The terms 32-bit and 64-bit refer to the way a computer's processor (also called a CPU), handles information. The 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows are designed for use in computers with 32-bit or 64-bit processors, respectively.
To run a 64-bit version of Windows, your computer must have a 64-bit processor. To take advantage of the additional capability to utilize memory on 64-bit versions of Windows Vista, you should have at least 4 GB of RAM installed on your computer.
Additionally, you will need to make sure that you have 64-bit drivers for your hardware and that your programs will run in a 64-bit Windows environment. Device drivers that are 32-bit do not work on computers running 64-bit versions of Windows. If you are trying to install hardware that only has 32-bit drivers available, that hardware will not work correctly on 64-bit versions of Windows. Also, programs that try to install 32-bit device drivers on 64-bit versions of Windows will encounter errors.
For information about updating drivers and troubleshooting issues with device drivers for 64-bit versions of Windows, contact the manufacturer of the hardware or software.
To find your computer's processor speed, do the following:
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Open System by clicking the Start button , clicking Control Panel, clicking System and Maintenance, and then clicking System.
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Under System, you can view the processor type and speed.
No. If you are currently running a 32-bit version of Windows, you can only perform an upgrade to another 32-bit version of Windows. Similarly, if you are running a 64-bit version of Windows Vista, you can only perform an upgrade to another 64-bit version of Windows Vista.
If you want to move from a 32-bit version of Windows to a 64-bit version of Windows Vista, back up your files and perform a clean installation of the 64-bit version of Windows Vista.
Many programs designed for a computer running a 32-bit version of Windows will work on a computer running 64-bit versions of Windows without any changes. However, in some cases there might be differences in performance. If a 32-bit program uses embedded drivers, the drivers might not work in the 64-bit environment. If you have a 64-bit computer, it's best to run programs designed to run on a 64-bit computer.
A 64-bit computer can process twice as much information as a 32-bit computer, and can have significantly more random access memory (RAM). This makes a 64-bit computer a good choice if you're working with video, large database searches, or games and other programs that require complex calculations and a lot of memory. A 32-bit computer works very well for most programs, however. For example, spreadsheet programs, web browsers, and word processing programs will run at about the same speed on either a 32-bit or a 64-bit computer.
Programs running on 64-bit versions of Windows Vista perform better if both hardware drivers and 64-bit programs are available. The following program types might perform better on 64-bit versions of Windows Vista:
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Computer Aided Design (CAD) software
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Picture and video editing programs
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Games and other programs that require complex calculations
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Programs that access and work with large databases
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Video recording and analyzing programs that save large amounts of data to memory
Additionally, some 32-bit programs might use embedded 32-bit drivers, which might make the programs work improperly.
Central processing unit (CPU)
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Central processing unit (CPU)
The main circuit chip in a computer. It performs most of the calculations necessary to run the computer.
Random access memory (RAM)
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Random access memory (RAM)
The main internal storage area the computer uses to run programs and store data. Information stored in RAM is temporary and is designed to clear when the computer is turned off.
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