Solved 32 to 64 bit upgrade. How?

[pappi]

System type is 32-bit OS and 64-bit capable. How do I upgrade from 32 to 64 bit?

 

[Boozad]

You would need a 64-bit copy of the Windows media and would have to perform a clean install using your exsiting product key, provided it was a retail copy which covers both 32-bit and 64-bit installations. However, as you only have 4GB RAM I'd recommend staying with a 32-bit OS.

 

[AddRAM]

Agreed, unless you have the memory now, there`s no point in switching yet.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

I changed from 32 to 64 with only 4 GB of RAM when I last rebuilt. Can't tell the difference in ordinary day-to-day operation.

You may as well do it if you were starting from scratch and building a PC, but I don't know that I'd go to the trouble otherwise--unless you have some over-riding reason to need 64-bit.

 

[pappi]

I am supposed to be capable of 6 GB RAM. Would that suffice? And how do I add two more GB's?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

I am supposed to be capable of 6 GB RAM. Would that suffice? And how do I add two more GB's?

Suffice? Suffice for what purpose? If you want to use 64-bit, go ahead. Nothing wrong with 64-bit and 4 GB RAM or 6 GB RAM or whatever.


If you aren't currently using all of your 4, there's no reason in the world to buy more, regardless of the 32-bit/64-bit question. Adding more RAM won't improve anything if you have enough already.

You can easily determine if you are using all of your 4 by looking at Resource Monitor within Task Manager.

If you now have two 2 GB sticks of RAM and add a third 2 GB stick, you'll have 6, but you'd be in single channel mode rather than dual channel. It's only a minor performance hit. If you actually need a 5th or 6th GB of RAM, go ahead in spite of the single channel issue.

But you've given us no reason to believe you are using all of the 4 you now have.

 

[pappi]

The first two responders gave me the idea that going from 32 to 64-bit OS requires RAM greater than 4 GB.

At the moment, 4 GB seems much more than what I need or actually use with my current 32-bit OS..

I have a suspicion I have only two slots for memory sticks. That means I have to remove one 2GB stick and replace it with 4 GB stick to make 6 GB. Is there a way to find out how many slots I actually have without opening the notebook? My system information does not provide the answer.

 

[Ztruker]

The reason folks suggested staying with 32 bit is that it can use all of the 4GB you have installed so switching to 64 bit doesn't gain you anything.

If you want more than 4GB then you have to switch to 64 bit. You don't need to buy a new key or install DVD as the key you have is good for 32 and 64 bit, and you can download the 64 bit ISO from here: Windows 7 Direct Download Links

 

[ignatzatsonic]

The first two responders gave me the idea that going from 32 to 64-bit OS requires RAM greater than 4 GB.

At the moment, 4 GB seems much more than what I need or actually use with my current 32-bit OS..

I have a suspicion I have only two slots for memory sticks. That means I have to remove one 2GB stick and replace it with 4 GB stick to make 6 GB. Is there a way to find out how many slots I actually have without opening the notebook? My system information does not provide the answer.

One said recommend 32 bit. The other said no point in changing.

Their larger point is that there is no particular advantage to changing and it would take X hours to do it. Why waste X hours for no apparent gain?

If you had 64-bit and asked if you could go back to 32-bit, I suspect they'd say "Yeah, you could, but why would you".

The fact is you can use either assuming your hardware supports either.

I personally have been using 64-bit and 4 GB of RAM for years.

You can download Speccy (free) from Piriform.com. Run it. It's a great tool for identifying your hardware and will tell you how many slots you have.

If you have 2 slots, yes, you'd have to ditch a 2 GB stick and replace it with a 4 GB stick. That would give you 6, but you'd be in single channel mode.

Single channel mode and 6 GB is NOT ideal, but better than 4 GB in dual channel IF AND ONLY IF you actually would be using the 5th and 6th GB of RAM.

And you state that you likely wouldn't.

So, no need for 6 whatsoever.

Install 64-bit if you want to and be prepared to ask yourself why you went to the trouble.

Unless you have an over-riding reason beyond curiosity or "staying up to date", etc.

 

[pappi]

I snipped this while on two running windows, (1) seven forum active posting (2) Windows Media Center watching live TV broadcast with external TV tuner.

I do not know how to interpret the Resource Monitor graphic display. Does it say how much RAM is in use?

 

[AddRAM]

Most laptops/notebooks only have 2 ram slots, either both in the back or 1 in the back and 1 under the keyboard. 6 GB sounds awfully strange for a total amount. It`s usually 4, 8 ,16 etc.

This link says your max is 8 GB, were did you get 6 from ?

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/...foCategory&cc=us&dlc=en&lc=en&product=3989825

You need to give us a shot of the memory tab, not the network tab.

No one ever said you need more then 4 GBs of RAM to go to 64 bit, you can certainly have a total of 2 GBs of ram and run 64 bit. But, at this point, as we advised, there is no point in installing 64 bit.

What concerns me is the fact that you ask how to go from 32 to 64 bit or how do you add memory to the laptop, you really should start reading up on this until you are confident you can do it yourself.

Both tasks are very easy to do, but as a Novice, you just might ruin your pc. I suggest you leave it alone for now

 

[pappi]

"Unless you have an over-riding reason beyond curiosity or "staying up to date", etc."

I've been on Vista 64-bit OS for 6 years prior to this current HP that I bought used 7 months ago which happens to come with W7 Pro 32-bit. I always thought 64-bit is twice as much (32 x 2 = 64) and therefore should be better. Already, I have been encountering software and programs that configure only with 64-bit OS. So there, that is perhaps my only reason I'd prefer 64.

 

[Ztruker]

Can you list some of the software that is 64 bit only? I've not seen any.

 

[AddRAM]

Did you try to install these programs ?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

I always thought 64-bit is twice as much (32 x 2 = 64) and therefore should be better. Already, I have been encountering software and programs that configure only with 64-bit OS. So there, that is perhaps my only reason I'd prefer 64.

It is unfortunate that 64 is twice the size of 32 as it leads to the "should be better" conclusion. Just as a 600 watt computer power supply is better than a 300 watt power supply. Power supply makers would go out of business if they couldn't get people to believe that. Likewise stereo receiver and speaker manufacturers that scream the wattage at you in every advertisement. Not to mention fuel octane ratings.

Some applications will not install at all in a 64-bit system because the installer program within the application is 16-bit and may not run at all on a 64-bit system.

If you've got apps that won't run on 32-bit, fine; that's a good reason to upgrade to 64, but you certainly don't need to buy more RAM for that reason alone.

 

[pappi]

OH no. It's the other way around. My bad.

No problem so far with this current 32-bit OS. I had probs with the 64-bit Vista a few years ago when some programs were not configurable with 64-bit, like Flash player. Luckily, IE with Vista came with two browser systems, both 32 and 64 bits, the 32-bit being the default browser.

I am now just thinking ahead that perhaps the 64-bit OS might have become the system of choice by recent program/software purveyors.

"I changed from 32 to 64 with only 4 GB of RAM when I last rebuilt. Can't tell the difference in ordinary day-to-day operation." There must be a reason why ignat rebuilt from 32 to 64.

 

[Layback Bear]

Pappi can you tell us what problem you are having with your computer at the present time.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

"I changed from 32 to 64 with only 4 GB of RAM when I last rebuilt. Can't tell the difference in ordinary day-to-day operation." There must be a reason why ignat rebuilt from 32 to 64.

I'll tell you why.

I do a complete system rebuild every few years. New motherboard, RAM, CPU; probably a new hard drive, probably a new OS, probably a new power supply.

The possibility of being able to use more than 4 GB of RAM was part of the reason. But as it turns out, I have never gone beyond 4. I rarely use even 3 GB. The RAM I don't buy today is money I can save to buy DDR 4 RAM next year when I rebuild again.

If I had chosen 32-bit instead, I doubt if I'd have ever known the difference.

I chose 64-bit largely because it took X minutes to install it. The very same X minutes it would have taken to install 32-bit. It cost me no additional time at all. You're not in that situation. You'll have to invest more time than you have so far. What's the trade-off for doing that? Apps you need that won't run on 32-bit? That's fine, then do it.

The 2 differ significantly behind the scenes, but those differences aren't apparent in day-to-day operation.

If you were building from dead scratch as I was, most would tell you to use 64-bit. But you aren't doing that.

 

[AddRAM]

Perfectly put

 

[pappi]

"If you were building from dead scratch as I was, most would tell you to use 64-bit. But you aren't doing that."

I understand 32-bit does not allow upgrading to 8 GB(6 GB being the max), 64-bit does. But Ignat did not install more than 4 GM RAM and yet bothered to rebuild from 32 to 64-bit. Just because he can? There's gotta be at least one technically advantageous compelling reason why most would rather use 64-bit. Really, why?

At this point, I am no longer considering 64-bit as I am not having any problem at all with 32-bit. I am now just curious, merely for my own education.