Windows 10: 32 bit or 64 bit

Hello,All my programs, installed and portable, are according to my system 32 bit.Since I have in mind to replace my problematic "old" computer, Will I be able to use them (install) on a 64 bit system ?Answers will be appreciatedThanks

:)

 

64 bit or 32 bit

I want to switch from my currently installed architecture when migrating to Windows 10. Do I have that option with the free upgrade offer?

• The free upgrade does not have the option to switch architectures, so the architecture will remain the same. If you want to switch architectures, you will have to download the Window 10 .ISO file in the appropriate architecture (32 or 64 bit) and perform
  a custom install.
  
  How
  to: Do a custom installation of Windows
  
  Learn more:
  How to reserve your free upgrade to Windows 10
  

How do I upgrade from 32 bit versions of Windows to 64 bit Windows 10?

How
to: Switch from 32 bit versions of Windows to Windows 10 64 bit

 

64 bit or 32 bit

Hey Shaun,

As you are running 32 bit windows, you will get 32 bit Windows 10.

Hope this helps.

 

Tough to say without knowing what programs, but 64 bit is the standard now, and has been for a quite some time. If you have a specific program that won't run or doesn't have a 64-bit version, you should be able to find a replacement.

 

I don't know of any 32-bit programs or apps that won't run in 64-bit Windows. It's the hardware drivers that will have compatibility issues.

 

32 bit programs work fine but you should look to see if 64bit versions are available - it is amazing how much win32 software has never been made into 64bit.

 

Yes, 32-bit apps run on 64-bit Windows. The only problem I've ever seen is with very old apps from a time when 16-bit was the norm and 32-bit was 'the next big thing'. Some software came with a choice of installing 16 or 32 bit versions, but the Setup that launched the install was only 16-bit so it could run on any machine.

You are extremely unlikely to have (or want to install) anything that old.

 

*Ditto To all of the above. Old legacy software that runs in 16 bit is an issue. Other than that 32 bit software should run just fine on a 64 bit install. On a 64 bit install you will have Program Files and Program Files (x86) folders. 64 bit software and 32 bit software respectively. As mentioned you will need 64 bit drivers though.

 

Hello and Thanks
As I know, drivers are for hardware, not for software. The new pc I am going to buy will be either 32 bit or 64 bit, so cannot understand what software is to do with drivers, or am I wrong.
Thanks

 

As long as the very restrictive Windows 10 S isn't the installed OS on the new PC.

 

Needing 64 bit drivers pertains to any peripherals you have now that you may want to use with the new PC. USB WIFI adapters, printers, etc. If you have some really old hardware it could be an issue. I have a D-Link DWA-552 WIFI card I'd like to use on my spare desktop PC but can't find a driver for it that will work in Windows 10. So it sits in the anti-static bag not being used.

 

If you are running the old machine, I suggest you choose Windows 10 Home 32bit

 

I think the difference is mainly that 64 bit programs can use double amount of RAM compared to 32 bit. So 64 bit programs are useful or needed for programs that store a lot of data when running. If available, and on a newish machine, I would always choose 64 bit.

Perhaps someone will confirm this (or not).

 

If you buy anywhere near decent hardware, it should be 64 bit anyway. Any PC with over 4 gigs of RAM will have the 64 bit Windows installed by default. You'd have to purposely buy low end or go looking for a 32 bit system. I also think you'll find, most software is still 32 bit. They know it will run on a 64 bit system anyway, so why bother developing a 64 bit version, unless they have too. Not many people will pay extra for a 64 bit version, unless they know for a fact it has performance advantages. Even then, odds are they will cheap out and buy the 32 bit version if its price is lower than the 64 bit version.
Regardless of which one you get, 32 bit or 64 bit Windows. You can switch to the other at no cost. Other than the time it takes to clean install the other version. Your Product code is good for 32 bit or 64 bit. It's only the edition, Home, Pro etc that's locked in. You can even run 32 bit with more than 4 gigs of RAM, you just won't be able to use it all. You'll be caped at a little under 4 gigs.

 

It isn't simply double the memory. It's whatever the system has available. 32-bit OSes cap overall memory usage at roughly 3.8 GB, once hardware reservations are...reserved. 64-bit OSes use what the system has available, so if you give it 16 GB, and you're running an Excel macro that consumes 4 GB of memory...no problem.