32 bit vs 64 bit

My system is a dell XPS 4 GIG RAM ,T8100 @2.1 GHZ 32 BIT.

I am wanting to upgrade to windows 7 64 bit .Has anyone did this 32 bit to 64 bit OS.Just wanting to know if it is warth the $.And will it run any better.Dell said that i should be able to go from 32 to 64 .Just wanted to know if anyone else has did this.
thanks ,
mike/caveman

I have done it, and noticed nothing different. But my CPU was 64 Bit.

To fully get everything out of it, the CPU has to be 64 bit, the OS has to be 64 bit, and the software has to be designed to take advantage of that.

As Jim said, don't bother unless you plan to upgrade the CPU to 64 bit. Without that you don't get 64 bit functionality.

thanks for your in put Jim,doc.
that is what i thank also.But i have hard time leaving well eneve alone.Have spent the day looking on the net and from what i read my pross. will support 64 bit and is sold as 64 bit .Motherboard ???Dose this play a factor ?Just looking at get the most out of my laptop.
thanks for your help
mike

You might want to look into Windows 7 Compatibility Center and Windows 7 Update Advisor.

DocWatson said:

You might want to look into Windows 7 Compatibility Center and Windows 7 Update Advisor.

Click to expand...

Thanks doc
I have looked at both of those and did the test with good result's.After talking to dell xps service support to night They told me that my cpu is able to run 64 bit but at the time i got it was not available with my sys. Will 64 be that much better than 32??
just want the most out of this sys.
mike
PS. Let us know what you think about windows 7

The advantages of 64 bit over 32 bit are rather limited at this time and the best choice is a personal decision based on what you do with the computer, your installed hardware and desire to be forced into upgrades just to accomodate the 64 bit architecture.

Take a look at this article for more detail.....
https://www.w7forums.com/windows-7-64-bit-vs-32-bit-t484.html

There's also some more details on Wikipedia.

I haven't worked with a Windows 7 machine and avoided Vista like the plague. But from all I've read and heard, Win 7 is a major improvement over Vista. Typical of MS to beta test an OS on the public (Vista) and then improve on it and release it as a new OS. [-X

Edited to add.... I just read an article that linked to this article by my mentor, Woody Leonhard (author of the Windows for Dummies books), and thought it might help you to make your decision. https://windowssecrets.com/2009/07/16/01-Some-versions-of-Windows-7-worth-it-others-not/#story3

Thanks DOC
I am looking for info. that is posted in your last replay.It is a very good read and alot of info. but i need to read 2 x to get it in my head.
If you have any more info. on this please post as i want all in put before i make up my mind and i am look at it all before letting go of the cash. As of now i am not so sure if it is the way to go.But steal looking for the best way.I will not go with upgrade full install only.
caveman/mike

That's about all I have for now. But if I come across anything else, I'll keep this thread in mind.

Keep us posted on what you end up doing if you pull the trigger before I get any more info.

I just perches new brand PC for my bedroom. I have to do use on 64 bit windows 7. first time was just installed 2GB RAM in it so some time my PC was going to hang so after then I install 4GB RAM on in it. Right now my PC is working very properly.

jackvinsly said:

I just perches new brand PC for my bedroom. I have to do use on 64 bit windows 7. first time was just installed 2GB RAM in it so some time my PC was going to hang so after then I install 4GB RAM on in it. Right now my PC is working very properly.

Click to expand...

Windows 7 and 64bit systems need at least 4GB of RAM to work properly (no matter what MS says) and 6-8GB is actually the sweet spot (unless you can afford more :wink

In my eyes, 64 bit is the way of the future. That doesn't necessarily mean you have to jump ship and go to 64 bit right now, but moving forward, keep this in mind. More and more apps are demanding more and more RAM, and the biggest advantage of having a 64 bit system vs a 32 bit OS is that you can actually take advantage of additional RAM (I forget the exact amount, but 32 bit OS's can only see up to like 3.8 GB's of RAM, so if you have 4 GB or more installed on a 32 bit OS, you won't even be using all of it...)

Having tested the 64 bit version of each version of Windows since XP, I can say this: Xp Pro 64 is garbage. Vista 64 is ok, and Windows 7 64 is actually VERY VERY nice.

When I first starting using 64 bit OS's, it was hard to find drivers and apps that would work properly, but that is not the case anymore. Since upgrading to Windows 7 64, I have not found a single device or application that does not work just fine on my system, and many of these apps were not even designed with 64 bit in mind, and in fact, this was the case with Vista 64 as well.

One thing to keep in mind though, is that you cannot upgrade directly from a 32 bit OS to 64 bit. You will have to back up your data and do a clean install (which in my opinion is the best way to go anyway, but I know some really like using the migration wizard for the sake of convenience...)

So I guess my opinion on the matter is this: as someone who works with computers for a living, and someone that demands quite a bit of performance both at work and at home, 64 bit is the only way to go. I guarantee you I will never install a 32 bit OS again: having a solid 64 bit OS like Windows 7 on a machine that is properly built to handle it is nothing short of amazing. If you are not a "power" user though, I wouldn't worry too much about upgrading just yet. For most people, regular ol' Windows XP is more than adequate, and will likely be supported for a few more years yet by developers due to a massive user base. That said, I WOULD recommend going ahead and getting a 64 bit OS and the faster hardware for a little extra dough if you are buying a new computer anyway just to future proof it. A good rule of thumb is look at the minimum specs and double that and you should be good for at least a few years.