Need some expert advice

[joe tornetta]

Hello,
I have labtop with windows 7 64 bit os, i3 2.26 gb, and 4gb of memory; I want to run Revit software, but the 64 bit program will use more memory and they recommend i5 processor.
The 32 bit program recommends 4gb of memory and a pentium 4 dual core at 3ghz.

My question is if i install the 32 bit program on the 64 bit machine, will it matter as far as the amount of ram memory and processor and run as if on a 32 bit machine, or should I try to upgrade this labtop?

 

[chippies]

The 32-bit version should run just fine on 64-bit Windows. I've got a lot of 32-bit apps running happily on my Windows 7 PC.

I'd think that you should be ok on the processor specs since the Core i3 is a newer, faster generation of processors compared to the older Pentium 4's, and you have hyperthreading.

That said, are you planning on working with large and complex models? If that's the case then Autodesk recommends 16GB of RAM and a Core i7 2600, meaning get a desktop or a really expensive laptop. If you are sticking to smaller models, I think your laptop will be fine.

 

[geofelt]

A 32 bit program can not use more than 4gb, so it is logical that 4gb should be the recommended size. If you use the program on a 64 bit machine with more ram, it will probably still use only 4gb max.

Since ram is so cheap these days, why not upgrade to the max ram available and use the 64 bit version of the program?
I suspect that the 64 bit enabled app will use the extra ram as workspace, reducing hard drive i/o and making it run faster.

 

[joe tornetta]

Hello,
I have labtop with windows 7 64 bit os, i3 2.26 gb, and 4gb of memory; I want to run Revit software, but the 64 bit program will use more memory and they recommend i5 processor.
The 32 bit program recommends 4gb of memory and a pentium 4 dual core at 3ghz.

My question is if i install the 32 bit program on the 64 bit machine, will it matter as far as the amount of ram memory and processor and run as if on a 32 bit machine, or should I try to upgrade this labtop?

Thanks to both for anwering and you both have valid points; new development is the DVD that the program comes on is a combined 32/64 bit and the install process recognizes your OS (64bit) and will only install that. I have heard there is a way to force the 32 bit install but it is way beyond anything I want to deal with I think. So I could add up to 8 gb of ram but I still have the i3 processor and the program recommends an i5. The Revit models will be student work models, drawings, and renderings so not real complex I think these specs will be fine for that. So I will either upgrade the memory to 8 or get a new laptop with 8gb and the i5.

Thanks again

 

[geofelt]

I think you want to stick with the 64 bit version of both the program and windows, regardless.

Windows-7 64 bit will see all of your current 4gb. The 32 bit version of windows would only be able to use about 3.5gb because of 32 bit mapping restraints.

Adding a 4gb stick to your current laptop will cost you <$20, and it seems to me to be a good thing to do. It can't hurt, and may help a bunch.