Changing Vista 64-bit to Vista 32-bit

[Otto Moehrbach]

I have a new computer, built in a local shop, with 8 gigs of memory and
Vista Home Premium with 64-bit to recognize the 8 gigs.
I now see that the 64-bits is a nuisance in the current environment of few
programs that run with it including programs I have been using forever.
I now want to go with Vista Home Premium 32-bit and live with 4 gigs memory.
Question: Can I reset my Vista 64-bit to 32-bit without reinstallation?
How?
If not:
Can I reformat/reinstall and CHOOSE 32-bit?
Thanks for your time. Otto

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

If we assume you have an OEM version of Windows Vista installed,
you would have to purchase a 32-bit edition of Windows Vista, boot
from the Windows Vista DVD, delete the current partition, create a
new partition, format the new partition, then install.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows Desktop Experience -
Windows Vista Enthusiast

---------------------------------------------------------------

I have a new computer, built in a local shop, with 8 gigs of memory and
Vista Home Premium with 64-bit to recognize the 8 gigs.
I now see that the 64-bits is a nuisance in the current environment of few
programs that run with it including programs I have been using forever.
I now want to go with Vista Home Premium 32-bit and live with 4 gigs memory.
Question: Can I reset my Vista 64-bit to 32-bit without reinstallation?
How?
If not:
Can I reformat/reinstall and CHOOSE 32-bit?
Thanks for your time. Otto

 

[Otto Moehrbach]

Carey
Thanks for your help. Your assumption is correct. If I had just looked
at the Vista package and disk I would have seen that it clearly states that
this is 64-bit software. This being a home computer only I will install my
XP and be content until the world moves to 64-bit. Thanks again. Otto

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I have a new computer, built in a local shop, with 8 gigs of memory and
Vista Home Premium with 64-bit to recognize the 8 gigs.
I now see that the 64-bits is a nuisance in the current environment of few
programs that run with it including programs I have been using forever.
I now want to go with Vista Home Premium 32-bit and live with 4 gigs memory.
Question: Can I reset my Vista 64-bit to 32-bit without reinstallation?
How?
If not:
Can I reformat/reinstall and CHOOSE 32-bit?
Thanks for your time. Otto

No, you can't set it to 32-bit without reinstallation. A clean
reinstallation is necessary, and from the correct medium. You may not
have the correct medium to do this, and may need to buy the 32-bit
medium.

Moreover, with 32-bit Vista, you will *not* have 4GB of RAM to use.
Read my following standard post on that subject:

All 32-bit client versions of Windows (not just Vista/XP) have a 4GB
address space. That's the theoretical upper limit beyond which you can
not go.

But you can't use the entire 4GB of address space. Even though you
have a 4GB address space, you can only use *around* 3.1GB of RAM.
That's because some of that space is used by hardware and is not
available to the operating system and applications. The amount you can
use varies, depending on what hardware you have installed, but can
range from as little as 2GB to as much as 3.5GB. It's usually around
3.1GB.

Note that the hardware is using the address *space*, not the actual
RAM itself. The rest of the RAM goes unused because there is no
address space to map it too.

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

Unlike 32-bit retail editions of Windows Vista, an OEM product key
is specific for 32-bit installation media only.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows Desktop Experience -
Windows Vista Enthusiast

---------------------------------------------------------------


Hi Carey,


If he just wanted one installation, i.e. to replace the 64bit with
32bit would it be possible for him just to get hold of a 32bit dvd and
use his existing product key - or would he still need to buy a new
product key ( i.e. license ) ?


Thanks

SIW2

 

[Otto Moehrbach]

Thanks to all. For my purposes, home computer and just a toy, a clean
installation of XP will do just fine. I understand what Ken says about the
useful memory that I will have available to me, and that is more than I
need. I will always have the ability to move to 8 gigs of RAM and 64 bit in
the future should I want to or need to, since I have the physical RAM
hardware just sitting there. Thanks again. Otto

 

[Terry Bean]

A wise decision.

Regards

Thanks to all. For my purposes, home computer and just a toy, a clean
installation of XP will do just fine. I understand what Ken says about
the useful memory that I will have available to me, and that is more than
I need. I will always have the ability to move to 8 gigs of RAM and 64
bit in the future should I want to or need to, since I have the physical
RAM hardware just sitting there. Thanks again. Otto