit version of Windows 7, or vice versa, you should back up your files and select the full Windows installation 7.
Then you need to restore the files and reinstall the programs
To install a 64-bit version of Windows 7 on a computer running a 32-bit version of Windows, you will need to boot your computer using a Windows 7 64-bit installation disc or files.
If a computer booted using the Windows 7 64-bit installation disc or files does not support a similar version of Windows, a Windows Boot Manager error message will be displayed.
Instead, you will need to use the Windows 7 32-bit installation disc or files.
Windows Easy Transfer does not move files from 64-bit Windows to 32-bit Windows.
If your computer is running a 64-bit version of Windows Vista, but you plan to install a 32-bit version of Windows 7, you can manually move the files to external media or use the Backup and Restore feature in Windows Vista to do this.
For more information, see Back up your files and Restore a backup from a previous version of Windows on the Windows website.
If you are using a 64-bit version of Windows XP, you will need to manually transfer the files to external media.
Here is such a rigmarole ... but on the other hand, if you have power in the processor, it’s a sin not to install 64-bit windows.
I think the case for action is to make the switch to 64-bit windows.
Now in everyday life both 32-bit and 64-bit Windows operating systems are used. Many people work on a 32-bit system, but want to switch to 64-bit. In this article I will try to explain in as much detail as possible how to do this, as well as tell you why you should switch to a 64-bit Windows system.
How to switch how to switch from 32 to 64 bit Windows?
There is only one way to go from 32-bit to 64-bit is to remove the old 32-bit system and install a new 64-bit one. There is simply no other way. Somehow "Upgrade" the system and turn it from 32-bit to 64-bit (or vice versa) - impossible! Therefore, only a complete reinstallation of the system will help.
The easiest and most reliable way to go:
1) Make backup copies of all the files and programs you need. That is, copy them to a USB flash drive or disk or somewhere else.
2) Format (completely clean) your hard drive.
3) Reinstall the Windows operating system on the computer this time already 64-bit.
4) Download back all your files and programs from step 1).
This method is the fastest, most reliable and 100% working. It's so simple, the main thing is not to forget to save All important files.
How to find out how many bits on Windows?
To find out how much bit Windows system you have installed, you just need to look at information about your computer. To do this, click right click on the shortcut "My computer" and go to "Properties", a window will open with information about your system:
As you can see, I have a 64-bit system.
What is better 32 or 64 bit system?
Without a doubt, a 64-bit system is better. But why is a 64-bit system better than a 32-bit one? Of course, with its capabilities and speed of work. Let's take a closer look at its benefits:
1) Let's start with the fact that a 32-bit operating system cannot work with more than 4 gigabytes of RAM. That is, if you have 8 gigabytes of RAM installed on your computer and 32-bit Windows is installed, then your system uses only 4 gigabytes of RAM, the remaining 4 gigabytes are simply idle.
2) A 64-bit system allows you to use longer commands for running programs, due to which some programs run many times faster on 64-bit systems than on 32-bit ones.
3) Some modern programs cannot be run on 32-bit systems. On the other hand, many old very old, programs cannot be run on a 64-bit system.
Some more information you may need: Designation x86 is a 32-bit system, and the designation x64- 64-bit. That's probably all. If you have any questions - ask in the comments.
If you are going to install or reinstall the operating system and have not yet decided on the bitness of the system, then we will help you figure it out :). And it doesn’t matter which system you will install:, or, they all have both 32-bit and 64-bit versions.
Which Windows to install: 32 or 64-bit?
All modern games, programs and drivers will work successfully on systems with any bit depth. But in the tests, a slight increase in performance of 64-bit Windows is still noticeable. In general, if the hardware allows you to install a 64-bit system and you do not work with specific or outdated software, be sure to install it. For a home computer, this will be the best choice.
Advantages of 64-bit systems
The main and most important advantage of 64-bit systems is support for more than 4 gigabytes of RAM. In connection with the ever-growing “appetites” of computer games, as well as when working in powerful graphics and video editors, the ability to install 8 GB or more RAM into the system will come in handy.
If you use a virtual machine in your work, use RAM disk technology, then you definitely need to install on a 64-bit system, for example. As for performance, by installing more RAM, the performance of a 64-bit system is noticeably higher, but a 32-bit system has fewer additional settings and "troubles", and also takes up less disk space. If your computer is primarily used for browsing the Internet or text documents, and only 3-4 GB of memory is installed on the "board", then you can put a 32-bit one. And RAM can always be upgraded.
A 32-bit system supports all programs and drivers, except those written for 64-bit systems. But 64-bit systems can work not only with 64-bit programs, but also with 32-bit ones, they do not support only very few programs written a very long time ago. The same goes for games.
Disadvantages of 64-bit systems
The main disadvantage of a 64-bit system is the inability to connect devices whose drivers exist only in the 32-bit edition. In particular, this applies to older models of printers, scanners and accessories. However, all modern devices and components have 64-bit drivers, so there are usually no problems with their use. Before installing a 64-bit system, in addition to the drivers, it is necessary to check the bit depth supported by the processor. All modern processors can work with 64-bit systems, but not all made 5-6 years ago.
I would like to add that all manufacturers of laptops and netbooks everywhere install 64-bit systems on their devices, coupled with 4 GB or more RAM. So the transition to a high-bit platform remains a matter of time, and those who still remain adherents of the 32-series will sooner or later opt for 64-bits.
