PC 32 bit system. Comprehensive information about the bit depth of the operating system? What is the bitness of the operating system? x86 and x64
First, let's figure out what the bit depth (bit depth) of an architecture is.
The terms 32-bit and 64-bit refer to the way a computer's processor (CPU) processes information. The 64-bit version of Windows handles large amounts of random access memory (RAM) more efficiently than a 32-bit system. Wikipedia has 2 pages about 32 (x86) and 64 bit architecture:
- 32 (x86) - a processor architecture with the same instruction set, first implemented in Intel processors.
The name is derived from the two numbers that ended the names Intel processors early models - 8086, 80186, 80286 (i286), 80386 (i386), 80486 (i486). During its existence, the set of commands has constantly expanded, maintaining compatibility with previous generations.
In addition to Intel, the architecture was also implemented in processors from other manufacturers: AMD, VIA, Transmeta, IDT, etc. Currently, there is another name for the 32-bit version of the architecture - IA-32 (Intel Architecture - 32).
- 64 - 64-bit extension, instruction set, for the x86 architecture, developed by AMD, allowing programs to run in 64-bit mode.
It is an extension of the x86 architecture with almost complete backward compatibility. Microsoft and Oracle use the term "x64" to refer to this instruction set, but the directory with files for the architecture in distributions Microsoft Windows called "amd64" (cf. "i386" for x86 architecture).
The x86-64 instruction set is currently supported:
- AMD - Z-series processors (for example, AMD Z-03), C-series (for example, AMD C-60), G-series (for example, AMD T56N), E-series (for example, AMD E-450), E1 , E2, A4, A6, A8, A10, FX, Athlon 64, Athlon 64 FX, Athlon 64 X2, Athlon II, Phenom, Phenom II, Turion 64, Turion 64 X2, Turion II, Opteron, FX, latest models Sempron;
- Intel (with minor simplifications) called "Intel 64" (previously known as "EM64T" and "IA-32e") in late Pentium 4 processors, as well as Pentium D, Pentium Extreme Edition, Celeron D, Celeron G-series , Celeron B-series, Pentium Dual-Core, Pentium T-series, Pentium P-series, Pentium G-series, Pentium B-series, Core 2 Duo, Core 2 Quad, Core 2 Extreme, Core i3, Core i5, Core i7, Atom (not all) and Xeon;
- VIA - Nano, Eden, QuadCore processors.
Yes, all this is difficult to understand. I’ll explain in my own words, the 64-bit OS architecture is an improved 32 (86) bit architecture. It has newer instruction sets for calculations and can also handle larger amounts of RAM. If we take the Windows OS family, then a 32-bit OS can actually handle only 3.2 gigabytes of RAM, and 64 theoretically up to 4 terabytes. What does this tell us?
What to choose: 32 or 64?
About the fact that it is advisable to install the OS based on the amount of RAM. For example, if you have 3GB of RAM or less, it is better for you to install a 32-bit system, and if you have more than 3GB, it is better to install a 64-bit system. But don't forget about what processor you have. In our service, we have long noticed that if the processor has low frequency(from 1 to 2.4 GHz), then on a 64-bit OS the computer runs slowly, even if it has 4 or more GB of RAM installed. According to our service, it is better to install 32-bit systems and no more than 4GB of RAM on such computers. In addition, large manufacturers of laptops with low-frequency processors also install 32-bit systems from the factory, even with 4GB of memory. Installing the 64-bit version of Windows requires a processor that can run 64-bit Windows. Benefits of using 64-bit operating system are especially obvious when working with large amounts of random access memory (RAM), such as 4 GB or more. In such cases, a 64-bit operating system handles large amounts of memory more efficiently than a 32-bit system. A 64-bit operating system works faster when running multiple programs at the same time and switching between them frequently. In any case, what to install is up to you, and we will answer your questions below.
How can I tell if my computer has 32-bit or 64-bit Windows?
To use Windows or determine which version of Windows your computer is running (32-bit or 64-bit), follow these steps.
Open the System component. To do this, click the Start button, click right click Click Computer and select Properties. In Windows 8, open Control Panel and go to System.
In the System section, you can view the system type.
If the computer is running Windows control XP, follow these steps.
If the window that appears does not say “x64 Edition,” your computer is running a 32-bit version of Windows XP.
If "x64 Edition" is listed under System, your computer is running a 64-bit version of Windows XP.
Click the Start button.
How can I determine if my computer can run a 64-bit version of Windows?
For a computer to run a 64-bit version of Windows, it must have a 64-bit processor. To find out if your processor supports 64-bit computing in Windows, follow these steps:
- In search type MSINFO, or
In Windows, select the Show and print detailed information about your computer and system performance.
Open the Performance Counters and Tools section. To do this, click the Start button and select the Control Panel component (in 8 we immediately go to the Control Panel). In the search box, type Performance Counters and Tools, and then select Performance Counters and Tools from the list of results.
Perform one of the following actions.
In the System section, you can see what type of operating system you are using (under System Type) and whether you can use a 64-bit version of Windows (under 64-bit support). (If your computer is already running a 64-bit version of Windows, the 64-bit support section does not appear.)
To determine whether a computer running Windows XP can run the 64-bit version of Windows, follow these steps:
If the System section says "x64 Edition", the processor supports running a 64-bit version of Windows.
If there is no "x64 Edition" label, the processor may also be compatible with 64-bit versions of Windows. To pinpoint this possibility, download and run the free Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor from Windows 7 migration advisor.
Click the Start button.
Right-click My Computer and select Properties.
Can I upgrade from 32-bit Windows to 64-bit Windows, or move from 64-bit Windows to 32-bit Windows?
If you want to migrate from 32-bit Windows to 64-bit Windows or vice versa, you should back up your files and select Full Windows installation. Then you need to restore files and reinstall programs.
Notes
To install a 64-bit version of Windows on a computer running a 32-bit version of Windows, you will need to boot the computer using installation disk or 64-bit Windows files.
If a computer that boots with a 64-bit version of Windows installation disc or files does not support that version of Windows, a manager error message will be displayed Windows boot. Instead, you will need to use the installation disc or files from the 32-bit version of Windows.
Transfer Tool Windows data does not move files from 64-bit Windows to 32-bit Windows. If you are using a 64-bit version of Windows XP, you will need to manually transfer the files to external media.
Can I run 32-bit programs and drivers on a 64-bit computer?
Most programs created for 32-bit Windows versions, will also work on 64-bit versions of Windows. Some antiviruses are exceptions.
Device drivers designed for 32-bit versions of Windows do not work on computers running 64-bit versions of Windows. If you try to install a printer or other device with a 32-bit driver, it will not work correctly on a 64-bit version of Windows.
Can I run 64-bit programs and drivers on a 32-bit computer?
If a program is specifically designed to run on 64-bit Windows, it will not run on 32-bit Windows. (However, most programs designed for 32-bit versions of Windows also work on 64-bit versions of Windows.)
Device drivers designed for 64-bit versions of Windows do not work on computers running 32-bit versions of Windows.
Do I need 64-bit device drivers when running 64-bit Windows?
Yes. All devices require 64-bit drivers to run on 64-bit Windows. Drivers designed for 32-bit versions of Windows do not work on computers running 64-bit versions of Windows.
What are the disadvantages of 64 bit Windows?
- Stutters when there is a small amount of RAM.
- It is difficult to find drivers for old devices, for example, printers, scanners, TV tuners, etc.
- Some older programs and games do not work on 64-bit architecture.
- Some old Windows, for example Windows 7 Starter cannot run on a 64-bit system.
Well, that’s all we wanted to tell you in this article, we hope you’ll do it right choice! If you need good computer tips, click on the link and learn more about your computer.
If we missed something in the article, write to us in the comments and we will add it. Also, if the material was useful to you don't skimp on likes!
Quite recently, a note was published on the site’s blog to help those who are planning to update their computer or buy/assemble a new one. Namely, it talked about how much RAM a computer needs, depending on the tasks it faces: How much RAM do you need?
Our next note according to the plan was an article about support for various amounts of memory by the operating system - about the bit capacity of the operating system; that not all memory sizes are supported by all versions of Windows. Special thanks to all the readers who mentioned the topic of bit depth in the comments on the blog: after reading them, I realized that a short blog post on this topic is not enough. We need detailed material on this topic.
That is why it was decided to write an article (educational education, if you will) on this issue and post it here on ITexpertPortal.com - in the archive of free training materials and articles on important topics in computer literacy.
So, let's return to the main topic, the bit depth of operating systems and support for different amounts of memory. First let's answer the question:
What is bit depth anyway?
Scientific definition: In computer science, the bit capacity of an electronic (in particular, peripheral) device or bus is the number of bits (bits) simultaneously processed by this device or transmitted by this bus. The term applies to components computing, peripheral or measuring devices: computer data buses, processors, etc. The bit depth of a computer is the bit depth of its machine word.(source - Wikipedia).
I think everything is simple and clear. Bit capacity is the ability to simultaneously process a certain number of bits, to put it simply.
In fact, everything is not so simple, and no article is enough to cover this issue completely and “scientifically”. Therefore, we will not delve into the course of PC architecture, but will touch upon purely practical issues that we have to deal with and that are important to us, the users.
What does the amount of RAM have to do with it?
There are two versions of the Windows operating system (at least for now - only two). It doesn’t matter what exactly we take from modern and current systems: XP, Vista or 7.
All these systems exist in two versions - 32-bit and 64-bit. For example:
Windows 7 Ultimate 32-bit (or x86 - equivalent designations)
Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit ( or x64 - equivalent designations)
Windows Vista Ultimate x86 (x86 - this is the designation for the 32-bit version)
Windows Visa Ultimate x64 (respectively - 64-bit version)
Of course, there are architectural differences between 32 and 64-bit versions of Windows. You can talk about them for a long time, but there is no point, believe me. 🙂
The most important features and differences that directly affect the user and which he has to deal with:
1. Maximum amount of RAM.
2. Bit size of the operating system.
3. Processor capacity.
This is what we will talk about in more detail...
Maximum amount of RAM.
A 32-bit operating system can address (i.e., can use, "see") no more than 4 GB of RAM. This is the most important difference, and the most significant. If your computer has, say, 2 GB installed, then a 32-bit operating system works fine with that amount.
If you install 4 GB of memory and run a 32-bit OS, then it simply will not see such a volume. All she will be able to use is approximately 3.5 GB of the 4 GB. It cannot provide the remaining volume for running programs. Of course, if you install, say, 8 GB of memory into your computer, and at the same time remain on a 32-bit system, then it will also not see more than 3.5 GB of the total installed volume.
The 64-bit operating system can work with much larger amounts of memory - up to 192 GB (for Windows 7). Those. if you, say, wanted to install 8 GB of memory, then you definitely need to switch to a 64-bit OS, otherwise you simply will not be able to use such a large amount of available space.
We considered, so to speak, the “extremes”, up to 2 GB and 8 GB and more. What about the golden mean? What if you already have it installed or plan to upgrade the memory to 4GB? In this case, is it necessary to switch to a 64-bit OS so that the computer can use not 3.3, but all 4 GB of memory?
Not everything is so simple... 64-bit versions of the OS use noticeably more memory. All variables are no longer 32-bit, but 64-bit. Typically this increases the size of applications by 20-40%, which leads to a corresponding increase in the amount of memory consumed. For such file formats, like music or video, it has no effect.
Install 64-bit versionWindows, to make better use of 4 GB of memory does not make sense, even if the 32-bit version only recognizes up to 3.5 GB of memory. The problem lies in the fact that you will receive the missing memory, but immediately lose it because the 64-bit version requires more memory. So the transition to 64 bits is relevant only with larger memory capacity: 6, 8 GB or more.
So, if you decide to install a lot of memory, and here a 64-bit OS is definitely needed, then you may be interested in the question:
What features does 64-bit Windows Vista/7 have?
Visually - none. Those. Externally, it is a regular OS, no different from the 32-bit version. You can determine whether it belongs to a 64-bit architecture only by going to the “system properties” item in the control panel - the bit depth is indicated there.
Technically, there are slight differences. The first thing is that the 64-bit OS “sees” large amounts of memory and knows how to work with them. Secondly, it allows you to run 64-bit applications.
The 64-bit OS allows you to run regular 32-bit programs. In the usual way, no settings are required for this. Everything as usual. It’s just that a 64-bit system has a subsystem for executing 32-bit applications. Therefore, you can successfully install and work with both 32-bit and 64-bit applications.
Now there are few such x64 applications, although their number is constantly growing. This is especially true for resource-intensive programs - graphic and video editors, and so on. Those. all programs that primarily need large amounts of memory available for operation. For example, so that some video editor can use more than 4 GB of available memory.
For example, Adobe stated that modern applications of the Adobe CS5 series will only be 64-bit. This means that, say, Photoshop CS5, Dreamweaver CS5 and so on. will only be able to run on a 64-bit system. They simply won't run on a 32-bit OS. Why?
Because 32-bit applications can run on a 64-bit OS, but not vice versa!
The next technical point is 64-bit OS require 64-bit drivers. As a rule, all modern (not older than two years) PC devices, laptops and peripherals have two versions of drivers on the included installation disk - 32 and 64-bit. Therefore, with modern devices There will be no problems - as usual, we insert the disk with the driver into the drive and start the installation, the installer itself will determine the version of Windows and launch the driver corresponding to the bit size.
If there is no disk or it does not have a 64-bit driver, you need to visit the official website of the developer specific device to download such a driver. The same applies to outdated equipment.
BE SURE to check the availability of 64-bit versions of ALL necessary drivers BEFORE you start installing the 64-bit version of Windows!
Processor capacity.
Where to get/how to identify 64-bit applications?
64-bit software can be determined without difficulty. On the packaging in system requirements, as a rule, it is indicated that this program 64-bit. This may also be indicated separately on the packaging.
If you purchase some software via the Internet, then its 64-bit architecture is also indicated.
Here's an example: my licensed boxed version of Windows Vista Ultimate. The kit includes two installation disks - 32 and 64-bit versions of the OS:
Do not pay attention to the “English language” in this case, the OS was simply purchased in the United States.
But this is in this case - Vista Ultimate (only Ultimate) was delivered this way, in two versions. As a rule, the same Windows, for example (or any other program) is sold OR 32-bit OR 64-bit, as indicated on the box, as I already mentioned.
This is where the differences and features of 64-bit Windows operating systems that are significant for the user end.
Otherwise, everything is exactly the same as on the usual 32-bit Windows XP/Vista/7.
Having purchased new laptop or having assembled a desktop PC without a pre-installed operating system, many people wonder which version of Windows to install, 32-bit or 64-bit. To solve this problem, we have prepared material in which we will explain to our readers what the difference between 32 And 64-bit Windows operating systems, and which one is better. In addition, we will show with examples how to determine the bit depth of Windows and in what cases you need to install a 32 or 64 operating system.
Let's find out what the difference is between 32 and 64 bit Windows
There are currently two processor architectures that are used in Windows OS, namely x86 And x64. Each processor architecture defines length of data types and addresses that are supported by the operating system. That is, the difference between 32-bit and 64-bit Windows lies in the amount of RAM that can be used in the OS. For example, in 32 bit system you can only use 4 GB RAM, and in 64's bit system up to 192 GB RAM.
Nowadays almost all processors manufactured by AMD and Intel support x86 and x64 architecture. Therefore, in most cases, no matter what bit version of Windows you install, it will work using x86 and x64 instructions modern processor. But when it comes to old computer with process with old architecture x86, which has a x64 command set, then installing a 64-bit OS on it will work, but does this make sense? For example, let's take old laptop Samsung R60, which has an x86 Intel Celeron 520 processor with the EM64T instruction set.
This single core chip only supports 2 GB random access memory. It also supports x64 architecture, but there is no point in installing a 64-bit OS on a laptop with this chip, since it is designed for x64 processors that support a large amount of memory.
On this moment 32-bit versions of Windows remain quite popular, since there are still a lot of old PCs that have a volume RAM does not exceed 4 GB. In addition, Windows XP has become very popular. If you remember the release of XP back in 2001, you can find out that it was supplied only in a 32-bit version. And already in 2005, XP received support for the x64 processor architecture and was released in a 64-bit version. Since 2001, XP remained the most popular OS in the world, so drivers and programs were written for it only in 32-bit.
Which OS 32 and 64 bit versions is better?
So that the user makes the right choice, and in the future he would not have to change the OS, we will look at an example of assembling a desktop computer with small amount of RAM. For example, a user decided to save on RAM and assembled a system based on the following:
- Processor - AMD Athlon X4 870K with support for x86-x64 architecture;
- Motherboard - ASRock FM2A88X PRO3+;
- RAM - Kingston 4 GB DDR3 2133 MHz.
From the example it is clear that the user saved on memory in order to expand it in the future. On such a system you can install both 32 and 64 bit Windows. If you install, for example, Windows 7 32-bit version on such a configuration, and you want to add RAM to it in the future, you will have problems with this. The problem will be that your Windows 7 simply won't see the added RAM, A expand it can be installed on the ASRock FM2A88X PRO3+ motherboard up to 16 GB. In such a situation, for the system to see all the RAM, you will have to change the operating system from 32 bit to 64 bit. Therefore, it is easy to answer the question which OS is better for this configuration and this is definitely Windows 7 64 bit.
Determining the OS bit version in different versions of Windows
The first example we will take is Windows XP. To determine its bit depth, first of all you need to go to the menu “ Start» and go to computer properties as shown in the image below.
The image shows that the operating system is installed " Microsoft Windows XP Professional" This inscription means that the system is 32 bit. For a 64 bit OS, you would see " Microsoft Windows XP Professional x64 Edition" as shown in the image below.
To determine the bit depth in Windows 7, we should go to the computer properties in the same way as in the previous example. To do this, go to the menu “ Start" and go to the computer properties, as shown in the image below.
After these steps, a window will appear in which you can find out the system properties.
In this window we are interested in the inscription “ System type: 32-bit operating system" From this inscription it is clear which Windows 7 operating system is installed on the PC.
To determine the bit depth in Windows 10, you need to go to the “ Start» to the settings tab.
In the parameters that open, you need to go to the “ System" In chapter " System"you need to go to the point " About the system».
From the figure above you can see that in our case it is installed 64 bit operating system.
Determining the processor bit type
To determine the processor type, we need a utility CPU-Z. The utility is distributed as installation file and as a portable version. You can download the utility from its official website www.cpuid.com. After downloading, we will launch the utility on a system based on the AMD Trinity A6-5400K processor.
In the text block " Instructions"The program window contains a whole bunch of different processor instructions. We need instructions " x86–x64" This instruction means that in a PC with this processor you can install both 32 and 64 bit versions of Windows. If we open the program in a configuration based on an AMD Sempron 2600+ processor, we will not find x86-x64 instructions.”
It follows from this that you can only install on it 32 bit operating systems.
In the same way, as shown in the example, you can check any processor for its capacity. I would also like to note that CPU-Z Works on all current operating systems from Microsoft.
Let's deal with Windows versions when purchasing
If you buy a boxed version of Windows 10, then using the installation disc you can install both a 32-bit and a 64-bit operating system on your PC. But if you're purchasing the OEM version, which is aimed at PC builders, be careful.
If you take a 32-bit OEM version of the OS, then you will not be able to upgrade from it to a 64-bit one as is the case with the boxed version. Also in online stores you can still find various versions of Windows 7 for sale. The distribution model for boxed and OEM editions of the seven is the same as that of the ten.
New OS support for older processors
If you have an old processor-based computer Intel Pentium 4 and you want to upgrade to the new Windows 8 or 10 OS, then you will have problems. New operating systems from Microsoft does not support ancient processors. These computers still run Windows XP reliably, but it is no longer safe to use this OS these days. XP has been around for a long time doesn't receive updates And the new software no longer supports this operating system.
Using XP with Internet access is a pretty bad idea, since this OS is a breeding ground for various malware and viruses. The only option is to use Linux OS, which undemanding to resources computer.
One such OS is . Lubuntu OS is based on Ubuntu, therefore it is constantly updated and has good support. You can download the Lubuntu image for burning to disk on its official website http://lubuntu.net. After burning to the Lubuntu disk, you can safely start from it. Lubuntu does not need to be installed on your PC and can be launched directly from the disk.
This is necessary so that you can check the functionality of the OS and also check Lubuntu for compatibility with your CPU. Lubuntu, like Windows, is distributed in 32 and 64 bit versions. Installing Lubuntu on your old PC will make it last longer life cycle and better protect yourself from online threats.
Let's sum it up
From the above material it can be concluded that 32-bit Windows operating systems will cease to exist in the near future, but 64-bit OSes, on the contrary, will work on new PCs for many years to come.
If we look at the processor and OS market in general, we can observe that even mobile OS such as Android And iOS already have 64 bit support. It also follows from this that mobile operating systems will soon not be distributed in 32-bit form. We hope our article will help you choose the best option Windows OS will also allow you to determine what type of operating system is installed on your computer.
Video on the topic
Brief historical background.
The evolution of microprocessors historically implied an increase in the width of integer registers, i.e. the maximum number of bits forming numbers on which it was possible to perform elementary arithmetic operations by executing the corresponding commands. Also, the volume of the addressable address that can be accessed depends linearly on this parameter (without any tricks that slow down the work).
The very first microprocessor Intel 4004 was 4-bit, and the founder of the x86 family, i.e. The first processor to use the most popular basic instruction set to date, the Intel 8086 was 16-bit. The era of 32-bit microprocessors began in 1985 with the Intel 386; since then, up to and including the Intel Pentium4 and AMD AthlonXP, the command system has only been supplemented (MMX, SSE/SSE2/SSE3, 3Dnow!), but despite the increase in the bit capacity of external buses and cache buses up to 256-bits in some cases, the number of bits of general-purpose integer registers remained equal to 32.
Meanwhile, almost all high-performance processors of later than x86 architectures (mainly RISC variants) have long been 64-bit. (The first such processor, MIPS R3000, appeared in 1994 and was known mainly for SGi workstations and servers). Moreover, Intel was already promoting the second generation of its own initially 64-bit processors with the IA64 architecture (based on VLIW technology) with the commercial name Itanium, which did not have software x86 compatibility.
However, in 2002, AMD introduced a development of the x86 architecture called AMD64, which is another extension of the x86 instruction set, but designed to work with 64-bit general-purpose integer registers. In hardware, this set of commands was first implemented on AMD K8: Opteron/Athlon64 family processors, which are fully software compatible with conventional x86 processors.
Over the next two years, it became clear that the full potential of these processors was only possible when working in an operating system that used the appropriate instruction set and 64-bit memory addressing, which, first of all, made it possible to work without any restrictions with linear data arrays of more than 4GB.
First of all, Linux family operating systems were ported to the new processors, along with a fairly representative set of applications that were critical to processor speed and required large amounts of memory. The speed and stability of new processors, as well as the fundamental difficulties in creating a desktop processor with Intel architecture IA64 encouraged Microsoft to start porting its operating systems to this platform.
From that moment on, it became clear that the AMD64 instruction set would become a new industry standard, and Intel had no choice but to add to its processors a complete analogue of the AMD64 instruction set, called EM64T (Extended Memory 64-bit Technology) in Intel's implementation.
How are 64-bit x86 processors fundamentally different from 32-bit ones?
In addition to the ability to quickly work with 64-bit integer numbers and direct addressing of incomparably large volumes of both virtual and physical memory, the new industry standard for x86 processors eliminated three fundamental shortcomings of this architecture:
1) Doubling the number of general-purpose integer registers - according to this parameter, all descendants of the Intel 386 were very far behind modern RISC and VLIW processors. The compiler's use of these registers can significantly improve the efficiency of many algorithms.
2)Use for floating point operations not the stack, but the registers used in the SSE2 instruction set. It has a very noticeable impact on performance, but also requires recompilation of the software.
3)DEP - Data Execution Protection (protection against transferring the contents of a data segment for execution when an overflow error occurs), also called EVP (Enhanced Virus Protection), greatly complicates the work of certain classes of malware, primarily worms and Trojans. Does not require software recompilation; it is also supported by 32-bit Microsoft operating systems, starting with WindowsXP SP2 and Windows 2003 Server SP1.
What do I need to run 64-bit x86 applications on my PC?
1) 64-bit x86 processor. At the time of writing the FAQ these were AMD processors with support for AMD64 and Intel technology with EM64T, respectively. Specifically, we are talking about AMD Opteron/Athlon64/Turion 64 (mobile analogue of Athlon64)/Sempron 64/Phenom64. U Intel support EM64T is present in the Celeron D 3X1/3X6, Pentium4 5X1/5X6/6XX, Pentium D, Pentium XE (not Pentium4 XE!) processors, all Xeon DP with 800 MHz bus and XeonMP with 667 MHz bus, as well as most future Intel processors for with the exception of Pentium M and Celeron M.
Update from January 2008 - at the moment, the AMD64/EM64T instruction set has finally become the standard for all manufactured mobile, desktop and server x86 processors from Intel and AMD.
You also need to make sure that the processor is correctly recognized by the BIOS motherboard(this means that the necessary microcode is loaded into it; failure to comply with this condition can lead to serious problems in the operation of the computer). An update may be required in some situations Motherboard BIOS fees. This primarily concerns Intel processors, since not all LGA775 motherboards initially supported such processors.
2) Operating system.
At the time of writing the FAQ, the following operating systems are available:
Microsoft Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, Microsoft Windows 2003 Server x64 Editions (Standard/Enterprise/Datacenter), Windows Server 2008, Sun Solaris and various versions of Linux and FreeBSD were also ported to the AMD64 platform (a detailed discussion of the features of unix-like operating systems is beyond the scope of this FAQ), Windows Vista also has x64 versions of all editions except the initial ones.
3) Drivers. All drivers running in the system kernel must be 64-bit; backward compatibility is not provided. For the most common components (video cards nVidia GeForce and ATi Radeon, chipsets and disk controllers from Intel, VIA, nVidia) such drivers have already been written.
Will regular applications run on 64-bit Windows?
1) 32-bit applications for Microsoft Windows - yes, there will be, and in some situations a performance increase is possible compared to running on the same computer, but under a 32-bit OS (especially if the application uses very large amounts of RAM), but however, 32-bit applications cannot access 64-bit DLLs and Active Controls and vice versa. (In practice, this resulted in the fact that as part of 64-bit Windows Internet Explorer left 32-bit to work correctly with pages containing ActiveX elements.)
2) 16-bit applications for Microsoft Windows - no, with the exception of a few installer programs.
3) DOS applications - no. (At the time of writing the FAQ, it became known that the well-proven OpenSource emulator DosBox was ported to 64-bit versions of Windows, which almost completely removes possible problems)
4) Windows applications for IA64 (Itanium) - no.
What will all this give me at the moment and what can it give me in the future?
For ordinary user everyday programs, currently transferring them to a 64-bit platform does not provide any qualitative leap in performance. The only exceptions (and even then relative ones) are some of the latest high-tech games.
Programs for working with databases receive the greatest benefit from the transition to 64-bit, and the larger the amount of data used, the more noticeable the gain, programs for CAD/CAE ( computer-aided design, modeling, etc.), as well as programs for creating digital content (image, sound, video processing), more detailed information, as a rule, can already be found on the website of the developer of the software you are using - as a rule, from the readiness dates Nobody makes 64-bit versions of secrets.
Of the programs whose porting to 64-bit Windows has been completed or is nearing completion, it is worth mentioning Microsoft SQL Server 2000 and 2005, Cakewalk Sonar 4.0, CryTek FarCry, Epic Unreal Tournament 2004, SiSoft Sandra 2005 Full list Software that is at various stages of porting to Windows x64 can be found.
Comparative table of restrictions on the maximum amount of RAM used and the number of processors for 32 and 64-bit versions of operating systems from Microsoft:
| General limitations on the amount of memory used | 32-Bit | 64-Bit |
| Full virtual address space | 4 GB | 16 TB |
| Virtual address space for a 32-bit process | 2 GB (3 GB with download key / 3 GB) | 4 GB if the program is compiled with the /LARGEADDRESSAWARE switch (2 GB without it) |
| Virtual address space for a 64-bit process | Not applicable | 8 TB |
| Paged pool | 470 MB | 128 GB |
| Non-paged pool | 256 MB | 128 GB |
| System Page Table Entry(PTE) | 660 MB to 900 MB | 128 GB |
| Limitations on physical memory and number of processors | 32-Bit | 64-Bit |
| Windows XP Professional | 4 GB / up to 2 CPU | 128 GB / up to 2 CPU |
| Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition | 4 GB / up to 4 CPU | 32 GB / up to 4 CPU |
| Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition | 64 GB / up to 8 CPU | 1 TB / up to 8 CPU |
| Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition | 64 GB / 8 - 32 CPU | 1 TB / 8 - 64 CPU |
| Windows Server 2008, Web Edition | 4 GB / up to 4 CPU | 32 GB / up to 4 CPU |
| Windows Server 2008, Standard Edition | 4 GB / up to 4 CPU | 32 GB / up to 4 CPU |
| Windows Server 2008, Enterprise Edition | 64 GB / up to 8 CPU | 2 TB / up to 8 CPU |
| Windows Server 2008, Datacenter Edition | 64 GB / up to 32 CPU | 2 TB / up to 64 CPU |
| Windows Server 2008, HPC Edition | - | 128 GB / up to 4 CPU |
Information about the maximum supported memory sizes for 64-bit versions of Windows Vista can be found.
You, as a PC user, have probably come across such a concept as Windows bit depth, which comes in two types: 32 bit and 64 bit. However, many people encounter difficulties at this point because they do not understand the differences between these types of operating systems.
In this article, I will tell you how Windows 64 differs from 32 bit, how to determine which system is right for your computer, and what advantages and disadvantages will appear when working with one or the other Windows.
What is the difference between Windows 64 and 32 bit
The main difference between Windows 32 and 64 bit is that the first can work with RAM only up to 4 GB. 32-bit Windows will not be able to see RAM more than 4 GB, they will show about 3.5 GB (if 4 GB or more is installed). Therefore, if more than 4 GB of RAM is installed on the computer, the computer will not work at full capacity; a certain part of the memory will remain unclaimed by either the system or programs.
64-bit Windows can support up to 512 GB of RAM (depending on the system version). Accordingly, programs can also use this memory, which will allow them to work faster. In addition, most multi-core processors also run faster on Windows 64 bit than 32 bit.
There are other minor technical differences between Windows 32 and 64 bits that will not matter much to the average user. Therefore, I will not go deeper into them.
How to find out the bitness of Windows
In order to find out which Windows is installed on your computer - 32 or 64 bit, you need to go to the system properties. To do this, right-click on the “My Computer” shortcut and then on “Properties”, and there you will see the bitness of your system. In the screenshot I will show using Windows 10 as an example, and other versions appearance will be different, but the essence is the same.
By the way, if you see x86 bit depth in the properties, then this is nothing more than the same 32 bits. Windows x86 is no different from 32-bit. It is the same.
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On which computer can I install 64-bit Windows?
Above I told you how Windows 64 differs from 32 bit, and the main thing is the supported RAM. Therefore, if your computer has more than 4 GB of RAM, then you need to install Windows 64 bit on it, since 32-bit will be completely meaningless. If the RAM is less than 4 GB, then you can install a 32-bit system.
But this is not the only requirement. In order to install Windows 64 bit, the processor must support this system bit size. You can find out whether the processor supports it using. Launch CPU-Z, and on the first screen look in the “Instruction Set” field. If the processor supports the EM64T instruction, then a 64-bit system can be installed on the computer.
There is something else that distinguishes Windows 64 from 32 bits, which can be noticeable in practice. So, if you determine that you can install a 64-bit system on your computer, check whether there are 64-bit drivers for your hardware. This can be done on the manufacturer's website. If there are no drivers for a particular device, then it will not work correctly under 64-bit.