32 Bit or 64 Bit

[Paul Calcagno]

Every once in a while I feel the need to ask a question that seems kinda
dumb. So here goes; First I'm running Vista Home Premium, SP2 with 2GB of
RAM, Firefox, Avira, Spyware Doctor, MBAB, and SAS, all WU's current.

Every once in a while I need to know if I have a 32 bit or a 64 bit system
(say for a download). So, I do a run====>msinfo32 and here's what comes up:

OS Name Microsoft® Windows VistaT Home Premium
Version 6.0.6002 Service Pack 2 Build 6002
Other OS Description Not Available
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Name PAULCALCAGNO-PC
System Manufacturer Acer
System Model Aspire T180
System Type X86-based PC
Processor AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 3600+, 2000 Mhz, 2
Core(s), 2 Logical Processor(s)
BIOS Version/Date Phoenix Technologies, LTD R01-B1, 12/29/2006
SMBIOS Version 2.3
Windows Directory C:\Windows
System Directory C:\Windows\system32
Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume2
Locale United States
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "6.0.6002.18005"
User Name PaulCalcagno-PC\Paul Calcagno
Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Installed Physical Memory (RAM) 2.00 GB
Total Physical Memory 1.75 GB
Available Physical Memory 747 MB
Total Virtual Memory 3.74 GB
Available Virtual Memory 632 MB
Page File Space 2.04 GB
Page File C:\pagefile.sys

What I find confusing is that designation for my processor that says AMD
Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core......... What the heck is that 64 doing there? Don't
I have a 32 bit system?
And the system type of X86 is apparently supposed to indicate that it's a 32
bit system. Oh really! All sounds kinda screwy.

Thanks in advance........Paul C.

 

[Curious]

Systems with 64bit processors can run either the 32bit or a 64 bit OS.
Your are running the 32 bit OS on your 64 bit systems.
A 64 bit OS can only run on a 64 bit system.

 

[Paul Calcagno]

Thanks Curious.

Let me see if I have this straight: I have a 32 bit OS running on a
hardware system that could actually accommodate a 64 bit OS. And that's
because my hardware can address data in a 64 bit format.

Correct?...........Paul C.

 

[DL]

Yep,
But of course whether any periferals, eg Printers have 64bit drivers is
another thing

 

[Paul Calcagno]

Thanks, DL.

Paul C

Yep,
But of course whether any periferals, eg Printers have 64bit drivers is
another thing