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#1
Gateway EC1803h
I just purchased the Gateway EC1803h 11.6" laptop:
It's essentially a (low-powered) notebook with the dimensions of a large "netbook". As far as I know, it's technically identical to the Acer Aspire 1410.
The basic specs are:
Intel Core 2 Solo SU3500 (1.40GHz, 3MB L2, 5.5W)
3GB DDR2 RAM
250GB 5400RPM HDD
Windows Vista Home Premium 32-Bit
I'm planning to perform a clean install of Windows 7 as soon as possible and I have two questions:
1. Given the specs of the machine, should I install the 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows 7? I'm pretty sure the Core 2 Solo has 64-bit architecture; but is the machine powerful enough for a 64-bit OS?
2. If I should use the 64-bit version, does the fact that the machine ships with the 32-bit version of Vista matter? I'll be receiving a free copy of Windows 7 with purchase that, I assume, will be the "Upgrade" package of the software. Thus, as I understand it (correct me if I'm wrong), when my copy of Windows 7 arrives I'll have to do two things:
- Reinstall Windows Vista (to provide Windows 7 with a license key).
- "Upgrade" my Vista installation to Windows 7.
When I "upgrade" Vista 32-bit, will I be able to perform a clean install of Windows 7 64-bit (assuming I should use the 64-bit version)?
Thanks for your help.