Windows 7: OEM questions

Hey guys, first time poster here.
I just got myself a flash new Toshiba a500 laptop with windows 7 home premium on it. after getting everything to my liking it occured to me to check weather i was running 32 or 64 bit, as it turns out im running 32, and thus some of my nice expencive ram isnt being used. the laptop didn't come with an install cd, but i read something about these laptops having a 64bit restore partition (edit: heres what it says on the toshiba website: Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium (32bit) (includes recovery partition for Windows® 7 Home Premium 64bit)). could someone please tell me if there is any way of changing to 64 bit without needing a cd (i dont care if it means i loose my stuff, as it a new computer i havent put much on it yet.)?

Thanks for your help fellas

To "upgrade" to 64 bit - however you do it - requires a complete new install. Usually recovery (restore) partitions only have whatever the PC was delivered with and will only restore the PC to the original factory setup. You can attempt a reinstall and see if has an option but I suspect if the PC was delivered with 32 bit then that is what the restore will have.

If you want 64 bit, along with a Win 7 CD you will need 64 bit device drivers (some drivers are bit specific). Check the Toshiba downloads for your specific model to see if they have 64 bit drivers before you go any further. If there are 64 bit drivers maybe you can convince Toshiba to provide a Win 7 install DVD. The "Retail" Windows 7 DVD's (upgrade or full versions) have both 32 bit and 64 bit on them and you select which one you want when you install.

Have a look at your manual:

Hi! ^_^

Could you be more specific with your notebook's model, please?
As you can see at Toshiba's website there are lots of A500 models. I need the model just to make a best research about your problem.
Anyway, you always can try restoring the OS from your recovery partition. How you do that? Look at the first screen that appears when you turn on your notebook. Usually that screen used to show keys that you can press to access to different features like going into your notebook's setup, select boot device, open software to flash BIOS and recovery options like the one you need right now.
If you can't find that, as an alternative option, read a little your user's manual and surely you'll get that information right there too.

Good luck, friend! And remember to go back here and post your results.
Regards from Argentina.


PS: theog posts before me without i'd notincing that.
Anyway... it says "Windows Vista" instead of Windows 7... could that user manual be of an older Toshiba Satellite A500 model? Do the new model that Tophatguy have the same user manual?
Let's see what our friend Tophatguy can tell us.

sweet theog, where can i find the digital copy of the manual?
And its an a500 o26

On Toshiba web site.

I'm not theog, but I know it's at Toshiba's website, in "Download" section.
I'll make it easy for you, just click here: http://cdgenp01.csd.toshiba.com/cont...00_09May21.pdf



PS: lol. theog, you always won me when posting! xD

I would use Windows 7 backup imaging to save externally a back up image of your Windows 7 32 bit installation so you have a path back. Back up your data separately.

Then reboot and look for Recovery key given on first bootup screen. Tap the key to trigger Recovery, but only go far enough to see what install options it offers you. If you have a 64 bit option there then you can go ahead and install if you want.

Found the solution last night. had to start the computer holding down the o key and it takes you to recovery. thankfully it did have the 64bit option, so thats what im running now
thanks for the assitance guys.

That is good news.