32 Bit & 64 Bit Questions, Please

[Robert11]

Hello,

Will blame my lack of knowledge on this due to the fact that I am truly a
Sr. Citizen now.
Sure does catch up with you.

Anyway, I guess this query really relates to the new Windows 7 comining out
next month, but I imagine the answers are the same for Vista,

Will be getting a new PC in Oct with pre-installedWindows 7.
No way I want to go thru the installation process, so will wait for new PC
until available.

Trying to get a bit of a heads-up in understanding this.
Presently running, on my very old PC, XP.

I see the Vista, and Windows 7 Home versions come in 32 or 64 bit versions.
(I can't see any need for my getting the Professional version)

Which will come pre-installed, most likely, if I order a PC from Dell ?

Do you have a choice which you run ?

Any reason to run as a 32 bit system; e.g., all my old stuff (still) run if
Windows 7/Vista is set up as 64 ?

Really confused how this all works, options, etc.
If anyone might expain and clarify this a bit for me would be most
appreciative

Thank you very much,
Bob

 

[Richard Urban]

Hello,

Will blame my lack of knowledge on this due to the fact that I am truly a
Sr. Citizen now.
Sure does catch up with you.

Anyway, I guess this query really relates to the new Windows 7 comining
out next month, but I imagine the answers are the same for Vista,

Will be getting a new PC in Oct with pre-installedWindows 7.
No way I want to go thru the installation process, so will wait for new PC
until available.

Trying to get a bit of a heads-up in understanding this.
Presently running, on my very old PC, XP.

I see the Vista, and Windows 7 Home versions come in 32 or 64 bit
versions.
(I can't see any need for my getting the Professional version)

Which will come pre-installed, most likely, if I order a PC from Dell ?

Do you have a choice which you run ?

Any reason to run as a 32 bit system; e.g., all my old stuff (still) run
if Windows 7/Vista is set up as 64 ?

Really confused how this all works, options, etc.
If anyone might expain and clarify this a bit for me would be most
appreciative

Thank you very much,
Bob

You will have to research all of your favorite hardware to see if there are
Vista 64 bit drivers available. If they are available the same drivers will
likely work for Windows 7.

You will also have to research your software to be certain that all
applications are 32 bit applications. 16 bit applications will NOT run under
Windows 7 64 bit.

Depending upon the hardware configuration of your new computer the
manufacture will pre install the appropriate operating system (32 bit or 64
bit). If you have 4 gig of RAM in the new computer either may be installed
(your choice usually). If the computer has more than 4 gig of RAM it will
come with a 64 bit version of Windows 7.

I would suggest getting the professional version of Windows 7 with "more"
than 4 gig of RAM. Then it will be easy for you to run Virtual Windows XP
for your older programs (depending upon if the CPU in the computer has the
capability - not all new CPU's do) or you can install Sun's Virtual Box
along with a copy of Windows XP. I hope you have a retail version of Windows
XP to install within Virtual Box so you can install, and utilize, your older
programs.

As you can see, there is no short yes/no answer!

Research and trial will give you the answers.

 

[Dusko Savatovic]

Bob,

Go for 64-bit. When you buy a new PC, ask that a processor and BIOS have
virtualization technology enabled (Intel-VT, or AMD-V). Windows 7 has a cool
feature called XP Mode. This is a Windows XP virtual machine running inside
Windows 7. This feature can help you to keep using your old Win XP software
that may not work in Windows 7. However, graphic intensive games are not
working well in XP mode.

As for the old hardware. Yes, I still have some. But it still works on the
old Win XP PC that I still didn't get rid of (thou I might soon). So if
you've got some old stuff, you may wish to keep your old PC for a while
until you are happy with a new one.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Hello,

Will blame my lack of knowledge on this due to the fact that I am truly a
Sr. Citizen now.

Did you just become 65? That's no reason to have a lack of knowledge.
I'm 71, and although I don't know everything, I know a fair amount
about computers and about Windows, and I learn more almost every day.

Sure does catch up with you.

Anyway, I guess this query really relates to the new Windows 7 comining out
next month, but I imagine the answers are the same for Vista,

Will be getting a new PC in Oct with pre-installedWindows 7.
No way I want to go thru the installation process,

Why not? It's very easy.

You haven't told us about your old computer, so I can't say whether I
would recommend installing Windows on your old computer or not, but I
wouldn't automatically assume that getting a new PC is your best
choice.

so will wait for new PC
until available.

Trying to get a bit of a heads-up in understanding this.
Presently running, on my very old PC, XP.

I see the Vista, and Windows 7 Home versions come in 32 or 64 bit versions.
(I can't see any need for my getting the Professional version)

Which will come pre-installed, most likely, if I order a PC from Dell ?

Yes, the operating system comes pre-installed. What operating system
comes pre-installed depends on what you order.

Do you have a choice which you run ?

Are you asking whether you can get the computer and *then* choose
whether you run 32-bit or 64-bit?

No. Only one of them comes pre-installed and the other isn't available
to you unless you buy and install it instead.

Any reason to run as a 32 bit system; e.g., all my old stuff (still) run if
Windows 7/Vista is set up as 64 ?

Unless you run some older 16-bit programs, it's highly likely that all
your programs will run (with the possible exception of some
utilities). I'm running 64-bit Windows 7 here, and everything I used
to run still runs (with the exception of a utility or two).

The advantage of running a 64-bit version of Windows basically exists
only if you also run 64-bit applications under it. Bear in mind that
there are very few such applications available yet. If you are
presently running 32-bit Windows, you don't have any 64-bit
applications, so to achieve any significant advantage, you will need
to replace your applications, *if* (and that's a big "if") 64-bit
versions exist yet.

Also note that you will need 64-bit drivers for all your hardware.
Those drivers may not all be available, especially if some of your
hardware is a few years old. So it's possible that you might also have
to replace things like your printer, scanner, etc.

So the answer to your question is that it may not be a good choice for
you. You should do some research first to investigate the availability
of 64-bit drivers.

On the other hand, installing 64-bit Windows instead of 32-bit Windows
makes you able to buy 64-bit software as it becomes available, instead
of the older 32-bit versions. That means that installing 64-bit
Windows--even though it may do very little for you at present--puts
you into a better position for the future.

One additional point: the 64-bit version lets you use more than the
approximately 3.1GB of RAM that the 32-bit version can use. Very few
people need or can make effective use of more than 3.1GB, but if you
are one of them, that's something else to consider.

 

[Robert11]

Hi,

Just a quick thanks for the help and replies.
Appreciate it.

Bob