Hi guys, I want to upgrade the parents pc to windows 7, but will be going OEM, so have to chose between 32 and 64 bit. Not my problem isn't about so much about if I should get 64 bit, but more about whether I need 4gb ram to run 64 bit win 7 without slowdowns etc? I've read 2gb is the minimum for 64 bit? I don't really want to have to spend 45 quid on 2 x 1gb set of ram that's slower than current ram and double the price (of what it goes for used).
It's probably cheaper just to get 4 x 1 GB ram and go 64 bit as well, but that's just my opinion anyway...
Windows 7 64bit should run ok on 2Gb of RAM. Having said that, as RAM is so cheap these days (and your parents system supports it) you could just buy more RAM for their computer...
Is there any advantage going 64 bit if it's an older Pc ? If your not upgrading it what's wrong with 32 bit.
Well I'd rather have a 64 bit licence than a 32 bit, as I might change mobo/cpu etc later on (you can transfer the licence on oem contrary to popular belief). Also the ram I need is DDR2 PC3200 400mhz, and the biggest kit is 2 x 1gb. That kit costs a whopping 40 pounds. Not worth it tbh. Question, if I buy a 32 bit licence, can I use that same key on a 64 bit install?
32/64bit use same key if buy retail you get both disk, not sure if you get both disk oem, but key should still be good for both. 2GB should be fine though. If want to pursue adding more ram, sometimes faster ram is cheaper and easier to find. As long as it can downclock itself far enough it should be fine. I dropped an 800 kit in my parents PC even though it said it only support 533. It runs at 533, but it's good.
2GB for 64-bit is fine. 1GB.. now you go in the "not preferred territory". But as mention by many, RAM is so cheap, you can upgrade their system. Especially that your aren't don't overclock, or play games, or care about what it looks inside, or does any intensive work where reliability of 99% is a must, and 98% is unacceptable. Standard memory (not the crazy **** that we buy), is more good enough. Of course, it doesn't mean to go with some: value RAM value pack, now that will cause you problems non stop. But, you get what I mean. If you have a 64-bit CPU, then yes., very much so. Even if you don't use 64-bit programs, just having the OS in 64-bit, based on my personal experience, I have noticed a better (smoother), experience, over 32-bit version (of course, with the appropriate amount of memory). It has nothing to do with popular believes. This is what is written black on white, when you install the OS (license agreement). Microsoft was all cool all these years, and played nice. But if they ever choose to not be.. then you would be stuck. Plus, some people like to do things 100% legit. You don't have to break your head. You can get faster memory, and it would simply be downclock. That is of course, if the OEM BIOS was done with care and the board design too, and not be super duper picky. I think your best bet is to find computer thrown out, and just get your screw driver ready and pick out the RAM. Unless Microsoft changed something secretly at some point in time, you should be fine. But usually, or at least in Canada, the product key on the system is deactivated. You can active it via a phone call. The provided OS disk (if you get a business class systems, as Home systems here you get only the recovery disks or partition), has Windows per-activated.
Loads of oem machines have 2gb ram and 64-bit os. It's getting hard, as a reseller, to get boxes that aren't 64-bit. over all 64-bit system are better, so it would be worth installing 64-bit in case they do up the ram in the future as well.
