Windows 7: 64 bit vs 32 bit? - Discussion

I was just told by a friend that there will be compatibility issues with some programs I use for my work (e.g. stats programs) and with antivirus software...

If I make a backup it will only be the 64 bit? I will never have the option to choose again?

Welcome to the fourms, neurogirl! True, there will be some compatibility issues with the 64 bit Windows 7. For example, as of this date, we have no Adobe Reader. And unless I've missed something, there's no 64 bit replacement for it. 64 bit has been available since the mid XP era. So it's not like no one's had the time to develop a PDF for 64 bit Windows OS's. But sadly, I must tell you that you can only make a backup of what you have, the 64 bit that you purchased. In the near future, 64 bit will be the norm, and they're will be plenty of programs for it. Should you want the next version of Windows, it will be available at a 64 bit minimum. Being that there's not enough 64 bit programs around now, I doubt a 128 bit will be released until the following cycle, around 2015 or 2016. There's talk of it being a choice with Windows 8, but we're still in a recession and very few people will pay the price tag that a 128 bit will carry. But back to your point, there are antivirus software programs that run perfectly fine with 64 bit. Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) runs perfect with it and it's free. Avast works, too. But with the emergence of MSE, you shouldn't pay a cent for antivirus. It's silent, no noises, lightweight and powerful. No reason not to give it a try, it's free. neurogirl, I hope that my post has answered some of your questions and addressed some of your concerns. I like to see new users get off on the right foot. Should you need any more help, just post, and we'll do the best we can.

Good post. I was thinking about upgrading my CPU and memory but since I now know that I have to upgrade to the 64-bit OS also i've decied against it. Back in my gaming days it would have been nice to have 64-bit but since I mostly play PS3 now it seems kind of pointless to upgarde until the majority of the market switches to it.

I need to update my above post. There is an Adobe Reader for 64 bit users, but it's a 32 bit program. It runs fine, just as many 32 bit programs do on 64 bit computers. There was a misunderstanding on my part. There is, however, no 64 bit Adobe Reader for Windows. At that time, 64 bit was new to me, and I was confused about some programs. My bad, and I apologize for and confusion that I may have created.

Too little, too late. What about all those whose lives you destroyed?