64 or 32 bits

We have a new laptop with Windows 7 on it, we had previously been using a PC with windows XP and it has crashed. We have a WD external MY BOOK but somethings we cannot acess because of the 64 bit......Is there any way to fix this? It is an important file and hate to lose it.

64 bit OS would have nothing to do with how files are stored on your external harddrive. If you can read some files on the drive but not others then there are essentially two possibilities: 1) the drive and/or file is corrupt, in which case you may try some data recovery software 2) the file was encrypted, in which case you need the original software and the passkey or a password cracking program .... several exist for password encoded zip files etc.

you should check the setting for the WD external drive if it still working and it was just the pc that crashed it should be fine, check you can view all folders are checked when connected the WD to laptop.

If i understood you correctly that will work.