Changing pre-installed Windows 7 from 32 to 64 bit

Hello folks, I'm new here, having been driven by one very specific issue. I'm trying to run Adobe Premier Pro on a new Samsung laptop (previously I'd only ever run it on my huge all-powerful desktop, except now this Samsung is s'posed to be just as powerful as the desktop used to be before it exploded). However, it needs a 64 bit OS.

This Samsung is 64 bit capable. I know, 'cause I followed the steps on Microsoft's website to find out. However, it's been pre-installed with the 32 bit version of Windows 7, and no "Recovery Media" with which to do a clean/custom install - let alone a product key. The best it can do is 'restore' to the 'image' of the machine when it landed on my doorstep.

Does anyone know what I could do to get the 64 bit system working here? Many, many thanks if you do!

Hi and Welcome to the forums!

You can download and burn an iso of the 64bit installation DVD, and use your product key with the reinstall.

Here is the link for the isos:
Windows 7 ISO – Official Direct Download Links

You'll need to do a clean install, so backup all your files.

Cheers,
Fire Cat

Be sure to record your product key if it isn't already on a sticker under your laptop, a freeware product like SIW can show you the product key. Also you would be best to locate the 64-bit drivers for your computer and burn them to a CD or copy them to a back-up drive, start at the manufacturers site; in fact you might call them and ask if they have 64-bit images you can download or will ship. I personally recommend burning the old image and 32bit drivers so you have them in case, for any reason, you end up going back to 32-bit.

And, if you download from the links FC mentioned, be sure to get the same level as you had, so if you had Home Premium 32 get Home Premium 64, if Pro 32 then get Pro 64 otherwise your product key will not work.

TM suggestion for getting all the x64 drivers before hand is an absolute must.

Many times the drivers are "modified" by the laptop makers, so be sure to get them from the Samsung website.

FC gave you the link to download the ISO image files for x64 Windows 7 versions, just be sure to burn the ISO to a blank DVD disc using a good ISO burning program.

I recommend using ImgBurn because it's very good, it's free and it will verify the burn afterward to be sure it's good to go.

Go here to download ImgBurn.

Just be sure to burn at around 4X to 8X speed to ensure an accurate burn of the ISO.

Thanks everyone! (And FC, cool name 'n' image!)

Not sure entirely what you mean by "64 bit drivers for my laptop", but I'll check out Samsung's website and see what's there. I'll certainly begin downloading this ISO and ISO burner tonight and report back in a wee while as to how it all goes...!

Microsoft writes the Operating System but the hardware manufacturerers write the drivers; Microsoft provides a standard set of commands to display video, play sound, use USB devices, use PCI devices, use network devices etc. These commands are different for 64-bit and 32-bit systems. Now there are many motherboard/graphics card/sound board/USB devices/etc made by many manufactureres and each manufacturer makes many different designs. So if you think of the OS as a language, 32-bit could by Spanish spoken in Spain and 64-bit could be Spanish as spoken in Mexico, but your motherboard speaks Chinese and your USB mouse speaks American English, and your keyboard speaks British English, etc so translators are needed to make them all communicate and that would be the driver. Microsoft is in control of the conversation with it's two different Spanish speaking OSs so it is up to the manufacturerers to bring their own translators if they want to participate in the conversation.

You should go to Samsungs website and get the 64-bit versions of drivers for the motherboard, the sound, the network, the graphics card, mouse, keyboard, tv tuner, gamepad, etc.

Since you're gonna use a 64 bit Windows 7 operating system you need the 64 bit drivers for it. 32 bit system = 32 bit drivers, 64 bit system = 64 bit drivers.

In addition to my previous post in this thread, sometimes you can find better updated drivers at the hardware makers websites such as ATI Radeon Mobility drivers, nVidia drivers, wireless and NIC drivers, etc.

If one plans to install the Windows 7 OS, it would be a good idea to know specifically what hardware is in their desktop or laptop computer.

An excellent program to give you all the information you would need to know, and it's free too, is S.I.W. (System Information for Windows).

Click this to download it: SIW 2010 (build 0428) - Freeware Version

I hope this helps with your install.

Remember to install the ATI Radeon Mobility driver first! It also has your chipset drivers too, if I'm not mistaken.

If you could post the model of your laptop that would help. Thanks!