32-bit and 64-bit distinctions with Vista Home Basic

[Louis126]

Hello All,

I am new to this Community. I have a question for you, and hope that someone
will know the answer. I apologize if I am posting this in the wrong place
here. Please let me know if I need to post it elsewhere within this community.

I am confused. I recently purchased a brand new Toshiba Satellite laptop
(from a very well known retail vendor). I have Windows Vista Basic running on
it. For reasons I won't go into right now (but perhaps in a later post after
this), you might say I was forced into doing a little research on my laptop
in order to determine whether it is a 32 or 64 bit operating system. Well I
found out that my version of Windows Vista Home Basic is 32-bit. However, I
am also aware that it is available in a 64-bit version. I also found out that
there is such as thing as Windows Vista Starter Edition, which supposedly is
the ONLY version of Vista which is NOT 64 bit. If this is true, then why does
my System Information tell me that I am running a 32 bit version of Vista
Home Basic edition? I do not understand this.

Let me clarify something very quickly here. I am a Computer Networking major
at the present time. I do not need someone to speak to me in terms which only
someone who doesn't know who to turn on a computer would understand. Please
give me a little credit along these lines when you respond to my question.

Lastly, let me also clarify one last thing (hopefully). If there is such as
thing as a 64 bit version of Vista Home Basic, then why does my laptop only
have the 32 bit version? Is this because I have the "starter" edition, and in
order for me to get the better one I would need to actually PAY to upgrade?
But why in the world would I need to actually have to PAY in oder to get
nothing more than yet a DIFFERENT edition of the exact same OS that I am
already running on this laptop of mine? To me, either Windows or Toshiba
would have made this a whole lot easier to understand if they would simply
have made a DISTINCTION between Vista Starter edition and Vista Home Basic.

If anyone knows what I am talking about, please offer any help that you can.

Thanks!

 

[Nonny]

Hello All,

I am new to this Community. I have a question for you, and hope that someone
will know the answer. I apologize if I am posting this in the wrong place
here. Please let me know if I need to post it elsewhere within this community.

I am confused. I recently purchased a brand new Toshiba Satellite laptop
(from a very well known retail vendor). I have Windows Vista Basic running on
it. For reasons I won't go into right now (but perhaps in a later post after
this), you might say I was forced into doing a little research on my laptop
in order to determine whether it is a 32 or 64 bit operating system. Well I
found out that my version of Windows Vista Home Basic is 32-bit. However, I
am also aware that it is available in a 64-bit version. I also found out that
there is such as thing as Windows Vista Starter Edition, which supposedly is
the ONLY version of Vista which is NOT 64 bit. If this is true, then why does
my System Information tell me that I am running a 32 bit version of Vista
Home Basic edition? I do not understand this.

Starter edition is not for "developed" countries. It is a special
edition for dumbed-down computers. Your system is telling you that
your edition of Home Basic is 32-bit because it is.

Simple.

Let me clarify something very quickly here. I am a Computer Networking major
at the present time. I do not need someone to speak to me in terms which only
someone who doesn't know who to turn on a computer would understand. Please
give me a little credit along these lines when you respond to my question.

Lastly, let me also clarify one last thing (hopefully). If there is such as
thing as a 64 bit version of Vista Home Basic, then why does my laptop only
have the 32 bit version?

Because that's the configuration that you purchased.

Simple.

 

[Louis126]

Starter edition is not for "developed" countries. It is a special
edition for dumbed-down computers. Your system is telling you that
your edition of Home Basic is 32-bit because it is.

Simple.


Because that's the configuration that you purchased.

Simple.


OK. But according to this "logic", since when did the USA become an underdeveloped country?

 

[Nonny]

OK. But according to this "logic", since when did the USA become an underdeveloped country?

Can't you read? Starter Edition is NOT for "developed" countries.

 

[Louis126]

Can't you read? Starter Edition is NOT for "developed" countries

The problem here has absolutely nothing to do with my ability to read. But I
am beginning to seriously wonder if it might be due to the fact that you
neither know how to read nor comprehend. So, I will pose my question to you
one more time, and perhaps this time you will see some ray of light. Since
when did the USA become an underdeveloped country?

I didn't purchase my laptop in Mozambique. I purchased it in the USA.
Therefore, if Starter Edition was created for underdeveloped nations, then I
should NOT have acquired that edition when I purchased a laptop in the United
States of American. Period.

 

[Telstar]

You do not get both versions 32 and 64 bit versions. Vista Home Basic 32
bit is commonly installed on laptops. NOT 64 bit. Is this difficult to
fathom?

 

[Louis126]

You do not get both versions 32 and 64 bit versions. Vista Home Basic 32
bit is commonly installed on laptops. NOT 64 bit. Is this difficult to
fathom?


No, not at all. Thanks for clearing it up. The bottom line obviously is that you have to upgrade to get the good stuff, the better version.

Thanks for clarifying this.

 

[kevpan815]

X64 Is The Best (If You Can Get It 2 Work With Your System), Just FYI.

 

[Mick Murphy]

All pre-installed OEM versions of vista come in 32bit, unless YOU specifially
ask for 64bit.
If you have a Retail version of 32bit, you can get 64bit disk from MS for
cost of shipping.
OEM disks do not have this option.
Buy an OEM 64bit or Retail 64bit copy to change.
And you can NOT upgrade 32 2 64.
Has to be a clean install..

 

[Nonny]

The problem here has absolutely nothing to do with my ability to read. But I
am beginning to seriously wonder if it might be due to the fact that you
neither know how to read nor comprehend. So, I will pose my question to you
one more time, and perhaps this time you will see some ray of light. Since
when did the USA become an underdeveloped country?

I didn't purchase my laptop in Mozambique. I purchased it in the USA.
Therefore, if Starter Edition was created for underdeveloped nations, then I
should NOT have acquired that edition when I purchased a laptop in the United
States of American. Period.

32-bit is NOT "Starter Edition".

YOU are the one with the reading/comprehension problem.

 

[Louis126]

32-bit is NOT "Starter Edition".

YOU are the one with the reading/comprehension problem.

I want you to read the following:

64-bit Editions of Windows Vista

"The 64-bit editions of Windows Vista—available for all editions of Windows
Vista except Starter—deliver premier performance, reliability, and security,
providing you access to the next generation of PC innovations..."

And here is the URL if you want to go see it for yourself:

https://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/editions/64bit.mspx

In light of this, how on earth can you possibly contend that "32 bit is NOT
starter..."???????

 

[Louis126]

32-bit is NOT "Starter Edition".

YOU are the one with the reading/comprehension problem.

You know what, I believe I have figured out the answer to my question based
on what these other individuals have posted here as responses. Clearly the
computer (and specifically laptop) companies are putting an inferior version
of Vista Home Basic in computers that are being sold in retail outlets. In
order to get the better version one must purchase that version of Vista, and
do a clean install.

So now that I have my answer from those others who have responded, I feel
that any further discussion would be fruitless here. So I will now bring it
to a close.

 

[Nonny]

I want you to read the following:

64-bit Editions of Windows Vista

"The 64-bit editions of Windows Vista—available for all editions of Windows
Vista except Starter—deliver premier performance, reliability, and security,
providing you access to the next generation of PC innovations..."

And here is the URL if you want to go see it for yourself:

https://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/editions/64bit.mspx

In light of this, how on earth can you possibly contend that "32 bit is NOT
starter..."???????

You are clearly a moron.

 

[Nonny]

You know what, I believe I have figured out the answer to my question based
on what these other individuals have posted here as responses. Clearly the
computer (and specifically laptop) companies are putting an inferior version
of Vista Home Basic in computers that are being sold in retail outlets.

Clearly you are a moron.

Not all computers are 64-bit capable, thus the 32-bit version that is
available in ALL versions.

There are significant issues with the 64-bit versions, among which are
device and program compatibility.

The 32- bit version is NOT "inferior". In many cases it is the only
product that will work.

 

[Steve Thackery]

Louis126, let me have a go at explaining it.....

Vista is available in several different versions - Home Basic, Home Premium,
Ultimate, etc.

Each of these versions is produced in 32-bit and 64-bit.

64-bit Vista is NOT superior to 32-bit, except in one particular way: 64-bit
Vista will access more than 4G of RAM, whereas 32-bit Vista is limited to 4G
(actually slightly less).

The disadvantages of 64-bit Vista are:

1/ lots of hardware doesn't have 64-bit drivers so won't work with it;

2/ it runs the majority of present-day applications slightly slower
(although not noticeably).

Most people choose 32-bit Vista because the advantages - excellent hardware
compatibility - outweigh the disadvantages (limited to 4G of RAM). It is
rare to require more than 4G.

Virtually every computer that comes with Vista pre-installed has the 32-bit
version. This is because the 32-bit version is compatible with virtually
all modern hardware, whereas the 64-bit version isn't (due to the lack of
drivers).

Microsoft also makes a special version of Vista for developing countries,
know as Vista Starter Edition. It is the only version of Vista which is not
available in 64-bit. It is 32-bit only. This is irrelevant, though - you
can't buy Starter Edition in America.

You've got Vista Home Basic on your laptop, in the 32-bit version. This is
entirely correct and normal, and not in any way related to Vista Starter
Edition.

In fact, the vast majority of Vista users are running 32-bit, whether
they've got Home Basic, Home Premium or even Ultimate.

I hope this helps. Ask if you need further clarification.

SteveT

 

[Rick Rogers]

Hi,

Hopefully this will help:

There are six versions of Vista available: Starter, Home Basic, Home
Premium, Business, Ultimate, and Enterprise. Starter edition is only
available in undeveloped nations, Enterprise is only available to volume
license customers. There is also an "N" version of each available (except
Starter) in certain countries that require Vista be sold without the media
player and related multimedia bits preinstalled.

All of them come in a 32-bit (x86) version, and this is the version most
commonly sold with preinstalled systems in any nation. This being due to
driver availability and compatibility with the vast majority of hardware and
software currently on the market. What you have is the 32-bit version of
Home Basic preinstalled.

Except for Starter, each of them is also available in 64-bit (x64), but this
version is generally only supplied by request of the purchaser. While the
system hardware being purchased may be x64 capable, manufacturers do not
generally use this version for mass production for the reasons stated above.

In addition, your license to use Vista Home Basic allows for either 32 or 64
bit to be installed and used to run the computer, but you'd have to contact
the manufacturer for the alternate media should you choose to switch. There
is no upgrade procedure, it requires a clean installation.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com

 

[KCotreau]

Steve Thackery gave a good explanation of the versions below, but I would
like to mention that depending on the vendor, you may still be ale to get the
64-bit disk from them directly and use the same key you have affixed to your
system.

 

[Louis126]

Louis126, let me have a go at explaining it.....

Vista is available in several different versions - Home Basic, Home Premium,
Ultimate, etc.

Each of these versions is produced in 32-bit and 64-bit.

64-bit Vista is NOT superior to 32-bit, except in one particular way: 64-bit
Vista will access more than 4G of RAM, whereas 32-bit Vista is limited to 4G
(actually slightly less).

The disadvantages of 64-bit Vista are:

1/ lots of hardware doesn't have 64-bit drivers so won't work with it;

2/ it runs the majority of present-day applications slightly slower
(although not noticeably).

Most people choose 32-bit Vista because the advantages - excellent hardware
compatibility - outweigh the disadvantages (limited to 4G of RAM). It is
rare to require more than 4G.

Virtually every computer that comes with Vista pre-installed has the 32-bit
version. This is because the 32-bit version is compatible with virtually
all modern hardware, whereas the 64-bit version isn't (due to the lack of
drivers).

Microsoft also makes a special version of Vista for developing countries,
know as Vista Starter Edition. It is the only version of Vista which is not
available in 64-bit. It is 32-bit only. This is irrelevant, though - you
can't buy Starter Edition in America.

You've got Vista Home Basic on your laptop, in the 32-bit version. This is
entirely correct and normal, and not in any way related to Vista Starter
Edition.

In fact, the vast majority of Vista users are running 32-bit, whether
they've got Home Basic, Home Premium or even Ultimate.

I hope this helps. Ask if you need further clarification.

SteveT


Hello SteveT,

Thank you SO much for your post. You have helped me understand these
distinctions IMMENSELY. I only wish the first one had explained it like you
did. I believe that as a result of those first few posts (responses) I was
actually being made to believe that my edition of 32 bit Hom Basic was made
to be explicitly INFERIOR to everyone else's laptop or PC. Not only have you
addressed this misconception, you have dispelled and obliterated it
completely. Thank you again so very much. And if I ever need further
assistance or clarification I will be sure to call on you next time.

Take care.

Louis126

 

[Robert Moir]

I didn't purchase my laptop in Mozambique. I purchased it in the USA.
Therefore, if Starter Edition was created for underdeveloped nations,
then I should NOT have acquired that edition when I purchased a
laptop in the United States of American. Period.

Well true, but then you said you have Vista Home Basic installed, which
*isn't* starter edition. Either you've got the two mixed up, or there's a
long and sad portion of this story that you haven't got around to
mentioning.

 

[Steve Thackery]

Happy to help.

SteveT