Difference between 32 bit and 64 bit

The terms 32-bit and 64-bit refer to the way a computer's processor (also called a CPU), handles information. The 64-bit version of Windows handles large amounts of random access memory (RAM) more effectively than a 32-bit system.

To install a 64-bit version of Windows Vista, you need a processor that's capable of running a 64-bit version of Windows.

Benefits of 64 Bit

The benefits of using a 64-bit operating system are most apparent when you have a large amount of random access memory (RAM) installed on your computer (typically 4 GB of RAM or more). In such cases, because a 64-bit operating system can handle large amounts of memory more efficiently than a 32-bit operating system, a 64-bit operating system can be more responsive when running several programs at the same time and switching between them frequently.

The 32-bit limitation for RAM access is @ 4 GB which means as soon as Windows needs more working memory it has to swap out information in temporary free space created on the hard drive (referred to as the swap file) and this is only if you have that much RAM installed.

Since most of us have much less than 4 GB of RAM, we are using the hard drive much more often for working memory, which is why we often find ourselves waiting for the computer to respond to our requests

Logically 64-bit system has the capabilities of utilizing a huge amount of RAM. But, Windows 7 can support up to 192 GB of physical memory, where the Windows 7 32-bit is only capable to use 3 GB RAM. That means if you install RAM more than 3 GB, it does not works in 32-bit system and the the rest of the RAM just goes wasted.In the case of 64-bit system, as it handles a huge amount of physical memory length, the time of swapping the  processes in the RAM is minimized. This means that your 64-bit Windows 7 performs faster than its 32-bit version.

Kernel Patch Protection is another feature of 64-bit version which adds a better security in Windows. It prevents the malicious programs from updating or patching the Windows 7 kernel. That means any third party tool can not modify the kernel services. This feature is not available in the 32-bit version of Windows 7. Where security is a mandatory requirement for the system, 64-bit version of Windows 7 is more preferable.

To find out if your computer is running 32-bit or 64-bit Windows, do the following:

1.    Open System by clicking the Start button , clicking Control Panel, clicking System and Maintenance, and then clicking System.

2.    Under System, you can view the system type.

Eventually, if you are running the 64-bit Windows 7 in your computer then you can see two folders in the Program files location. 1. Program files 2. Program Files (x86). All the programs that are compatible with 32-bit will go to the later one.

To check whether your system is 64 Bit capable

To run a 64-bit version of Windows, your computer must have a 64-bit-capable processor. To find out if your processor is 64-bit-capable, do the following:

1.    Open Performance Information and Tools by clicking the Start button , clicking Control Panel, clicking System and Maintenance, and then clicking Performance Information and Tools.

2.    Click View and print details.

3.    In the System section, you can see what type of operating system you're currently running under System type. Under 64-bit capable, you can see whether you can run a 64-bit version of Windows. (If your computer is already running a 64-bit version of Windows, you won't see the 64-bit capable listing.)

Problems with 64 Bits

If the program is specifically designed for the 64-bit version of Windows, it won't work on the 32-bit version of Windows. (However, most programs designed for the 32-bit version of Windows will work on the 64-bit version of Windows.)

Device drivers designed for the 64-bit version of Windows won't work on computers running a 32-bit version of Windows.

In order for a 64-bit version of Windows to be of value to you, you will also need

a 64-bit processor and

64-bit versions of the software that you plan to run.

Without the two, you would be wasting your time.

Additionally, the 64-bit version of Windows can run faster because it can address more physical memory (generally referred to as RAM – Random Access Memory) and avoid using the much slower hard drive for active memory needs.

Research to ensure that whatever you install including your printer, scanner or digital camera software will not cause a problem on 64-bit Windows versions, your likely better off sticking to the 32-bit version that provides less headaches.

Windows users can get a 64-bit version of Internet Explorer, but if you use other popular browsers like Chrome, Firefox, or Opera, then you're going to have to go 32-bit. In fact, if you're a dedicated Firefox user, you may want to think twice before making the 64-bit switch. Although Firefox is supposed to work on a 64-bit system, some Firefox users say the have had to resort to Windows 7's XP mode just to get Firefox to open, while others could only run the browser in Windows 7 if they were logged in as an administrator, according to this recent forum post.

But even if you're an IE fan and want to use the browser's 64-bit flavor, there's one major problem: Adobe Flash -- the browser plug-in responsible for most online video and animation does not offer 64 bit support.