64 bit V/S 32 bit

[mayankjain607]

i want to know ....if m using computer which is compatible with windows 7 64 bit OS..and if i install 32 bit windows 7 OS in my computer ...then in this situation does the drivers of 64 bit OS will work on 32 bit operating system....

 

[clifford_cooley]

Hi mayankjain607 - Welcome to w7forums

Use the same bit version drivers for the OS.
Use 32-Bit drivers for a 32-Bit OS.
Use 64-Bit drivers for a 64-Bit OS.

However software is a different story
Use 32-Bit software with a 32-Bit OS.
Use 32-Bit or 64-Bit software with a 64-Bit OS. And application plugins must be the same bit version as the application they are designed for.

 

[catilley1092]

mayankjain607, welcome to the forum! You will need new drivers for 32 bit Windows 7. You'll also have to do a clean or "custom" install. However, if you stay with the same version of 7, your existing key should work. Should you need further help, post back.

 

[Nibiru2012]

i want to know ....if m using computer which is compatible with windows 7 64 bit OS..and if i install 32 bit windows 7 OS in my computer ...then in this situation does the drivers of 64 bit OS will work on 32 bit operating system....

The main question I have is... WHY? If you have 4GB of RAM or more, the 32 bit version of Windows 7 will only utilize about 3.3GB of that RAM. The rest is wasted.

The benefits are most apparent when you have a large amount of RAM installed on your computer, typically 4 GB of RAM or more. In such cases, because a 64-bit operating system can handle large amounts of memory more efficiently than a 32-bit operating system can, a 64-bit system can be more responsive when running several programs at the same time and switching between them frequently.

Plus, the Windows 7 kernel and file system is more secure than the 32 bit version and execution is better.

Nearly all 32 bit software will run on Windows 7 64 bit because the OS installs a folder called "Program Files (x86)" which is the folder for 32 bit software.

 

[Kalario]

I totally agree with Nibiru, if You have 4GB of RAM I don't see any reason not to install the 64bit version.

 

[catilley1092]

I agree too, if you have more than 3GB RAM installed, 64 bit is better. Many users report various problems with 64 bit, but it's all in the way your computer is configured. This is my first 64 bit computer, and I'll never look back to 32 bit. Plus, you can run many more tasks at once without "crashing". I've had mine for nearly six months, and haven't crashed once, even when it had only 2GB RAM installed.

 

[Fire cat]

Hey guys!
Actually, I had a question like this. I have this old XP PC 32bit, but with 4gb ram. It has one 160gb HD. I know 64bit is better at handling big memory, but is it worth while installing 64bit, if the only big memory is ram? The computer has 1 Amd Athlon 1 core processor... I would have stayed with 32bit as my choice (duh!) until I upgraded from 1gb to the max my poor machine could take, 4gbs.

Thanks,
Fire Cat

 

[Xenon]

Hey guys!
Actually, I had a question like this. I have this old XP PC 32bit, but with 4gb ram. It has one 160gb HD. I know 64bit is better at handling big memory, but is it worth while installing 64bit, if the only big memory is ram? The computer has 1 Amd Athlon 1 core processor... I would have stayed with 32bit as my choice (duh!) until I upgraded from 1gb to the max my poor machine could take, 4gbs.

Thanks,
Fire Cat

Erm while you have 4GB of RAM , the single core Athlon processors dont have 64bit support. My previous rig had the Althon 2600+ (2.2Ghz) proccy and windows xp 64bit would not install on it. I highly doubt if windows 7 64bit would install on it.

Only the Athlon 64 (or Althon X2 64) bit processors among the older AMD processors supported 64bit OS's.

Also, even with 32bit OS you're technically can about 3.4-.5 GB of RAM (mine shows 3.5GB on my XP 32bit OS right now), while remaining is unused. So if you're doing well with the 3.5 GB of RAM, there isnt a need to move onto Win 7 64bit, the 32bit should do just fine.