If I upgrade to Windows 7 64bit, can I then upgrade from 4 to 8GB memory?

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Donald G

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Aug 29, 2013
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I have a Packard Bell IMEDIA X2424 AIO desktop PC (bought about 4 years ago) with 2x2GB RAM which i want to upgrade to 2x4GB. It has...

Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600
PB mcp73vt-pm motherboard
Windows 7 32bit (upgraded from Vista 32bit)

The computer is sold with a 32bit os so all I can find online is people saying not to go over the 4gb limit. But if I upgrade to 64bit, will the motherboard take the extra ram? I need to edit some HD video and I reckon the processor will just about hold up - it's just shame about the lack of ram.

Thanks in advance for any info, this is pretty new to me.
 
Solution
quilciri
Unfortunately, no. Your motherboard does not support more than 4gb.
http://www.findlaptopdriver.com/mainboard-packard-bell-bv-mcp73vt-pm-specifications/

However, the upgrade to 64 bit windows is still worthwhile, as the 4gb limit in a 32 bit OS includes both system and video memory. If you have or plan on adding a discrete card for video editing, you need a 64 bit OS to address all the memory you have available.
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quilciri

quilciri

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Unfortunately, no. Your motherboard does not support more than 4gb.
http://www.findlaptopdriver.com/mainboard-packard-bell-bv-mcp73vt-pm-specifications/

However, the upgrade to 64 bit windows is still worthwhile, as the 4gb limit in a 32 bit OS includes both system and video memory. If you have or plan on adding a discrete card for video editing, you need a 64 bit OS to address all the memory you have available.
 
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Solution
neieus

neieus

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There are two ways to handle this... first you can't upgrade to a 64-bit operating system it would have to be a clean install. However you could use Physical Address Extension to extend the amount of ram a 32-bit operating system can see and use. The better idea would be to just install a 64-bit OS to be future proof.
 
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Donald G

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Aug 29, 2013
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Thanks for your response, that makes thing much clearer! That's annoying about the ram but I'll go ahead and do a clean install of the 64bit version.
 
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petermicrolab

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If you are simply looking for performance improvement for a laptop, try SSD drives. I have about 3-4 laboratories with about 12 computers in them, some getting a bit old. I was thinking of upgrading them somehow, tried to put in a better processor (at the limit of the inherent motherboard), but performance increase was not noticeable. Then I started toying with SSD's, and have now clone the contents of the hard drive onto SSD's, and replaced the standard 7,200/5,400 RPM HD with SSDs, and the performance boost is amazing. Then I bought a new laptop, and noticed the price difference between a laptop with a standard hard drive vs. with an SSD was >2x the cost of an SSD itself, so I bought an laptop with a standard disc hard drive, used if for about 2 weeks, then bought an SSD and did the cloning and switch out, and it's so much better/faster/battery lasts longer/doesn't get hot on the bottom....multiple benefits from that 1 change.
 
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petermicrolab

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The 32-bit seats 4 Gb only using about 3.4 Gb or so. But yes, the 64-bit can go 'up to' 32-Gb, but that is deceiving as I believe the various OS 'flavors' have different levels of supported memory: Windows 7 Home, Business, Enterprise, Professional, Ultimate. So beware that they all may not support 32-Gb (even though you aren't looking for that much memory).



 
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aidll 1974A

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