64 bit

[johnnyn_uk]

i recently installed system utilities and on aperformance tab it told me my
proccessor is a 64 bit but i am only using 32 bit version of windows.it says
by changing it my pc will be more reliable and security is better can anyone
tell me if this is the case and how too upgrade, thanxs in advance ...johnny

 

[peter]

There is nothing wrong with 32 bit OS.
A change to a 64 bit OS system requires a complete new Purchase of OS...
It also requires a brand new install from scratch...and then 64bit drivers
for all of your hardware devices..mobo drivers..etc.
This "new" install would require you to reinstall everything/program that
you have now installed.
A lot of us have systems that are capable of a 64bit OS and we continue to
use a 32bit OS because the tech/driver/hardware side
of the computer world has not quite caught up yet.There is a lot of hardware
out there that has NO 64bit support...as well as software.

pk

 

[David B.]

You cannot upgrade to 64 bit in the normal manner. You have to purchase the
64 bit version of your OS and format and clean install.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

i recently installed system utilities and on aperformance tab it told me my
proccessor is a 64 bit but i am only using 32 bit version of windows.it says
by changing it my pc will be more reliable and security is better can anyone
tell me if this is the case

No, it's not.

and how too upgrade, thanxs in advance ...johnny

You can't upgrade. You would need to buy a complete new copy of 64-bit
Windows XP, and install it cleanly.

The advantage of 64-bit Windows is in performance, not in reliability
or security. But almost all of that advantage comes about only if you
also run 64-bit applications. So you would have to not only buy a new
copy of Windows, but also new application software (*if* 64-bit
versions of what you use even exists yet).

Moreover, you would need 64-bit drivers for all your devices (printer,
scanner, etc.). If they don't exist (and for many devices, they
don't), you would also have to buy new hardware.