How to find out the bitness of the operating system and processor in Windows. How to find out how many bits the system is? And what about the amount of RAM?

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 on 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 the components of 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 are planning 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. File formats such as music or video are not affected.

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 only relevant for larger memory sizes: 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 is as always. 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 etc. 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, there will be no problems with modern devices - as usual, we insert the driver disk 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 the disk is missing or does not have a 64-bit driver, you must visit the official website of the developer of the 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 identified without difficulty. On the packaging, the system requirements usually indicate that this program is 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.

Microsoft's Windows comes in many flavors with subtle differences. They are visible only at the moment when we need to choose between a 32-bit or 64-bit system. When it comes to choosing the appropriate version, the lack of knowledge about these types of OS leaves us perplexed.

Microsoft began releasing 64-bit systems shortly after the launch of the beloved Windows XP. It had the longest service life - about 14 years.

Historical information confirms the fact that the very first implementation of 64-bit systems was UNICOS - a Unix-like system created in 1985 by the supercomputer Cray Inc. Today, many operating systems - Mac OS X, Windows, Solaris and Google's latest Android - are based on the 64-bit version.

32-bit and 64-bit operating systems support a specific type of processor architecture and are named accordingly. A 32-bit OS uses the resources supported by a 32-bit processor (such as an Intel x86). The same applies to a 64-bit system.

What does "bit" mean? The smallest piece of data is known as a bit or binary code. This is what the computer understands, so each bit can have only one value - 0 or 1. The device stores data in the form of sets of such bits, called bytes. 8 bits make up one byte or octet.

Something about 32 and 64-bit processors

The processor or CPU contains registers and logic circuits. It is also called the brain of the computer. The processor register size is 32-bit on a 32-bit CPU and similar on a 64-bit CPU:

• the number of values ​​that the CPU stores in registers is 2 32. These values ​​are used to map the address of memory cells present in the physical memory. So, 2 32 = 4 gigabytes is the amount of RAM that a 32-bit processor can access;
• The 64-bit register stores the values ​​2 64. These correspond to 16 EB (exabytes) of OP. Compared to 4 GB of memory, this is much more.

Moreover, a 32-bit processor can process 4 bytes of data in one cycle, since 8 bits equal 1 byte. Thus, if the data being processed is larger than 4 bytes, the CPU must start another loop to move on to the remaining data.

In the case of the 64-bit version, all data, if it is less than 8 bytes, can be processed at once. Even if there are more of them, the processing process will not take much time. You won't see much of a difference in your daily use of the device unless you're used to running multiple large apps at the same time.

Nowadays, 32-bit processors are almost obsolete. Even a 10 or 12 year old computer on 64-bit architecture would perform better. This processor has more cores, which speeds up its processing power without increasing the size of the hardware.

Differences between 64-bit and 32-bit Windows

Now you know that 64-bit operating systems are designed to support more RAM, so 32-bit ones are significantly inferior to them in this regard. Heavy applications such as image editing programs, AutoCAD and games will run much better on a computer with 16 exabytes of RAM, at least in theory. The limit of physical memory that a system can access also depends on the type of motherboard and its functional limitations. In fact, you don't need hundreds of gigs of RAM to play games.

Compared to 32-bit Windows, which requires 1 GB of RAM, the minimum amount of RAM required for the 64-bit version is 2 GB. This is obvious because supporting more registers requires adequate memory.

The computer must have at least 4 GB of RAM if you want it to run 64-bit Windows. The Home version of the Tens supports up to 128GB of memory, while the Pro supports up to 2048GB! This way you can increase the virtual memory to the maximum. For Windows 10 users, Microsoft recommends at least 8 GB of RAM.

There is another reason that explains the widespread adoption of 64-bit OS: today it is much more difficult to map files in physical memory. This is due to the fact that their average size increases each time and is usually more than 4 gigabytes.

Note! The only thing you need to keep in mind is that don't expect miracles. To fully enjoy the power of a 64-bit computer, you need to install the appropriate version of Windows. In addition, the drivers and applications used must also support the new architecture.

Windows for 64-bit processors has a Kernel Patch Protection feature that blocks unsupported changes to the kernel and also prevents data from being processed at the hardware level. A digital signature is required for all drivers. This way, the system blocks the installation of modified versions that could be used to embed malware.

Many legacy applications and drivers may not work on 64-bit Windows. To solve this problem, some developers and companies have released new versions of their products with improved compatibility.

Mozilla released a 64-bit version of the Firefox browser back in December 2015. The rate of adoption of more powerful Windows has increased significantly over the past decade.

How can I check if my OS is 32 or 64 bit?

You can easily find out.

Note! To conclude this section, we recommend moving to , as you need to account for future problem situations. These days, almost every computer comes with a 64-bit processor. So you can already harness its power.

If you have a 64-bit device running a 32-bit operating system, you're wasting the computing resources you paid for. As for the availability of programs and applications, their number is increasing every day.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages of 64-bit systems:

• ability to use more RAM;
• improved efficiency. When the optional RAM is installed, 32-bit systems cannot take advantage of it due to address space limitations. But 64-bit systems are capable of this, which often leads to a significant increase in computer performance;
• more virtual memory. The 64-bit Windows architecture can theoretically offer 8 TB of virtual memory for a single application. 32-bit is limited to 2 GB. Modern programs, especially games, video and photo editors, require more OP. Thanks to more efficient memory allocation on a 64-bit processor, applications optimized for this architecture can take full advantage of the new space;
• additional security features. The 64-bit version provides additional security in the form of D.E.P hardware, kernel protection features and improved drivers.

It is important to consider the disadvantages, which include the following:

• possible driver incompatibility. Even though the 64-bit OS supports more and more programs, for those still using old, reliable and often functional hardware, moving to a new architecture can be quite painful. It is unlikely that 64-bit drivers are available for older systems and hardware;
• some limitations of the motherboard OP. Most often, the latter supports early 64-bit processors, but does not offer the use of more than 4 GB of RAM. You can experience some of the benefits of a 64-bit processor, although without access to more RAM. It might be time to update your OS;
• problems with old applications. The software will most likely not make the transition to 64-bit architecture. Older tools, including 16-bit ones, require virtualization. Otherwise, it will take you time to update them.

Why was 64-bit architecture developed?

The main reason for the development was to satisfy the ever-increasing demands from servers. The latter process hundreds of requests simultaneously and use terabytes of databases. Servers also access information in an almost random order, so it is necessary to store as much of it in memory as possible.

Why not use 64-bit processors when developing various applications and programs? In the days of 16-bit architectures, memory was a major concern for developers. With the advent of 32-bit systems, speed became a priority. As a result, 64-bit devices offered better performance. Every year we need more and more memory to play audio, video, games, etc., so the development of a new architecture is not far off.

Running 32-bit applications on a 64-bit computer

If we look at what happens when running a 32-bit application on a 64-bit device, we see that the CPU has switched to what is called 32-bit compatibility mode, in which it behaves like any 32-bit processor.

However, the system constantly jumps between applications several thousand times per second. This jumping is called a “schedule”. Every time the scheduler moves from one application to another, it also needs to switch the CPU mode between 64-bit and 32-bit, which invariably takes some time. This extra time may seem insignificant, but it still affects the performance of the device.

Among other things, any application interacts with the operating system because it needs to use some services. However, since the OS is 64-bit, the interaction request must first be converted from 32 to 64-bit mode, and then launched in the “Dispatcher”.

Don't be afraid to open 32-bit applications on a 64-bit operating system. If there is any slowdown, it will be minimal.

Video - Which Windows to install, 32 or 64 bit and what is the difference

There are two most common architectures for computer processors, amd64 and i386, or as they are simply called 32 and 64 bits. The first was developed at the very beginning of the computer era and had some drawbacks. The second is more modern and created relatively recently. New computer users often wonder what is better, 32 or 64 bit, as well as which system architecture to choose for their computer.

In this article we will try to fully answer this question, we will look in detail at how a 64-bit system differs from a 32-bit system, what is the fundamental difference between these architectures, and also why you should choose one option or another.

First of all, it must be said that 32 bit or x86 or i386 are almost the same thing, and this is the processor architecture, and the operating system is designed to work on this architecture. The x86 architecture was first used in Intel processors. This name was derived from the first processors where it was used - Intel 80386. Later, processors from AMD began to support it and x86 became the standard for personal computers. Then it was improved and refined, but that’s not the point.

64 bit architecture

The 64-bit architecture was developed much later by AMD. This architecture is also called x86-64 or amd64. Despite the name, it is also supported by Intel and AMD processors. It is fully compatible with x32. The difference between them is mainly in bit depth, but we will look at what this is in much more detail below.

What is the difference between 64 and 32 bits?

To understand the difference between 32 bits and 64, you need to dive even further into the basics. The processor is the most important component of a computer; it can even be called the brain. It is the processor that operates all the data that we want to process, controls external devices, sends commands to them, receives information from them and interacts with memory. During execution, the processor needs to store all addresses and instructions somewhere, and no, not in RAM, because addresses in RAM also need to be stored somewhere.

To solve this problem, each processor contains several dozen ultra-fast memory cells, they are also called registers, each of these cells has its own purpose, name and specific size. What is the difference between 32 bit and 64? It's the size that matters. For 32-bit processors, the size of one cell is 32 bits. In 64-bit architecture processors, the register size is no longer 32, but 64. The larger the cell size, the more data it can accommodate, which means the resource address space can be larger.

Thus, 32-bit architecture processors could only access addresses within the 2^32 power. A larger address simply will not fit in the cell. This limitation is most noticeable when working with RAM. This range only includes memory up to 2^32 bits or 4 GB; the processor cannot read anything higher without special emulation by the operating system.

A processor with a register size of 64 bits can access addresses up to 2 ^ 64, and this is much more, if converted into conventional values, then this is 1 EB (exabyte) or a billion gigabytes. In fact, no other operating system, not even Linux, supports such an amount of RAM. Compared to 4 GB, this is a very big difference.

But that's not all. In one cycle of operation, a processor with a register size of 32 bits can process 32 bits or 4 bytes of data, 1 byte equals 8 bits. Thus, if the data size exceeds 4 bytes, the processor will have to perform several cycles to process it. If the processor is 64-bit, then the size of the data to be processed in one cycle doubles and is now 8 bytes. Even if the data is larger than 8 bytes, the processor will equally need less time to process it.

But during real-world use, you're unlikely to notice much of a performance boost unless, of course, you're running very heavy applications. In addition to everything described, there are many other differences between 32 and 64 bit systems. These architectures still differ in many ways. The 64-bit architecture is more optimized, designed for newer hardware, multitasking and very fast work. These days, all processors operate in 64-bit mode, but support 32-bit for compatibility in emulation mode. But you shouldn’t immediately run and reinstall the system to 64 bit because it is better, and below we will look at why.

Should I choose x32 or x64?

Now you know how a 64-bit system differs from a 32-bit system. There is a lot of debate among users about which architecture to use. Some say that only 64, others advocate x32. As you understand from what was written above, everything depends on RAM. If you have less than four gigabytes, then you can use 32 bits, if more, then you need to use 64 bits so that the system can see all the memory. Yes, there are PAE extensions that allow the processor to see more than 4 gigabytes, but it will be much faster if the system works with memory directly, without any hacks.

Perhaps you have a question: why not use 64-bit architecture if the memory is less than 4 gigabytes? Since the size of the processor registers is larger, everything stored in RAM automatically becomes larger, program instructions take up more, and metadata and addresses stored in RAM take up more.

And this all means that if you install a 64-bit system on a computer with less than 4 GB of RAM, then you will have very little RAM. You will not notice a performance increase, it will only get worse, because part of the RAM will go to the disk in the swap partition. and the speed of working with a disk, as you understand, is very different from the speed of RAM.

Even if you have 4 GB, it is not advisable to use 64 bits, because there will not be enough memory. By modern standards, this is already small for a personal computer, but you can reduce it even more by using this architecture. In the end, you can use PAE technology, this option can be enabled in the Linux kernel to access all four gigabytes of 32 bits. This will be completely justified.

But if you have 6 GB or more, then it is no longer advisable to use PAE here; it is better to use a normal 64-bit architecture, fortunately there is enough memory. and the processor is designed specifically for it.

Conclusions

In this article, we looked at the differences between 32 and 64 and now you can choose the right system so that it works with optimal performance. What do you think is better to use for certain amounts of RAM? If everything is clear with 3 GB and 6, then 4 GB is causing a lot of controversy, what is your opinion? Write in the comments!

To conclude, a short video about the differences between 64-bit processors and 32-bit processors; in the video, the emphasis is on mobile processors, but the technology is the same:

If we talk about the difference between 32-bit and 64-bit systems, we must take into account 64-bit calculations, which are important for improving the performance of the computer. Our addressing will be 64-bit, which can support large amounts of memory. For 64-bit operating systems, a register with a width of 64 bits is used.

It also has a 64-bit data type. operating system addresses information on its files using 64-bit addressing (thanks to which the maximum volume is supported, i.e. the memory becomes sixteen exabytes, before that it was four GB). The difference between the systems lies in buses and addressing. For example, this is memory addressing, it is usually in the range of forty or forty-eight bits.

If your operating system is 64 bit, you need to use a 64 bit processor. Typically, 64-bit computers work with 32-bit programs without problems. This work is called “compatibility mode”, it is very necessary due to the fact that 64-bit programs are quite rare. In this case, the CPU simply switches to 32-bit mode. If we run a 32-bit operating system and use 64-bit programs, these applications may fail, and the CPU will start working in the so-called legacy mode. 32-bit programs on 64-bit operating systems usually work with the same performance, and on a 64-bit OS, 64-bit programs will significantly increase the speed of your system. This is an obvious difference between the systems.

Difference between systems - advantages and disadvantages

Advantages of 64 bit

• The 32-bit OS has a maximum RAM support limit of 4 GB. In reality, there is less memory, around 3.5 GB, because... Part of the memory is used for the needs of the system. 64 bit OS uses that RAM, the board of which is located on your motherboard, i.e. almost anyone.

• 64-bit systems use large files more efficiently than 32-bit systems. For example, when working with a five GB file, a 32-bit operating system will have to load it in parts, because she only has access to three gigabytes of RAM. Some scientific programs do not produce accurate data when working with 32-bit systems, so you have to use only 64-bit OS to work with them.

Disadvantages of 64 bit

First, the structure of this memory is different, it has increased its maximum capacity, but applications for it are currently quite rare. With such memory, as mentioned earlier, it is advantageous to work with 64-bit software.

Secondly, not all 64-bit software can work with 32-bit software. Drivers are a layer between the OS and the mechanical parts of the computer; most of them will not work at full capacity on 32-bit operating systems. Using most devices like a scanner, printer, and sound card can be difficult if you don't find a 64-bit driver for them.

How much memory do you need?

As mentioned earlier, a 64-bit OS will not only increase the RAM capacity, but also increase the efficiency of Windows 7 and Windows 8.

• The OS will be less likely to swap files to a memory file on the hard drive, because The RAM capacity will increase (if there is insufficient RAM memory, the OS pumps files to the hard drive). I would like to note that the data transfer speed in the RAM itself is much higher than in the hard drive, which is what increases the speed of your PC.

Windows 7, 8 often uses additional. memory thanks to the SuperFetch application, which preloads information in order of importance (the most frequently used programs are buffered into memory after the operating system has finished loading). Thanks to this, programs will launch very quickly.

4 - 8 GB RAM cards are quite affordable today, so it is recommended to install at least one 4 GB RAM card in your PC. Advanced users today use 8 gigabytes for 64-bit systems. A 2 GB memory card is quite popular, but when working with 64-ton systems you will not get an increase in computer performance.

To speed up your Windows installation, I recommend:- Computer accelerator.

Problems with 32-bit Windows

As mentioned earlier, 32-bit will not provide the full capacity of 4 gigabytes of RAM installed in your computer, because... Computer elements and components will require a memory capacity of up to 4 GB of a 32-bit system. A 512 MB video card will require this capacity to be tied to RAM, this will reduce the amount of available memory. Typically, the OS reduces memory to 3.12 gigabytes. Often the memory capacity is even smaller.

Driver problems

Since the drivers work between the computer nodes and the OS, it is impossible to install 32-bit drivers on a 64-bit system, even if most 32-bit programs function without problems in a 64-bit operating system. Therefore, when switching to 64-bit, you need to carefully check 32-bit drivers to ensure they work on a 64-bit system. You can temporarily install 64-bit on your PC and see how it works. Check its functionality. Microsoft allows you to work with this system for free for 30 days. You can activate it later. How can you update drivers? find out from the link...

Windows XP and windows 7-8

You can use Windows XP drivers for Windows 7-8 (this is not for a 64-bit OS). The 32-bit Windows XP driver for a sound card or game console mostly functions without problems in Windows 7-8 x32. But it will not be able to work with a 64-bit OS, because... Windows 7-8 will not install an unsigned driver properly.

Conclusion: It’s up to you to decide whether to install a 32-bit or 64-bit system, but many programs have already switched to 64-bit, and if you need high speed for your OS, you’ll have to switch to windows x64! A 32-bit system will not give you such results!

I hope you received the necessary information and understood the difference between 32-bit and 64-bit systems.

Friends, if you decide to reinstall the system, I suggest you install it not on a regular HDD, but on an SSD, as I did. Buy it You can go to AliExpress. Disks on a page range from 120 to 960 GB, i.e., actually 1 TB. Judging by the description, the disk is suitable for both Computers and (laptops).

From the screenshot you can see the disk volumes. If you need to install the system, it is enough to purchase a disk with a capacity of 120 GB. If it’s a full-fledged hard drive, then, at your discretion, from 480 to 960 GB. Why do I recommend installing Windows on a solid-state hard drive? Your system will boot in seconds! If you purchase a 1TB disk, all your programs will work!

A simple computer user can work for a long time with the installed Windows operating system and not even think about what its bit depth is. However, as time passes, he will need to install a program on his computer that can only work with a 64-bit version of Windows, and problems will arise here if the current operating system is x32 or x86. In this regard, the question may arise: how to find out the bitness of Windows? Let's answer it and take a closer look at the differences between the 32- and 64-bit versions of the operating system.

The basic versions of the Windows operating system were developed a long time ago, and with the release of new software options from Microsoft, they were only further developed. In fact, 32-bit (32-bit) operating systems are already a thing of the past, and they are rarely used, only in cases where the computer’s hardware does not support 64-bit Windows.

The bits themselves, in relation to the Windows operating system, are the way the computer's central processing unit processes information. RAM is used as the information processed, and 32-bit Windows can work with no more than 3.5 GB of RAM, while on 64-bit this limit is about 200 GB. With the development of the power of programs and their demands on RAM, computers began to en masse switch to a 64-bit operating system.

The main disadvantage of a 64-bit system is its demands on the computer's central processor. If a PC has a 32-bit central processor, it will in no way be able to run a 64-bit operating system, meaning it cannot support more than 3.5 GB of RAM.

Many computer users who choose the operating system bit size when installing Windows are misled by the lack of a 32-bit version. This is due to the fact that the 32-bit version of Windows for a 64-bit processor is designated as x86, not x32. You can figure out what this is connected with only if you study the processes of interaction between the operating system and computer hardware. The user just needs to remember that 32-bit and 86-bit operating systems are practically no different, and only the 64-bit version of the software can handle more than 3.5 GB of RAM.

If your computer's central process supports a 64-bit version of Windows, you must select that version during installation. It should be understood that the 32-bit version of the operating system is a thing of the past, and here are just some confirmations of this:

After the 64-bit version of Windows is released, you should install the 32-bit version only if the processor or drivers for it do not support working with a 64-bit operating system.

How to find out the bitness of Windows installed on your computer?

You can determine the bit depth of the version of Windows installed on your computer using a dozen third-party applications. There are ways to find out the x32, x64 or x86 version of the operating system installed on your computer using standard Windows tools.

First way

You can find out the Windows bit depth on your computer through the system information menu:

Second way

Third way

View the system capacity through “System Information”:

You can see that it is quite simple to find out the bitness of the operating system, and this must be done if there is a desire to expand the amount of RAM on the computer. You will also need to know the bit depth of the operating system if you want to reinstall the operating system.

Video instructions