Resolved Advice needed - upgrading M/B to 64 bit

My favorite app (SketchUp 3D) just went to 64 bit exclusive. This means a new motherboard, most likely another Gigabyte board. I've done this sort of thing before, but now that I am on Win 10, there is a problem I have not faced before.

For all my prior upgrades I have a genuine Windows install disk, including Win 7. But I upgraded my Win 7 to Win 10 over the net, so there is no Win 10 install disk. However I did save the install codes when I upgraded.

I intend to simply swap my existing C: 128gb SSD into the new machine, as C: (boot drive). The other drives should be simple.

I know Microsoft is very anal about swapping M/B's having gone through this twice before, so what do I need to know before I start?

 

It shouldn't. Hardware has supported 64-bit for years. If your system currently does not support running 64-bit software, it is more likely you need to upgrade your operating system to a 64-bit OS, not your hardware.

This can be a HUGE problem because the current Windows is configured with hardware drivers for all the old hardware. A motherboard is integrated with many different hardware devices (sound, graphics, networking, drive interfaces, CPU, RAM, various controllers). While moving a boot drive might work, it might not.

But to your concerns, if your current Windows is a 32-bit version (and I suspect it is), then you will still be running a 32-bit OS which will not support SketchUP 2017. Follow that link and you will see where it says (my bold underline added), "With the release of SketchUp 2017, we've removed support for 32-bit operating systems ". It does not say 32-bit hardware.

So first, you need to tell us about your current hardware (starting with PC or motherboard brand and model number).

 

I suspected the hardware problems, didn't occur to me about the 32 bit OS. (****!!)
I'll get back to you next week for my system configuration. No time today or w/e.
Frankly if it means "starting all over again from scratch" I'll likely stay 32bit till I die.

 

Migrating to 64-bit does not mean starting all over again as the vast majority of 32-bit programs run just fine in 64-bit Windows - just not the other way around. Unless you are about to kick the bucket, you will probably need to upgrade or get a new computer in the near future anyway. And the vast majority of new computers already come with 64-bit Windows since that is the only way you can fully use 4 or more gigabyte of installed RAM.

 

But I am assembling my own PC. I need my existing C: SSD as the primary drive. So I will need to upgrade my 32 bit Win 10 to 64 bit, and that is probably no trivial task.

 

This should answer a few of your queries. How to Switch From 32-bit Windows 10 to 64-bit Windows 10

 

Big help, thanks. CPU is 64bit, but need to check devices further. It is an old PC, 5 years and some devices older than that. Next week will tell.

 

Sorry for the delay in responding.

Good news is my HW seems to be 100% 64bit. Only my Win 10 is 32 bit.

A bit of history as to why I may have a problem going to Win 10 64 bit
This is an old machine that was a hardware swap when my older 32 bit PC swallowed the CPU when I was upgrading the Video card. To do that I had to remove the CPU and V-card and somehow damaged the CPU socket.
My bro-in-law keeps upgrading PC's every 2 years, and I get the hand-me-downs. I keep them till I HAVE to upgrade, about every 5 - 8 years.
I just put my old hard drives into the new(er) PC and went through the Windows HW upgrade to get my Win 98 running again. That took 2 1/2 days to get it right.
Then I bought a new Win 7 and without forethought bought and installed the 32 bit version. I really did not know at that time my PC was all 64 bit.
Now I suffer!!

CPU-Z says all OK.

My reluctance to just dive in and upgrade to 64 bit is the fact I may have to re-install all my apps. There are a lot of them, all old, but do what I want so I never upgraded many of them. And some I fear may not survive a swap to 64 bit if I can't re-install them. There are a few that are begging me to upgrade, so those I will in most cases.
I have tons of HD space, a 500gb SSD and a 1 Tb hybrid sitting on the shelf, either one was to replace my 480 gb HD as drive D:. That is only 2/3 full, and most of that is garbage. My boot C: drive is a 128 gb SSD and that has 40 gb free. Plus a 1 Tb WD HDD backup.

I know my data is all transferable. And I can probably find the install disks for many apps, but some were internet installs and some of those websites are gone. That is my main worry, aside from the time this will all take.

If Win 10 64 regens the registry I should not have much of a problem, I think. But if the registry is reset as new, I WILL have a problem. I've been told that there is more to a 64 bit upgrade than the registry, so I am hesitant to go ahead.

Does anyone know if and how I can upgrade without having a heart attack?

 

You will have to reinstall your apps but note 32-bit apps run just fine with 64-bit Windows. Free apps are not a problem. Any you purchased you will need the original disks or license keys.

The best advice I can offer is make sure you have a full backup before starting.

Here is one of the better tutorials.

 

Thanks Bill.
I printed your tutorial and will read it till I fully comprehend what to do.

I guess my first task is to transfer my D: HDD to an SSD and clean it all up (C: & D
Then I can backup the whole shot onto my hybrid SSD/HDD and clean the C: drive before I start.
That should take a while, so I need to find a few free days (yeah right!!) to do it.

I'll close this thread and if I have to, reopen it if I need help.