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32 or 64-bit Version - Which if both can be run?

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Last response: in Windows 7
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I feel like a complete idiot.

My system:

Asus P5W DH Deluxe (MB)
Intel Core 2 6700 (2.66Ghz CPU)
Corsair PC2-6400 DDR2 (800) 1gig x 2
Micron Tech PC2-4300 DDR2 (533) 1gig x 2
Radeon X1950 (Graphics)

I'm not too thrilled with the performance of my machine. It was okay back when I was running XP (32-bit) and just a few apps, but today I am running Windows 7 (32-bit) and apps for video and graphic work, as well as doing VS 2010 C# programming and VB6 programming tasks.

Looking at my Windows Experience Index (5.5), I'm thinking I need to get more out of this machine somehow. Below are the scores:

Processor: 6.1
RAM: 6.1
Graphics: 5.9
Gaming Graphics: 5.9
Hard Disk: 5.5

One of the biggest issues my system has is that it often appears slow in refreshing the darn icons on the desktop and folders. Who wants to sit there watching icons paint?

There are lots of hesitations during the course of using this machine, in that I can double-click something and not realize that it took. So sometimes I'll do it again thinking it didn't take and end up running the app more than once (multiple instances).

So why do I feel like an idiot?

To begin with, I did NOT realize when I upgraded to Windows 7 Ultimate 32-bit last year that my machine appears to be a 64-bit machine! I have both the 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows 7 Ultimate. Am I correct in that my machine is in fact a 64-bit machine?

Would I get better performance installing the 64-bit version of Windows Ultimate?

PS: As for the Windows Experience rating, I realize that I need to get a faster hard drive in order to bump up the rating as that is my lowest rating. I just provided all this information in case someone wants to give me some recommendations along with the answer to my Windows 7 question.

THANKS IN ADVANCE!

More about : bit version run

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You have to make a choice - as you have to do a full install of Win 7 - unless you want to mess around with a dual boot system! I would suggest going to the 64b version as the 32b version limits you to a max usable memory of about 3+ gigs. With the way things are going - too much memory is not enough!

That said, I'm finding Win7 to be a real slow-poke: Running an over-clocked Intel quad core processor with a good vid card with a freekin' GIG of video ram, and the redraws are awful.

Also installed a fast 10,000 rpm drive on which Win7 is installed, and still can't get better than a 5.6 on the drive performance. They don't call it "Windoze" for nothing!

=Alan R.

Further comment: Get to Win7 (64b) and up your ram to 4G min. I went to 8G from 4 and didn't really see any big diff. The system shows 52% ram usage (G15 kbd display) but it also showed close to that with 4G. Go figure! But 2g seems a bit light.

=A.

Best solution

Windows 7 Authority

Whether you use the 32-bit or 64-bit flavor of Win 7, your WEI scores are likely to change a lot (if at all). Regardless, the 64-bit version will use your system memory better and supports 32-bit apps just fine. I recommend you perform a clean install of Win 7 64-bit and enjoy!

Last, be sure to download the current 64-bit drivers for your rig before you install the new, clean, pristine 64-bit OS.

Good luck!

Harrzack said:
Further comment: Get to Win7 (64b) and up your ram to 4G min. I went to 8G from 4 and didn't really see any big diff. The system shows 52% ram usage (G15 kbd display) but it also showed close to that with 4G. Go figure! But 2g seems a bit light.

=A.


Thanks.

However, as you can see from my system info, I already have 4 gigs. ;) 
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