Windows 7 - Will it be the best of Microsoft?

[Simbazz]

Keep in mind that if you "upgrade" in the sense that you want it to copy over all your files and programs, the process will take several hours to complete.

I'm a student, I have time

I'm d/ling the software now, just purchased it.

 

[barmyarmy]

Well I'm up and running on the full version. The only annoyance is that because the driver for my wireless card is unsigned (why? It's netgear) and I'm running 64 bit I have to use test mode for my wireless internet to work. Apparently this was a vista problem too.
Anyway...

 

[Abhas]

Hey, One thing I wanted to know, I have 4 gb Ram, but a 32 bit OS. I've heard Windows 7 is capable of handling 4 gb, instead of 3 gb ?
Should I buy the 64 bit OS, or use the 32 bit one I'll be getting for free?

 

[chaitanyaraghav]

^try out the free 32 bit version.if it doesnt support more than 3gb of ram then go and purchase the 64bit version

 

[barmyarmy]

I don't understand the question. What you buy depends on your cpu...
AFAIK 4GB ram is only utilised by 64 bit and not W7 x86.

 

[sohum]

Hey, One thing I wanted to know, I have 4 gb Ram, but a 32 bit OS. I've heard Windows 7 is capable of handling 4 gb, instead of 3 gb ?
Should I buy the 64 bit OS, or use the 32 bit one I'll be getting for free?

This is a good read.

If you're getting the 32-bit for free, go ahead and get that for now until you find a deal for a 64-bit/need for more RAM. Keep in mind, though, that upgrading from 32-bit to 64-bit is not pleasant, from what I hear.

 

[Abhas]

Actually, I am eligible for the student deal, so I can get the Home Premium for $50, so I was confused whether to buy that now, and switch to x64, or install the 32 bit and forget about the Ram that's being wasted.

I really wonder how dumb could Dell get, giving me a system with 4 gb RAM, and a 32 bit OS, considering the fact that x64 costs the same! Unfortunately I was in urgent need of the system and decided to go in for express delivery, so I could not customize.
Damn you Dell!

Can I install both 32-bit and 64-bit on different partitions on the same disk? I'll probably start off with x86.

Abhas added 9 Minutes and 0 Seconds later...

Oh, another thing.. I have a 512mb graphics card (ATI mobility Radeon HD 4570)
Does that use memory from the 4Gb RAm, or does it have its own dedicated Vram?

Abhas added 5 Minutes and 27 Seconds later...

Looks like I got the answer..

Total Available Graphics Memory : 1789 MB
Dedicated Video Memory : 512 MB
System Video Memory : 0 MB
Shared System Memory : 1277 MB

So, I presume, out of 4 GB, 1277 MB of my RAM is being used by the Graphics card. ?

 

[barmyarmy]

You can't install x86 and x64 on seperate partitions. Your processor can do one or the other...

 

[sohum]

You can't install x86 and x64 on seperate partitions. Your processor can do one or the other...

Actually, I'm pretty sure you can.

The 32-bit and 64-bit are software-specific, not hardware-specific. So they will only really be an issue after you load the OS into memory. Meaning that when the OS is being booted off the MBR, there's no notion of 32/64-bitness with regards to the OS being installed.

64-bit processors can run 32-bit applications, but 32-bit processors can't do 64-bit applications. The 64-bit version of Windows is a 64-bit application, hence it can't be run. However, the 32-bit Windows is a 32-bit app, so it can run.

I'd still Google it to be sure, though!

 

[barmyarmy]

Yes but if you had a 64 bit processor why would you run 32 bit?

 

[Abhas]

That's because Dell could be stupid enough to give me 32 bit instead of 64 bit.

 

[sohum]

Yes but if you had a 64 bit processor why would you run 32 bit?

Driver compatibility would be the main reason. Getting the 32-bit version for free would be another reason.

 

[MattW]

Actually, I am eligible for the student deal, so I can get the Home Premium for $50, so I was confused whether to buy that now, and switch to x64, or install the 32 bit and forget about the Ram that's being wasted.

The CD-Key you get will work with both 32 and 64 bit versions, you can't activate them both at once, but you don't need to buy it again to try the 64 bit.

 

[Abhas]

Does the DVD contain the x64 Installer as well?
I'm not sure it would work for a clean install because its supposed to be an upgrade DVD. Anyway, let them send the disk atleast

 

[barmyarmy]

I have two disks. One for x64 and one for x86.