upgrading from 32 to 64 bit

Hi All,
cant believe how hard it's been trying to get a how to on this , basically I upgraded from xp to w7 home premium and as I was running on 32 bit chose that without realizing my pc was 64 bit compatible and now I'd like to upgrade to that but after countless runarounds I'm finally here I'm told that if I start the pc insert w7 64 bit cd restart and press f8 f10 or f12 I should be able to boot straight from there is there any thing else I need to know or is that it please dont assume I know what to do as I dont and depending on your knowledge to get me through it,
any and all help is much appreciated,
cheers,
danda

If you want to change from 32 bit to 64 bit, you have to do a new install using the 64 bit disc you have.

You need to boot your PC from that 64 bit disc. That will begin the install.

Do you know how to boot your PC from a disc? You would need to press a particular key, probably an F key, but which one varies from PC to PC. Pressing this correct key brings up a menu from which you choose the device you'd like to boot from. You would want to choose your DVD drive, which may have a peculiar name on the menu.

Is there anything currently on your hard drive that you care about and want to keep---pictures, videos, mp3, bookmarks, etc?

ignatzatsonic said:

If you want to change from 32 bit to 64 bit, you have to do a new install using the 64 bit disc you have.

You need to boot your PC from that 64 bit disc. That will begin the install.

Do you know how to boot your PC from a disc? You would need to press a particular key, probably an F key, but which one varies from PC to PC. Pressing this correct key brings up a menu from which you choose the device you'd like to boot from. You would want to choose your DVD drive, which may have a peculiar name on the menu.

Is there anything currently on your hard drive that you care about and want to keep---pictures, videos, mp3, bookmarks, etc?

No I'm not sure which is why I'm here and yes I've got all I want on external H/D including windows easy transfer ready for new install...............

Read the tutorial in post 2 above by ShoTTaS. Post back about any questions you have.

Your menu key could be F2, F9, F11, or something else, you just have to discover it by trial and error if you don't know.



Normally, in a clean install, you would delete ALL partitions now on the drive when you go through the installation. The tutorial should explain the details.

ignatzatsonic said:

Read the tutorial in post 2 above by ShoTTaS. Post back about any questions you have.

Your menu key could be F2, F9, F11, or something else, you just have to discover it by trial and error if you don't know.

Repeat: Is there anything currently on your hard drive that you care about and want to keep---pictures, videos, mp3, bookmarks, etc?

Normally, in a clean install, you would delete ALL partitions now on the drive when you go through the installation. The tutorial should explain the details.

No everything I want to keep is on external H/D and I'll use easy transfer to re install normal data as for programs thier easily installed afresh...................

danda said:

No everything I want to keep is on external H/D and I'll use easy transfer to re install normal data as for programs thier easily installed afresh...................

Easy Transfer is not the sharpest tool in the drawer. I gave up on it a long time ago.

I'm not sure how useful it is particularly since you are going from 32 bit to 64 bit.

At any rate, I'd figure out exactly what I would do if it failed completely. Don't get yourself in a situation where you are relying on it. Have a Plan B.

You'll have to re-install all your programs anyway as far as I know. Data can simply be dragged from your external to the internal after you get up and running with 64 bit.

Don't forget your bookmarks and email if you have any.

ignatzatsonic said:

danda said:

No everything I want to keep is on external H/D and I'll use easy transfer to re install normal data as for programs thier easily installed afresh...................

Easy Transfer is not the sharpest tool in the drawer. I gave up on it a long time ago.

I'm not sure how useful it is particularly since you are going from 32 bit to 64 bit.

At any rate, I'd figure out exactly what I would do if it failed completely. Don't get yourself in a situation where you are relying on it. Have a Plan B.

You'll have to re-install all your programs anyway as far as I know. Data can simply be dragged from your external to the internal after you get up and running with 64 bit.

Don't forget your bookmarks and email if you have any.

Yes got important stuff on separate usb I basically just need to know how to install the 64 bit disc I stupidly thought just stick it in and was I wrong there ??? the best info I've got so far from the guys at Austin computers is put the disc in reboot and press f8 f10 or f12 and boot from cd is it as simple as that ?

danda said:

the best info I've got so far from the guys at Austin computers is put the disc in reboot and press f8 f10 or f12 and boot from cd is it as simple as that ?

Look at the previously mentioned tutorial.

Yeah, that's basically how you start the install---put in the DVD and reboot, hitting a particular key to bring up the menu, choose the DVD drive from the menu, and hang on.

You'll be walked through a bunch of steps. You'll be asked "where do you want to install Windows". At that point, delete ALL partitions. That will leave you with a hard drive full of empty space, no partitions. You then tell Windows to install to that empty space. It will do the necessary and will reboot several times.

Normally takes about a half hour.

Then go to Windows update and do all the Windows updates for your PC. That may take hours. Get your anti-virus up and running.

You should probably go to the motherboard manufacturer's web site and find and download the "NIC driver" for that motherboard. Sometimes called "Ethernet driver". It's needed to get an Internet connection working. The Windows installation SHOULD supply it, but since it's so important, I'd get it downloaded first.
Put the downloaded driver on a USB stick or your external---somewhere where you can get to it and install it if you had to.

Post back any questions as you read the tutorial.

You ought to determine what that menu key is right now. Experiment, find the correct key, looking for a boot device menu. You navigate it with arrow keys. Figure it out now rather than later when you actually want to install.

ignatzatsonic said:

danda said:

the best info I've got so far from the guys at Austin computers is put the disc in reboot and press f8 f10 or f12 and boot from cd is it as simple as that ?

Look at the previously mentioned tutorial.

Yeah, that's basically how you start the install---put in the DVD and reboot, hitting a particular key to bring up the menu, choose the DVD drive from the menu, and hang on.

You'll be walked through a bunch of steps. You'll be asked "where do you want to install Windows". At that point, delete ALL partitions. That will leave you with a hard drive full of empty space, no partitions. You then tell Windows to install to that empty space. It will do the necessary and will reboot several times.

Normally takes about a half hour.

Then go to Windows update and do all the Windows updates for your PC. That may take hours. Get your anti-virus up and running.

You should probably go to the motherboard manufacturer's web site and find and download the "NIC driver" for that motherboard. Sometimes called "Ethernet driver". It's needed to get an Internet connection working. The Windows installation SHOULD supply it, but since it's so important, I'd get it downloaded first.
Put the downloaded driver on a USB stick or your external---somewhere where you can get to it and install it if you had to.

Post back any questions as you read the tutorial.

You ought to determine what that menu key is right now. Experiment, find the correct key, looking for a boot device menu. You navigate it with arrow keys. Figure it out now rather than later when you actually want to install.

Yes I found that out the first time I installed w 7 (no internet) but soon realized the drivers are on the computers installation disc so activated it from there right so I think I'll mark this as solved stick the cd in and hope for the best big THANK YOU for your help guys if it goes tits up it wont be for the lack of helpful advice it's all appreciated,
cheers,
danda