Windows 7 32bit RAM

Banjo Sandwich · 12 Mar 2012 at 11:48

Hi all,

Silly question but i am running windows 7 32bit and i have 8gb of ram in my laptop...

Is my system even utilising the other 4gb of RAM or should i re-format and install 64bit?

If i go to 64bit would i experience problems, i use the machine for gaming, MS office, lighting calculation software...

Banjo Sandwich · 12 Mar 2012 at 13:41

Can you upgrade to 64bit without losing all my install, music, photos, etc...

How do i install 64bit when i got the laptop it had 32 bit installed and it asked me to create a disc back up thing...

Banjo Sandwich · 12 Mar 2012 at 14:16

cmndr_andi said:
Unfortunaely, no.

If you want to upgrade to 64 bit then you need to do a clean install - so you will need to backup everything important before re-installing.

As for how to re-install, do you have a retail or OEM 64bit install disk? If not you could ask the laptop maker for one.

So back up all my music, photos, setups files, films, etc...

It didnt come with an install disc, it was pre-installed and asked me to create a disk when i started the computer up known as a recovery disc...

Is there anyway you can download a copy of windows 7 64bit by qouting your licence number?

Banjo Sandwich · 12 Mar 2012 at 14:34

reflux said:
Yes, here. Just choose which flavour you want. You will need your W7 license key.

is this one legal?

Banjo Sandwich · 12 Mar 2012 at 14:42

i am bit confused with the link, it says i should use this program if i have an OEM installed software?

I have never reformatted a machine before without a disc...

usually i press F# then just re-format... i presume with a exe.file i just run the file and it begins the re-format/64bit install?

Banjo Sandwich · 12 Mar 2012 at 15:07

cmndr_andi said:
I'm not sure about the .exe files, but both of those pages have links to .iso files. These files can be downloaded and burnt onto a DVD or USB stick, and then used like a normal windows disk.

I get you...

What's the best Free DVD ripping software?

Banjo Sandwich · 12 Mar 2012 at 15:22

cmndr_andi said:
For burning an .iso to a DVD, I use imgburn

Also, if you want to use a USB stick instead of a disk, I used this app and it was great (should work fine with the .iso file).

Out of interest would there be any benefit over the disc/usb?

Banjo Sandwich · 12 Mar 2012 at 15:26

WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER THEN!

usb iso it is and back up everything on to external drive and hopefully i should see a difference in my laptop...

With respect to drivers, should windows 7 take care most of the essentials?

Banjo Sandwich · 12 Mar 2012 at 15:32

cmndr_andi said:
The speed should be around the same, maybe a bit quicker for the USB if you have a fast stick. The main advantage is probably that you can format the USB stick after you are done, while with write-once DVD you can't (and rewritable DVDs are much slower).

Just make sure you set the boot device priority to the USB stick from within the BIOS.

As for drivers, the laptop manufacturer should provide drivers on their website that you can download. Probably best to download these before you do the re-install.

I recall that my laptop had an automatic driver updater, the ASUS laptop appeared to have so many drivers and i was a bit confused which ones i needed...

can you cause harm by installing a driver for something you dont have?

Banjo Sandwich · 22 Mar 2012 at 20:44

You can legally download it (for use with your existing code) using the links here:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/wind...ta-before.html

Weird one i tried downloading the iso file on the link twice and tried both methods but i dont seem able to write it to disc...

What else do you suggest?

is there another place where i could download the iso file?

is there a specific burner software i should be using?

Banjo Sandwich · 24 Mar 2012 at 08:43

WHEN CREATING A BOOTABLE USB DEVICE,I AM GETTING AN ERROR ABOUT BOOTSECT

To make the USB device bootable, you need to run a tool named bootsect.exe. In some cases, this tool needs to be downloaded from your Microsoft Store account. This may happen if you're trying to create a 64-bit bootable USB device from a 32-bit version of Windows. To download bootsect:

Login to your Microsoft Store account to view your purchase history
Look for your Windows 7 purchase.
Next to Windows 7, there is an "Additional download options" drop-down menu.
In the drop-down menu, select "32-bit ISO."
Right-click the link, and then save the bootsect.exe file to the location where you installed the Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool (e.g. C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Apps\Windows 7 USB DVD Download Tool).
Once the file has been saved, go back to the Windows 7 USB/DVD Download tool to create your bootable USB device.

Noticed this on the link for the windows usb tool but unsure how to sign and view history as the laptop came with windows preinstalled....

gone are the days when you got a disc with windows and your drivers eh!

Banjo Sandwich · 24 Mar 2012 at 09:01

sorry to re post this but i want confirm this...

When i go into my computer it says...

Hard Disc Drives (2)
OS C:
52gb free of 186gb

Data D:
245gb free of 254gb
Now i want to install windows 64bit but my thinking was this only relates to the "C:" drive and not the "D:" drive?

So when i format, should i only format the "C:" drive and leave the "D:" data drive alone?

Will i lose any processing speed, will windows 32 bit remain on the "D:" drive?

Should i just format both?