How to find out the bitness of Windows 7, 10 or XP and how to change it

The capabilities of the computer are limited by hardware. No matter how thoughtful the software (software) is, it always depends on the characteristics of the processor and RAM. One of the main characteristics of an operating system (OS) is bit depth, which will be discussed below.

How to check if your computer is running 32-bit or 64-bit Windows

This is useful for the rational use of computer resources. Historically, 32-bit Windows was the first to appear. Today it is almost not worth using it. You can check the bitness in different ways, but it is worth stopping only at simple approaches.

Method 1. Find out the bit depth through the “System Information”

Follow these steps:

• Enter the query “System Information” in the Windows search bar – launch the found application.
• On the right in the window that appears, look at the “Type” line.
• If it says “x86-based computer”, then it is 32-bit Windows, and if “x64-based computer”, then it is 64-bit.

In this example, “32-bit” and “x86” are synonymous words, but further we will consider another situation. If you find out the bitness of the system in Windows 10, then for sure it will be 64, not 32 bit.

Method 2. Find out the version of the system through My computer

Sequencing:

• Right-click on “My (This) Computer”.
• In the context menu, click on the “Properties” line.
• A new window will appear in which look for the line “System type” or the “System” block – the data is indicated there.

Alternative methods to find out the bitness of Windows

The question “How to determine the bitness of Windows XP” 15 years ago was rare, since only with this OS they began to introduce different bitness. A lot of things have changed and today you can find out information in alternative ways:

1. With sysdm.cpl… Optimal for Windows XP. Hold down the Win + R key combination, enter the sysdm.cpl command in the window that appears, run it by pressing Enter. An information panel will appear, in which you will find the “System” section. If there is no mention of a 64-bit OS, then this is a 32-bit version.
2. Using Explorer… Open “This (My) Computer” and go to the local drive where the system is installed, most often it is indicated by the letter C. If there is a folder “Program Files (x86)”, then this is 64-bit Windows. Under other circumstances – 32-bit.
3. Using informant utilities… There are many paid and free applications that analyze the computer, and then provide the user with all the information about the hardware and software. These are AIDA64, HWiNFO, EVEREST, PC-Wizard, SiSoftware Sandra Lite.

What’s the difference between 32-bit and 64-bit?

It’s easy to figure out how to find out the bitness of the 32 or 64 Windows 7 system, but why do you need it? There are three main reasons:

1. To install suitable software and drivers… The device driver for 64-bit Windows cannot be installed on a 32-bit OS.
2. To use the entire amount of RAM… The bit depth of the system directly affects the size of the RAM that it uses.
3. To take advantage of the capabilities of multi-core processors… Even cheap smartphones use chips with multiple cores. 32-bit is not suitable for current computing architectures.

The existence of 32-bit and 64-bit operating systems was definitely an improvement in processors, in particular their bitness.

What is bitness?

Not the most obvious, but illustrative comparison. Imagine that a computer is a vacuum cleaner that is used not to clean up rubbish, but to clean up information. To speed up the process, you can install a more powerful engine, that is, increase the processor frequency. This was done 40 years ago, but soon the suction power became excessive. They found a simple solution – they made the tube nozzle wider, that is, they increased the bit rate of the processor.

Processor bitness

It is correct to consider it according to three criteria: functional, implementation and typical. However, this is important for programmers and engineers who design chips, and for users, 2 nuances will be key:

1. Multi-core support… At the end of the 20th century, they found a simple way to improve the performance of processors and added “helpers” so that one part of the operations was calculated by one core, and the rest – by another. This requires 64-bit processors and 64-bit software. The previous 32-bit architecture was absolutely unsuitable.
2. Access to a large amount of RAM… It is not known if Bill Gates actually argued in 1981 that “640K should be enough for everyone.” This phrase is notable for the breakthrough that has taken place in recent decades. Nobody thought in 1990 that 4GB of RAM would be very small. However, any 32-bit processor cannot use more than 4 GB of RAM, and any 32-bit OS will not “see” more than 3.5 GB.

It is best to decide before installing the system which bit depth of Windows 7 to choose: 32 or 64 bits. In most cases, stick with progressive 64-bit. It supports up to 8 TB of RAM and makes great use of multi-core.

Differences and advantages of different number of cores

Previously, all processors had one core, and the higher the frequency of that core, the better and more expensive the processor was. However, over time, limitations arose:

• to dramatically change the performance, you need to significantly increase the flow of electricity and heating the chip;
• the increase in frequency required more expensive technological solutions – manufacturers spent more and more money, but the profitability of the business fell.

The creation of two-, three-, four-core processors eliminated these limits, although there was still a software problem at that time. Applications were “unaware” that their requests could be processed in real time across multiple threads. Over the years, they were “taught” to do this, and multithreading has become ubiquitous, although not in all tasks its benefits are proportionate. For example, HD video processing will benefit more from an increase in the number of cores, but this is not so typical for audio processing.

It is important to note the nuance that has arisen thanks to smartphones. They used the differentiation of nuclei – some were intended for complex calculations, and others for simpler ones. This has increased the energy efficiency of the process, a trend that has become characteristic of the world of personal computers. That is, a modern chip with a large number of cores will heat less, it should be cooled less and the PC will become less noisy.

Difference between architecture and bitness

1. Bit depth = bitness.
2. Architecture = principles of data processing.

There are 2 architectures: x86 and ARM. It is important not to confuse the x86 architecture with the x86 bit depth. Historically, 32-bit processors have been designated x86. Almost any chip installed in a stationary PC is x86 architecture – it is described by a large number of instructions and is more difficult to develop.

Almost any smartphone or tablet uses an ARM-based processor. It’s not that fast, but it’s easier for programmers to work with. There is a 99% chance that the chip is in the phone and in the PC it will be 64-bit.

Should you upgrade to x64 if x86 is installed?

If this is an older computer with less than 3.5GB of RAM, then that doesn’t make sense. Such equipment is outdated and there will be no tangible acceleration of work after the transition. Whatever one may say, but it will not be possible to change the bitness of Windows 7 from 32 to 64 without reinstalling the OS, and this is not the easiest procedure, especially on the “old man”.

If a modern computer is running 32-bit Windows, then you definitely need to upgrade to a 64-bit OS. The processor in such a PC will be 64-bit, and 4 GB of RAM has long been the minimum standard. Using an outdated version of Windows under these circumstances is like washing things with your hands when a washing machine is nearby.

If you install 64-bit programs on a 32-bit system

Likewise, if you find tires in your grandfather’s garage that he hasn’t used since he bought it 30 years ago, and put them on a modern car. The rubber will not deteriorate catastrophically over the years, but with regard to the tread pattern, grip level and noise level, this will be a very mediocre decision.

If you want some sophistication, then consider the following:

• a 64-bit processor with hardware virtualization enabled (Intel VT-x or AMD-V) is required;
• you can use virtual machines (Oracle VirtualBox or VMware Workstation) to simulate a 64-bit OS;
• Apple OS has no problem with this, since it uses a hybrid system core.

Why won’t 64-bit Windows install?

This can be influenced by the following factors:

1. Problems with the RAM module. It is possible that it is damaged or not supported by the motherboard.
2. Low disk space. Look that on the partition where the OS will be installed, at least 20 GB of free space.
3. Check the integrity of the OS image. Perhaps it contains data corruption that is not present in the 32-bit Windows image.
4. Make sure the hardware is 64-bit supported. If the PC contains components older than 10 years, then they can block the installation of the modern version of the OS.

Conclusion

Determining the bit depth is elementary. This is still an actual operation, but 32-bit is a “ghost” from the past of IT technologies, which no one will remember in 10 years.