Is there any reason to actually use the 32bit version of windows? My desktop from cyberpower came with it and I hate it because I cant upgrade my RAM past 2gb.
If you had a reason to go 32 Bit... you would know. 64 Bit is backwards compatible and therefore is the obvious choice due to the performance gains with 64 bit programs.
Because some software is not 64 bit compatible. There isn't a lot of it out there, but there is some software that will choke if you try to run it on a 64 bit OS. I've run in to a few dribs and drabs here and there, but for the most part I can either find 64 bit stuff, or else the old 32 bit stuff works. The stuff I've run in to that doesn't work under Win7 64 bit hasn't ended up being all that important or I have found alternate software that would work.
theres also the fact that some program that need drivers dont have 64-bit ones. on windwos 64-bit you CANT install 32-bit drivers therefore the program even though you could install it wont function. typical example Geovision surviellance (CCTV) uses a hardware card and only last year did they write 64-bit drivers so i couldnt use windows 7 or vista 64-bit until very recently.
Thanks to this i have just purchased me a copy of retail windows 7, thanks for helping as i was a bit lost myself!
If you did then you didnt really get this thread as the point is retail is not worth buying unless your upgrade happy and change your PC every 6 months
I can see both sides, My first copy of a new OS is always retail, but by SP1 or SP2, up to Vista I always went OEM for every other copy since they were cheaper. I wasn't expecting to upgrade any further, but since I am, the OS isn't a new cost once you've gone retail, you just have it.
Fully got the points made, retail suits me better. I am happier with the licence freedom, I enjoy the hardware and the last thing I want to deal with are OS issues. For the sake of £40 I am happy I went retail.
thing is over the last decade nearly of me messing with XP, vista and 7 not once and i mean not once have i ever had an issue with upgrades, repairs or anything realted to failed activation. absolute worse case ive had is ring the automated MS number and punch in my code, job done.
well on retail I've had the run around (was with vista ultimate).. flashed my bios and had to call in to reactivate- got a guy in india who gave me another key it was either that or a automated sam voice giving me the key.. oem you have to lie and they give you a key.. the conversation usually goes like this india call center- hello? you- what da.. I got punch in da and they stole my.. key india call center- please hold (he forgets mute and you hear 'stupid *******') *elevator music* *phone hangs up* you call back and an automated voice gives you your key
Last time i bought an OEM copy of Windows, i had to at the same time buy a 'select' bit of hardware as well, which in my case was a HDD. Is that still the case, or was it Novatech protecting them selfs? Sam
nope the license has been revised, and has been since vista, if you are still told you have to buy a piece of hardware, the vendor hasn't updated themselves on the license requirements.
