Upgrading OEM preinstalled Win7 32bit to 64bit ?

[hybeagle]

The laptop I am buying now is Win7 32bit professional, is it ok if I upgrade it to 64bit for free in the future if I ever need to use more than 4GB memory ?

Thanks.

 

[atifullahkhan]

I suggest you don't install windows 7 64bit if your hardware is 32bit. First of all it will not install properly and if you do it then it will not work properly.

 

[Fire cat]

Hi!
If you have the right specs, yes you can. 3GB is really the minimum for 64bit, though you can still run it on 2GB.
It also depends on if your processor is 64bit capable. Most new ones are.

Also, you'll need to do a clean install.

 

[clifford_cooley]

I suggest you don't install windows 7 64bit if your hardware is 32bit.

There is not enough information for me to make the same suggestion. For one there was no evidence that 32-bit hardware is even an issue. Ask a few questions before you decide to give a suggestion.

 

[Veedaz]

Hi hybeagle

Can you post the make and model No of this Laptop ? or post the full spec, then we have a starting point to work from

 

[Kalario]

Way to go C_C

 

[Nibiru2012]

The laptop I am buying now is Win7 32bit professional, is it ok if I upgrade it to 64bit for free in the future if I ever need to use more than 4GB memory ?

Thanks.

Virtually ALL laptops these days have 64 bit CPUs and most are at least a Dual-Core one at a that.

FC states the minimum to run 64 bit is 3 GB, MS recommends 2 GB as the minimum. I have installed Windows 7 64 bit on several systems with only 2 GB of RAM and they all run fine.

Windows 64 bit fully utilizes the 4GB of RAM or more, more efficiently. If you have a 32 bit OS and 4GB of RAM, the OS will only utilize about 3.4 GB of RAM.

In addition, which most people never realize or mention is the fact that the 64 bit Windows 7 OS has a more secure kernel and gives you double the bandwidth.

Only the little netbooks and some other systems still use 32 bit processors. Mostly the Intel Atom CPU.

I would definitely recommend the Windows 7 64 bit as it is here and now, it's the future. 99% or so of all systems being sold these days have 64 bit hardware.

 

[Fire cat]

FC states the minimum to run 64 bit is 3 GB, MS recommends 2 GB as the minimum. I have installed Windows 7 64 bit on several systems with only 2 GB of RAM and they all run fine.

though you can still run it on 2GB.

Niburu, what I meant is that to really "feel" the power of 64bit, you need 3GB. You can run 32bit and 64bit on a computer with 2GB, it won't make a big difference. Dpends on the processor, though.

 

[hybeagle]

Sorry for the unclear original post.

The laptop I am looking to buy is Lenovo W510 which is capable of 16GB ram, and it fully supports the Win 7 64bit.

When ordering that laptop, you ahve the option to preinstall the 32bit or 64bit of WIndows 7 Pro.

I want to install the 32bit on there first because I have some 32bit ONLY software that I want to use for now, but in a year or so I may upgrade more ram and wanting the 64bit.

SO the REAL question is, is the Windows 7 pro 32bit license transferable to 64bit without additional cost ? (forexample downloading a free copy of the 64bit and use the 32bit CDKEY provided by the laptop company to activate that ?

Much thanks.

 

[Fire cat]

Yes it is. With the same CD key, as long as the version is the same (pro).

Though, if you're going to have pro, you should consider XP Mode. You will be able to run your 32bit apps in there, while keeping the better handling of 64bit Windows.

 

[clifford_cooley]

I want to install the 32bit on there first because I have some 32bit ONLY software that I want to use for now, but in a year or so I may upgrade more ram and wanting the 64bit.

Do you know for a fact that your 32-bit apps will not work in Windows 64-bit? 32-bit applications do run in Windows 64-bit. Finding 32-bit applications that do not work with Windows 64-bit is rare.

Personally I think you should try the 64-bit version before considering a downgrade to 32-bit. Order the 64-bit version then in the future when you are ready to use the 64-bit, a simple System Restore will return you to 64-bit.

In other words order for the future not the present. I promise you will see a day that you were glad you did. Can you imagine wanting to do a system restore in the future but yet your system restore is a 32-bit version when you are wanting a 64-bit restore.

 

[hybeagle]

Yes it is. With the same CD key, as long as the version is the same (pro).

Though, if you're going to have pro, you should consider XP Mode. You will be able to run your 32bit apps in there, while keeping the better handling of 64bit Windows.

Are you telling me that with Win7Pro 64bit, I can run it as XP 32bit mode and use 32bit applications ?

Is this XP 32bit mode like a Virtual Computer running within the Win7Pro 64bit ? Is the USB, IEEE1394 (firewire) ports still avaliable under 32bit XP mode (i know for a fact that the virtual PC does not support Firewire) ?

 

[TrainableMan]

NOTE: There is NO upgrade path from 32bit to 64bit - if you decide in a year to go 64bit you will need to do a complete reinstall - this means the OS, 64bit drivers, and all your software. Yes you should be able to use the same product key but since most companies don't actually send you both sets of disks (most don't even send the set you have installed, you have to generate and burn them from the computer where they were installed), so you won't have the 64bit discs unless you download and burn them or buy them.

I think you should seriously consider Firecats idea to have 64bit installed and then you download and install Virtual XP which runs under Win7 and will run the older 16- and 32-bit software you really must have and cannot upgrade.

 

[hybeagle]

Do you know for a fact that your 32-bit apps will not work in Windows 64-bit? 32-bit applications do run in Windows 64-bit. Finding 32-bit applications that do not work with Windows 64-bit is rare.

Personally I think you should try the 64-bit version before considering a downgrade to 32-bit. Order the 64-bit version then in the future when you are ready to use the 64-bit, a simple System Restore will return you to 64-bit.

In other words order for the future not the present. I promise you will see a day that you were glad you did. Can you imagine wanting to do a system restore in the future but yet your system restore is a 32-bit version when you are wanting a 64-bit restore.

Yes I know for a fact that the applications do not support 64bit windows. It is a Canon IEEE 1394 driver for 1D Mark II camera, i have tried it in VIsta 64bit and the driver wouln'd start. I've contacted Canon and they told me they would not release 64bit version driver, but the 32bit Vista/WIn7 would work.

Back to the topic, I am not quite understand your post:

"Order the 64-bit version then in the future when you are ready to use the 64-bit, a simple System Restore will return you to 64-bit."

Are you suggesting me to download hte 32bit somewhere else then install it on top of the 64bit ? That actually sounds like a good plan, since I now know the same version of 32/64bit license are interchangable, question is where can I download the 32bit though, legally ?

 

[TrainableMan]

You cannot legally have the 32bit and 64bit on your computer at the same time using a single license. If you want a dual-boot option you will need two licenses to be legal.

As for your camera, it is quite likely you can use those drivers in a Virtual XP environment and the Virtual XP can run legally under Win 7 Pro (or Ultimate) 64bit. Another option, Nikon stopped writing drivers for my digital cameras USB connection a long time ago, but the multi-in-1 media devices allow me to plug in the memory card and treat it like any flash drive - you can probably do the same.

 

[clifford_cooley]

Are you suggesting me to download hte 32bit somewhere else then install it on top of the 64bit ? That actually sounds like a good plan, since I now know the same version of 32/64bit license are interchangable, question is where can I download the 32bit though, legally ?

Check this thread out - https://www.w7forums.com/windows-7-iso-official-direct-download-links-t2910.html

 

[Windows7Guy]

Hello hybeagle,

Just a bit of FYI to understand the issues with 32-bit and 64-bit OS upgrades and later options that may or may not be available to you later:
When upgrading from Windows Vista to Windows 7 you must upgrade the version currently installed within Windows Vista to the corresponding version in Windows 7. I.E. Windows Vista Home Premium to Windows 7 Home Premium; Windows Vista Business to Windows 7 Professional; and Windows Vista Ultimate to Windows 7 Ultimate. You also cannot upgrade a 32-bit operating system to 64-bit -- to migrate from 32-bit to 64-bit will require a custom install.
Additionally, you will not be able to "upgrade" from a 32-bit version of Windows 7 to 64-bit -- the architecture between the two is too drastically different to allow such a change. To learn more about the differences between a 32-bit operating system and 64-bit please go to the following link: http://bit.ly/2aT3xP
I hope that helps you out!
You can also find lots of information on Windows 7 here in our Springboard website:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/default.aspx
Thanks again,
John M.
Microsoft Windows Client Support

 

[TrainableMan]

If it's one thing I hate it is when I contact support and I get cookie cutter canned help. :thefinger:

Awesome, my cut & paste functions work, too :withstupid: