Installing windows 7 sp1 64 bit on ultimate 32bit

[jpchint]

Hi sevenforums,i want to install windows 7 sp1 64 bit upgradable on my existing 7 ultimate 32bit especially for gaming purpose,coz mine is x86 based pc.My laptop is 64bit capable.
Should i install ultimate 64 bit first,then sp1 or directly sp1 64bit??How can i proceed?
Any help can be appreciated....Thanks in advance!!

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Should i install ultimate 64 bit first,then sp1 or directly sp1 64bit??

Either way will work. You can install Ultimate without SP1 and then add SP1 or you can install directly to Ultimate SP1 if you have that.

There's usually no big benefit from upgrading to 64 bit if you have only 4 GB of RAM, but it certainly works fine.

 

[jpchint]

Should i install ultimate 64 bit first,then sp1 or directly sp1 64bit??

Either way will work. You can install Ultimate without SP1 and then add SP1 or you can install directly to Ultimate SP1 if you have that.

There's usually no big benefit from upgrading to 64 bit if you have only 4 GB of RAM, but it certainly works fine.

But certain games like assasins creed unity,dying light etc requires 64 bit processor!
??

 

[alphanumeric]

If you have 4 GB of RAM and a dedicated video card with it's own onboard RAM, going 64 bit is advantages. When running 32 bit the video cards RAM will subtract from your 4 GB max usable memory.

 

[gregrocker]

I think what I would do in your situation is shrink C on my laptop, boot the 64 bit installation media and do a test install to the space you shrunk. This will configure a Dual Boot menu so you can compare the difference in performance on that hardware for the thirty days allowed before the new install would either need to be activated with the Product Key or deleted in Disk mgmt.

The reason I'd do it this way is because while I once flatly advised 32 bit for 4gb RAM, I now have reservations. I have watched 32 bit show some deficiencies in Resource management that make it less favorable on some CPU's with 4gb RAM. The performance difference with 64 bit is noticeable.

 

[Berton]

What I didn't see mentioned, or missed it, is that changing from 32-bit to 64-bit, or vice versa, requires a clean install, can't upgrade.

 

[gregrocker]

Check the post right above yours Bert.

 

[Berton]

Guess I missed it in the wording.

 

[jpchint]

I think what I would do in your situation is shrink C on my laptop, boot the 64 bit installation media and do a test install to the space you shrunk. This will configure a Dual Boot menu so you can compare the difference in performance on that hardware for the thirty days allowed before the new install would either need to be activated with the Product Key or deleted in Disk mgmt.

The reason I'd do it this way is because while I once flatly advised 32 bit for 4gb RAM, I now have reservations. I have watched 32 bit show some deficiencies in Resource management that make it less favorable on some CPU's with 4gb RAM. The performance difference with 64 bit is noticeable.

Mr gregrocker,what i understand from your post is,"I should install 7 ultimate sp1 in a separate partition say D drive(Dual boot win7 ult 32bit in C and 7ult SP1 64bit in D) and should do a test on 64 bit in gaming.thats it?
Please confirm??

 

[gregrocker]

Yes, but don't worry about drive letters. Just shrink C by as much as you want, then boot the 64 boot installer, choose the space you shrunk, click Next and win7 will create and format a partition there and begin install.

Each OS will be C when booted and another letter (doesn't matter) when not booted. You can access your files from the other OS, even link the 32 bit User folders to the new Install's Library - Include a Folder - Windows 7 Forums.

Afterwards choose either OS from a Dual Boot menu. If you decide to get rid of 64 bit, just delete it in Disk Mgmt and Extend C again. If you want to keep 64 bit and delete 32 bit, then after you've moved everything over we will help you Recover Partition Space Used by an Older OS and adjust the partition sizes however you want.

But before you jump into that I want you to carefully read over how to get a perfect Clean Reinstall Windows 7 so that the 64 bit install is done perfectly. Ask back any questions and follow those steps closely because you will have a perfect install to the exact extent you do.