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Windows Vista Upgrade from Vista 32 to Vista 64 ? Possible ??

Discussion in 'Legacy Windows' started by AndynKrisN, 2009/07/31.

  1. 2009/07/31
    AndynKrisN

    AndynKrisN Inactive Thread Starter

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    I have Vista 32 bit with 4 Gb Ram... but as an avid gamer, I'd like to go to 12 Gb Ram, which requires a 64 bit OS.
    Can I switch to a 64 bit Vista without a full re-format ?
     
    Last edited: 2009/07/31
  2. 2009/07/31
    usasma

    usasma Inactive

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    No. The best that you can do is to use the MSFT tool to transfer your files and settings to the new installation. But if that's on the same hard drive, then you can't even transfer that without getting something to store the transfer files on while you do the wipe and reinstall.

    Don't forget to check to ensure that you're able to get 64 bit drivers for all of your hardware devices.
     
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  4. 2009/07/31
    AndynKrisN

    AndynKrisN Inactive Thread Starter

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    32 to 64 Vista reply

    Thanks usasma. Good info. I was debating whether to give this PC to wife & buy a new one OR upgrade this to a modern gaming PC equipped with Vista 64, 12 Gb ram, and a faster video card & 10K rpm hard drive.
    After much checking and some great advice by nice ppl like you, the wife gets my Vista 32 ( which is overkill for her internet use).
    But meanwhile I've researched & discovered my old nForce 680i mobo can only handle 8Gb of DDR2 @ 800 MHz max and after buying a better video card, etc, it's just not worth all the hassle to upgrade. And I'd have to purchase a FULL retail version of 64 bit, not an upgrade version, according to Microsoft's help site.
    Sooooo, it's off to Falcon-NW to buy a modern gaming rig. They finally dropped their normally exorbitant prices and are actually competitive with the cheaper but junkier builders now! And they make great rigs, as I've bought 3 desktops and a laptop from them over the years.
    Due to the much cheaper offering from Digital Storm, I made the mistake of buying my last one there. Bad idea. Falcon's always worked on arrival. Took over 2 weeks and one ship back to get the DS rig to even light up the monitor. ( One of the 2 SLI video cards was dead, the 1000 watt power supply was dead, 4 usb ports were unplugged and one fan was dead. Other than that, the case looked beautiful.... lol.)
     
  5. 2009/07/31
    usasma

    usasma Inactive

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    I've got 12 gB of RAM. When I build the wife her new Windows 7 system, I'm giving her half of my RAM. I just don't use any more than 6gB.

    Here's an article that supports my conclusion: http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/memory-module-upgrade,2264.html

    IMO, software writers have to consider memory limitations in 32 bit OS's, so they design them conservatively. With most 64 bit systems running 32 bit software, there just isn't much that will stress a full 12 gB of RAM.

    My 8gB Vista Ultimate x64 system only uses 2.9-3.2 gB of RAM most times, and my 12 gB Win7 x64 system only uses around 4.5 gB of RAM most times.
     
  6. 2009/07/31
    AndynKrisN

    AndynKrisN Inactive Thread Starter

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    12 Gb ram ?

    Very interesting benchmarks on Tom's hardware. Kinda blows away my pre-conceived notions. My problem with the 32bit OS is that the 4 Gb ram limit does not count the huge chunk of unusable that the big video cards eat. If the system needs about 750 mb for itself, then subtract the 1500 mb to 2000 mb that the new graphics adapters use and the game I'm playing now creeps along with only about ONE point THREE Gb Ram. A high end game needs more than that to run at high settings ( and who wants to turn down the eye-candy ? )
    Then when you consider that the 64 bit OS eats MUCH more ram than the 32 bit for every function.... It's like taking a .22 rimfire to a rhino hunt.
    As Tim the Toolman says: "more power ". I've never heard anyone say they brought too much ammo to a gunfight or had too much ram in a gaming PC lol.
    Obviously, as Tom's Hardware clearly shows, 12 Gb of ram today is not needed, but... tomorrow is coming fast. I can recall when 640k was more than enough and a 20 Mb harddrive was waaaaay too big. But high end PC's still are the gamer's toy and the software for games keeps getting more demanding of hardware.
    Still, the benchmarks really did surprise me, especially with the Crysis game, which is a HUGE system hog.
     

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