Time to go to 64bit from 32bit but have a basic ?'s

adapa

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Mar 12, 2007
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I currently have Vista Ultimate 32 bit installed. I've had been in this computer for awhile so would rather not do a wipe & reinstall. However I'd like to go with Vista 64bit now.

Do I have to reformat & do a complete reinstall to get 64bit?
 
Yes. If you use the same HD. Buy a new SATA HD and install Vista 64 on it and have a dual boot with 32 and64. When you have transfered any random files you may need to the 64 installation and no longer need Vista 32, format it as a storage drive.
 


Or if you don't have too many files you need to save just burn them to DVD.
 
I think my son saved his files on his ipod when I swapped out his 4800X2 and gave him my Q6600 last night. When I swapped my P5B 965 Deluxe out for my Maximus Formula x38, I just kept the Raptor with Win XP Pro intact (it was a dual boot with Vista 32). Easy build I did for him, the Q6600/965 in an Antec 900 case. My son will probably fill the 74Gb Raptor in no time though. I have a new 300Gb maxtor in retail box I was going to use for OS drive, but it was too easy the way I did it.
 

adapa

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thanks Badge- very informative. Yeah, as second drive & duel booting is the way to go until I get all the data off. I've already got two 500 gig SATA HD's in the rig. It's a Q6600 that I built last spring.
I do video & like room-

A basic question that I haven't found an answer to;

If I install Vista64bit on my second 'D' drive, eventually that will become my primary but won't it be my secondary? is it possible to change it to my primary maybe even with a 'C' designation at a later date?

Any duel boot vista issues or links?

Other than that is it really as simple as wiping my D drive & installing V64bit to it? :D

Thanks you again for the great idea!

 
After you have an OS installed on two seperate hard drives, when booting up windows should ask which drive you wish to boot from. Or when powering on a designated 'F' key would bring up the 'boot' selection and you could choose which drive to boot from. You can then select which hard drive to boot from, that's how my two dual boot systems work.