Upgrade Possible from Home Premium to 64 Bit?

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Adam

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Hi,

I currently have an Intel Core2 CPU E6600 @ 2.40 GHz, running Vista Home
Premium (32 Bit). I use this computer mainly for gaming and recently picked a
new game up which was bogging my system down a bit. I purchased 2 GB more of
RAM, but recently found out that a 32 bit OS won't utilize more then the @ GB
I had before. (I'd like to use all of the 4 GB I have installed now). So I
suppose my question is three part. Is my Processor capable of running a 64
bit OS? Which edition should I look at purchasing? And will it be an upgrade
or a complete clean installation?

Thank you for any help.
 
Re: Upgrade Possible from Home Premium to 64 Bit?

- 32-bit OS's can "recognize" up to 4GB, but the system takes some of
the top end, so the actual available amount ends up being around
3.5GB, give or take a couple hundred megs.

- The E6600 is a 64-bit capable processor.

- You must do a clean install to go to 64-bit. There is no upgrade.
 
Re: Upgrade Possible from Home Premium to 64 Bit?

If you had 2GB and added 2GB you should be seeing 4GB on the System
Properties page and in the range of 3GB available for user programs (type
"winver" in Start/Search). You need to investigate if you are not seeing
these amounts.

The portion of 4GB not available for user programs is reserved by the BIOS
for memory-mapped IO for your devices and is something that is set by the
mobo manufaturer. This is normal.

All Core 2 cpus are 64bit. You can migrate from x86 to x64 but it requires
a custom installation. An upgrade installation is not possible when
migrating between platforms. You can use the Windows Easy Transfer wizard
to move your files and settings but you will have to reinstall your apps.
You will need to download drivers and utilities for x64 so make sure Vista
x64 drivers are available for your computer and your peripherals before
proceeding any further.



"Adam" <Adam@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:100AF842-F7A5-4E2B-9972-1CFAF7C670C5@microsoft.com...
> Hi,
>
> I currently have an Intel Core2 CPU E6600 @ 2.40 GHz, running Vista Home
> Premium (32 Bit). I use this computer mainly for gaming and recently
> picked a
> new game up which was bogging my system down a bit. I purchased 2 GB more
> of
> RAM, but recently found out that a 32 bit OS won't utilize more then the @
> GB
> I had before. (I'd like to use all of the 4 GB I have installed now). So I
> suppose my question is three part. Is my Processor capable of running a 64
> bit OS? Which edition should I look at purchasing? And will it be an
> upgrade
> or a complete clean installation?
>
> Thank you for any help.
 
Re: Upgrade Possible from Home Premium to 64 Bit?

Thanks for the help so far. Which Vista versions are 64 bit? The only version
above the Home Premium seems to be the Ultimate, but I am not seeing any
actual info in the specs saying that they are 64 bit. Or are all the newest
versions of Vista in 64 Bit?

When typing "Winver" I get a little over 3 GB available for programs. Will I
actually see a performance increase by upgrading to the 64 Bit OS? Or will I
just be spending money I could use elsewhere to try and gain some performance?

"Colin Barnhorst" wrote:

> If you had 2GB and added 2GB you should be seeing 4GB on the System
> Properties page and in the range of 3GB available for user programs (type
> "winver" in Start/Search). You need to investigate if you are not seeing
> these amounts.
>
> The portion of 4GB not available for user programs is reserved by the BIOS
> for memory-mapped IO for your devices and is something that is set by the
> mobo manufaturer. This is normal.
>
> All Core 2 cpus are 64bit. You can migrate from x86 to x64 but it requires
> a custom installation. An upgrade installation is not possible when
> migrating between platforms. You can use the Windows Easy Transfer wizard
> to move your files and settings but you will have to reinstall your apps.
> You will need to download drivers and utilities for x64 so make sure Vista
> x64 drivers are available for your computer and your peripherals before
> proceeding any further.
>
>
>
> "Adam" <Adam@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:100AF842-F7A5-4E2B-9972-1CFAF7C670C5@microsoft.com...
> > Hi,
> >
> > I currently have an Intel Core2 CPU E6600 @ 2.40 GHz, running Vista Home
> > Premium (32 Bit). I use this computer mainly for gaming and recently
> > picked a
> > new game up which was bogging my system down a bit. I purchased 2 GB more
> > of
> > RAM, but recently found out that a 32 bit OS won't utilize more then the @
> > GB
> > I had before. (I'd like to use all of the 4 GB I have installed now). So I
> > suppose my question is three part. Is my Processor capable of running a 64
> > bit OS? Which edition should I look at purchasing? And will it be an
> > upgrade
> > or a complete clean installation?
> >
> > Thank you for any help.
>
 
Re: Upgrade Possible from Home Premium to 64 Bit?

All five editions of Vista are available as both x86 and x64. You only need
an x64 dvd to install any of the four retail editions (VHB, VHP, Business,
and Ultimate). Enterprise is also available as x64 but is not a retail
edition.

If your hardware is pretty good you should see faster performance for
programs that can leverage 64bits over their 32bit counterparts. The memory
is not where the performance improvement would come. It is the 64bit
extensions in the instruction set.

If you are using SP1 (should be by now) you should see 4GB on the system
properties page. However, this change in SP1 is only a change in what is
reported there (installed memory rather than user-available memory) and not
a change in memory usage. That was done based on user feedback.
Personally, I don't find it a useful change.


"Adam" <Adam@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:142AA026-D157-4E52-9A88-F54E1322AFFF@microsoft.com...
> Thanks for the help so far. Which Vista versions are 64 bit? The only
> version
> above the Home Premium seems to be the Ultimate, but I am not seeing any
> actual info in the specs saying that they are 64 bit. Or are all the
> newest
> versions of Vista in 64 Bit?
>
> When typing "Winver" I get a little over 3 GB available for programs. Will
> I
> actually see a performance increase by upgrading to the 64 Bit OS? Or will
> I
> just be spending money I could use elsewhere to try and gain some
> performance?
>
> "Colin Barnhorst" wrote:
>
>> If you had 2GB and added 2GB you should be seeing 4GB on the System
>> Properties page and in the range of 3GB available for user programs (type
>> "winver" in Start/Search). You need to investigate if you are not seeing
>> these amounts.
>>
>> The portion of 4GB not available for user programs is reserved by the
>> BIOS
>> for memory-mapped IO for your devices and is something that is set by the
>> mobo manufaturer. This is normal.
>>
>> All Core 2 cpus are 64bit. You can migrate from x86 to x64 but it
>> requires
>> a custom installation. An upgrade installation is not possible when
>> migrating between platforms. You can use the Windows Easy Transfer
>> wizard
>> to move your files and settings but you will have to reinstall your apps.
>> You will need to download drivers and utilities for x64 so make sure
>> Vista
>> x64 drivers are available for your computer and your peripherals before
>> proceeding any further.
>>
>>
>>
>> "Adam" <Adam@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:100AF842-F7A5-4E2B-9972-1CFAF7C670C5@microsoft.com...
>> > Hi,
>> >
>> > I currently have an Intel Core2 CPU E6600 @ 2.40 GHz, running Vista
>> > Home
>> > Premium (32 Bit). I use this computer mainly for gaming and recently
>> > picked a
>> > new game up which was bogging my system down a bit. I purchased 2 GB
>> > more
>> > of
>> > RAM, but recently found out that a 32 bit OS won't utilize more then
>> > the @
>> > GB
>> > I had before. (I'd like to use all of the 4 GB I have installed now).
>> > So I
>> > suppose my question is three part. Is my Processor capable of running a
>> > 64
>> > bit OS? Which edition should I look at purchasing? And will it be an
>> > upgrade
>> > or a complete clean installation?
>> >
>> > Thank you for any help.
>>
 
Re: Upgrade Possible from Home Premium to 64 Bit?

On May 22, 8:40 am, Adam <A...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
> When typing "Winver" I get a little over 3 GB available for programs. Will I
> actually see a performance increase by upgrading to the 64 Bit OS? Or will I
> just be spending money I could use elsewhere to try and gain some performance?

The 64-bit OS by itself does nothing special. It's not "faster" in
the respect that the OS itself is quicker in some noticeable fashion.
The benefit comes from the use of 64-bit apps, and not just any 64-bit
apps but apps designed to get the best benefit from going to 64-bit.
I've seen good results using the 64-bit version of 7zip and also my
binary newsreader is 64-bit which does handle heavy threading a bit
better. Your typical 64-bit port of Firefox isn't going to go faster
simply because it's 64-bit.

The memory aspect is one big plus for 64-bit. The max RAM you'll ever
be able to see with a 32-bit Windows workstation OS is 4GB, and you
don't even get all of it. Today, tomorrow, next month, next year,
etc. You will get 4GB and that is all you will get. With 64-bit
Windows the current workstation limit is 128GB. It's *slightly* more
buffer for the day when 32GB DIMMS are going for $99 on newegg.com.

Unless you have some ball & chain legacy application or hardware that
absolutely CANNOT be used in 64-bit Windows, now is a great time to
get the growing pains out of the way. It's better to do it now while
4GB is still considered "a lot" rather than later when RAM is suddenly
selling for a fraction of what it is now, but you've accumulated
hundreds of gigs of stuff on your hard drive which would have to be
moved and migrated.

I've been off 32-bit Windows for well over a year. It's unlikely I'll
ever install it on anything but a virtual machine ever again.
 
Re: Upgrade Possible from Home Premium to 64 Bit?

On Wed, 21 May 2008 19:41:28 -0700, Adam
<Adam@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>Hi,
>
>I currently have an Intel Core2 CPU E6600 @ 2.40 GHz, running Vista Home
>Premium (32 Bit). I use this computer mainly for gaming and recently picked a
>new game up which was bogging my system down a bit

Is your game available as 64-bit edition ???
You will only spend money for nothing, if it is not and I do not think
that any company has released a 64-bit game by now.

You now have 4GB of RAM, which is the maximum for 32-bit Windows.
I would spend the money on a better graphics adapter or CPU.

---
Stefan Pendl

Windows XP Pro SP 2
Celeron M 1.3 GHz
752 MB DDR RAM
 
Re: Upgrade Possible from Home Premium to 64 Bit?

Someone had mentioned on another forum that it was possible to call microsoft
and get a version of the 64 bit Vista in the same version that you had
previously purchased. Is this possible? Or is my only option to go out and
purchase a new version of 64-Bit Vista?

"Stefan Pendl" wrote:

> On Wed, 21 May 2008 19:41:28 -0700, Adam
> <Adam@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>
> >Hi,
> >
> >I currently have an Intel Core2 CPU E6600 @ 2.40 GHz, running Vista Home
> >Premium (32 Bit). I use this computer mainly for gaming and recently picked a
> >new game up which was bogging my system down a bit
>
> Is your game available as 64-bit edition ???
> You will only spend money for nothing, if it is not and I do not think
> that any company has released a 64-bit game by now.
>
> You now have 4GB of RAM, which is the maximum for 32-bit Windows.
> I would spend the money on a better graphics adapter or CPU.
>
> ---
> Stefan Pendl
>
> Windows XP Pro SP 2
> Celeron M 1.3 GHz
> 752 MB DDR RAM
>
 
Re: Upgrade Possible from Home Premium to 64 Bit?

If your Vista is x86 OEM (preinstalled by the computer manufacturer) then
you are not entitled to the x64 dvd and your product key will not work with
anything but your preinstalled x86 copy. Calling MS will not help. MS will
refer you to the manufacturer of your computer.

If your Vista x86 is retail (you purchased a boxed edition) then you are
entitled to an x64 dvd and your product key will work with it. If your copy
is retail you may order the x64 media from
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/1033/ordermedia/default.mspx.

"Adam" <Adam@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:09982888-9CBB-4620-BF40-E6DCF202A241@microsoft.com...
> Someone had mentioned on another forum that it was possible to call
> microsoft
> and get a version of the 64 bit Vista in the same version that you had
> previously purchased. Is this possible? Or is my only option to go out and
> purchase a new version of 64-Bit Vista?
>
> "Stefan Pendl" wrote:
>
>> On Wed, 21 May 2008 19:41:28 -0700, Adam
>> <Adam@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>>
>> >Hi,
>> >
>> >I currently have an Intel Core2 CPU E6600 @ 2.40 GHz, running Vista Home
>> >Premium (32 Bit). I use this computer mainly for gaming and recently
>> >picked a
>> >new game up which was bogging my system down a bit
>>
>> Is your game available as 64-bit edition ???
>> You will only spend money for nothing, if it is not and I do not think
>> that any company has released a 64-bit game by now.
>>
>> You now have 4GB of RAM, which is the maximum for 32-bit Windows.
>> I would spend the money on a better graphics adapter or CPU.
>>
>> ---
>> Stefan Pendl
>>
>> Windows XP Pro SP 2
>> Celeron M 1.3 GHz
>> 752 MB DDR RAM
>>
 
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