Windows 10: 64bit Win7 to 32bit Win10

Hi, new kid here, well not so much of a kid at 70 but am new to the forum.

I have my reasons for wanting to run the 32bit version of Windows 10, and have a bunch of computers I would want to do this with. What I am trying to figure out is if I can start with a computer running the 64bit version of Windows 7 (or 8) and some how end up with the 32bit version of 10 without buying 10.

I know the 32bit upgrade will not run if the computer has the 64bit version of 7, I tried it. I have heard that Product Keys are not platform specific, if that is true it looks like I may have a couple options.

1. Update the 64bit 7 to 64bit 10, read the product code with WinKeyFinder, wipe the hard drive and do a clean installation of 10 32bit hoping it will activate.

2. Wipe the hard drive, install the 32bit version of 7 and activate with the 7 product key. Do the update to 10, wipe the hard drive and do a clean installation of 10 32bit.

Obviously the first option would take less time but not sure if M.S. would activate the installation. Actually not sure the 2nd option would work either, anyone had any experience doing what I am trying to do? The first computer I am planning on doing this with won't be here for another week and trying to get a jump start on figuring the easiest method to get where I need to be.

Thanks..

:)

 

Royce Gardner

I have a sony vgn-fw140e laptop that is currently running win7 ultimate (32Bit). The 32bit architecture is not taking full advantage of installed memory so I want to change to 64bit architecture. Can I install 64bit win10 over the win7 32bit to get full
use of installed memory? If not, will the 32bit win10 be able to access al of my installed memory (4.00 Gig)?

 

USB not recognized after startup with new SSD

Well the thing, I have already installed those drivers from that website. I even reinstalled Windows and installed the drivers one by one restarting after each install, still didn't work.

I'm not sure what else I could do this fix this. I hope disabling it won't brake anything.

Drivers I downloaded from the website and installed:

- Management Engine Interface V11.0.0.1172 for Windows Win7 64bit & Win8 64bit & Win8.1 64bit& Win10 64bit---(WHQL).

Management Engine Interface V11.0.0.1172 for Windows Win7 32bit & Win8 32bit---(WHQL).

-Intel Chipset Driver V10.1.1.13 for Windows Win7 32bit & Win7 64bit & Win8 32bit & Win8 64bit & Win8.1 32bit & Win8.1 64bit & Win10 64bit---(WHQL).

I have no idea why this only happened after installing my new SSD. Before when using HDD for the past several years, everything was perfectly fine.

 

Option 1 would work also but you don't need to note the key as some form of hardware hash is stored on MS activation servers. The key is worthless in Windows 10 (unless you have bought a Windows 10 key).

You would upgrade to x64 Windows 10, check it is activated and then to a clean install of x86. It will activate automatically as the hardware is the same - just press "skip" whenever it asks you for a key (as with any clean install of an activated Windows 10 system).

 

That would be wonderful, won't mark this as solved till the laptop gets here and I actually do it.
Thanks

 

By the term "Clean", I mean the Microsoft term "Custom: Install Windows Only (Advanced)", Avoid this Option. by all means UNLESS you are Prepared to enter a Win10 Product Key. Which means the Upgrade is NOT FREE b/c the Only way to get a Win10 Product Key is to purchase Win10 Outright. I went this Route b/f I did Option 2. The Microsoft installation of Win10, constantly asked for a Win10(?) Product Key. The process also left w/ me creating a PIN. Not an Microsoft user account (the gateway to the NEW Microsoft Business Model). This would have disable(d) the use of some S/W. ex. Acronis Image Backup S/W. Acronis asks for a User ID and probably will NOT accept a PIN. Then again we are playing "What If?". You can try what you want, and we can all benefit from knowing your results. You are going in a Direction that I believe I went. It was Not for Me.

 

You don't have to enter a key if you have already authenticated your hardware - if fact you shouldn't. You press skip (2 or 3 times when it asks you) and the install automatically activates. You also don't have to create a pin if you don't want to. I've done this (although I did a clean install of x64 not x86) using a local account and it worked fine for me.

Details are here Windows 10 - Clean Install - Windows 10 Forums

 

Using "Custom: Install Windows Only (Advanced)" is the way to do a clean install. It will not require a product key as long as a successful upgrade of an in place operating system has been performed previously on that computer. When it asks for a Product Key just click the tiny little print to "Skip" it or "Do this later". The clean install will activate itself without a product key by retrieving the information stored on Microsoft activation servers from the in place upgrade that was done previously and activated.

 

When I say "Clean" I'm simply saying install it to a new or wiped hard drive. I will do a Custom install but only so I can turn off some of the Big Brother stuff. Wasn't aware one could do a Windows OS only install because that is what I would really like but do not want to pay for an OS.

These computers will be used in a kiosk and do not need anything other than the OS so the software will run. My preference would be XP but that is out of the picture. My experiments with 10 have been positive even able to use older 32 bit drivers for hardware that I can't get 64 bit drivers for. Heck I even loaded Office 97 just to see if it would work and it does.

 

I forgot to say, to get your clean install to automatically activate it has to be the same edition so if you upgraded to 10 Pro you can only clean install 10 Pro (and similarly if you upgraded to 10 home, you must clean install 10 home).

 

I do understand that, and no problem, just wanted to be sure I could go from 64 to 32.
Thanks

 

Thx to navylcdr, hallasz, breeves for your observations. Unfortunately that (my) Ship has sailed. I did an Option 2 and am satisfied w/ the Results. I was just putting out Caveats out for discussion. BTW here's a Joke. A True Story (embellished a bit though), I was a Senior getting my BSEE, when I was approached by the US Navy about possibly becoming a Nuclear Propulsion Engineer in the Navy.
They (Navy) continued by inquiring whether I wanted a Commission? I replied, probably Not b/c I am such a lousy shot. I would take Straight Pay instead.

 

Just an update and to mark this as solved.
I was able to do a clean installation of Windows 7 32bit on a ThinkPad laptop that came with 7 64bit. Was a bit of a pain downloading and installing all the 32bit drivers but was able to find everything I needed on the Lenovo web site.

At first, Windows didn't activate using the OEM product key that came with the computer. It told me I had to activate it using the phone which was successful. So now I have a laptop running Windows 7 32bit that shouldn't be a problem to update to the 32bit version of 10.

Thanks for all the tips.
Bob