Could anyone explain to me the difference between the two? I’m wondering if when I upgrade to Windows 7 if I should change from 32-bit to 64-bit. The downside to that would be I can’t go with the upgrade that lets me keep all my files the way they are.
Would upgrading to a 64-bit be worth the inconvenience of having to reinstall and back-up all the files on my computer?
Keep in mind I use this computer mostly for gaming.
There are no disadvantages to having 64-bit and it lets you make full use of your RAM. You would want to do a clean install anyway because if you just upgrade it causes many bugs and errors.
The main thing behind 64 vs 32 bit is that it supports more then 3.5 GB of ram. If you’re ever reinstalling go with 64 bit, but there is no point if you already have 32 bit and you’re fine with that.
Backing up isn’t that much of a hassle, maybe a hour or two at most, plus windows 7 makes a ‘windows.old’ folder so all your old files get saved in case something goes horribly wrong.
As said before, the most noticeable difference between the two is that the 64-bit version recognizes more RAM. For the sake of utilization, I wouldn’t recommend installing a 64-bit environment if you have less than 3-4GB of RAM, because the same amount of data will use more memory while running. No matter which route you take, definitely take the time to perform a clean install.
Keep in mind that 64 bit uses a bit more memory (os wise, and ram wise) so if you’ve got 2 gigs of ram and are not planning to upgrade your memory, just go with 32bit.
The only other reason to stay with 32bit is compatibility with hardware, which is a rare problem nowdays.
Hmm… Looks like I currently only have 2gb ram. I probably won’t upgrade until I replace the entire computer, though, so I’ll have to remember that.
And Level, I think you already answered my next question but I’ll ask it anyway: Will running just a standard back-up onto a disc or something from Vista be compatible with Windows 7 so that I don’t have to reinstall everything?
I have 2 gigs of RAM and a 64 bit windows 7. But I’m only on 64 bit because I’m upgrading to 4 gigs of RAM soon. It runs fine for me.
Just like to point out that fiasco with Dawn of War 2, and the ‘ultra’ settings only normally available to 64bit users. They have made it available to all since, albeit with the game a little unstable. Just saying going 64 might be advisable for future-proofing you rig. And a new OS install is as good a time as any to do it.
64 bit is the future of PC operating systems. If you’re using Windows 7 then you should be using the 64 bit.
But I use XP 32 bit because I prioritize compatibility and media piracy over flashy looks and unnecessary paying for things.
I don’t think there were any posts stating otherwise. We were discussing what would be the most noticeable difference for the end-user.
My thoughts:
The only main issues you’ll have if you plan on using any piece of software that isn’t mainstream. I’ve taken computer engineering classes where some of the software Xilinx and Matlab have some special features that won’t work on a 64-bit machine yet. Also some hardware devices like USB to serial required me to explore the web for the correct Drivers to run on my 64-bit Machine. Besides that most typical pieces of software will run fine.
I have been running 64 bit operating systems since the year 2005.
I started out with the AMD64 version of Windows XP (aptly named “x64 Edition”), then moved to Vista 64-bit and now I’m on Windows 7 64-bit.
I will be straight with you guys and say that the ride has not been smooth all the time. There was certain devices I couldn’t retrieve 64-bit drivers for. But I had a powerful tool: time. So most things got working after a while. As for performance I don’t see a major overall improvement. But when it came to Windows XP x64 Edition it ran more stable than it’s 32 bit equivalent. This is partly attributed to it being based on the Server 2003 kernel, and also lot of legacy code was left behind (16 bit subsystem).
If Microsoft implemented some kind of emulation feature for running 32 bit applications I’d be a lot more comfortable about using 64 bit. As it stands, I’ll not be using 64 bit until it’s standard and they’ve dropped 32bit. Then I know that at least there will be a load of third-party support for drivers and such.
@Mangled*:
ehh… you can run 32 bit apps on 64 bit Windows. Where did you get the idea that this was not possible?
Nobody has answered my second question yet. Still wondering if running a back-up on a Vista will then let you restore on a Windows 7 so you don’t have to reinstall everything individually.
Just make a partition big enoug to back up all your files reinstall windows on the c:\ partition then take all your files off the backup partiotion thats what i do when im reinstalling for people without a backup device.
@DinoTrasher:
There is no easy way to migrate beyond just installing on top (in-place upgrade) which is not recommended and does not guarantee everything is kept.
Applications that does not rely on registry settings or files in the %appdata% folder to work can just be copied to a folder and run from there. Unfortunately many apps will simply not run at all or not work correctly if certain data from the registry or %appdata% is missing. Especially apps that require a serial key or license file (which is often stored in either the registry or the %appdata% folder).
There are some software that can help you automate the task of transferring apps from a machine to another (or to a new OS on the same machine) but I think it’s shareware.
Also have a read here: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd446674%28WS.10%29.aspx
Nothing to see here.
Or you could just dual-boot between a 32bit OS and a 64bit one.
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