What is the difference between 32 bit and 64 bit OS?

When you need to install software on a personal computer, questions constantly arise about the type of OS. It is known that all types of OS Windows families divided into 32-bit and 64-bit. But not everyone knows if there are differences between them. In fact, there are, of course, certain differences, but a simple user is unlikely to notice them. Moreover, the difference is so small that it does not play any role either for functionality or for appearance interface. Let's list the differences:

1. The number of bits affects the digits of the numbers that are involved in the operation of the OS.
2. The number of bits reflects the precision of the complex level calculations being performed. But at the same time, none of these properties has any effect on the operation process. personal computer at home or in the office. However, in order to remove all restrictions for users, Microsoft has decided to release programs for the OS in different versions.

And the main thing is important for the user:

1. Quantity random access memory which he can use on the computer.
   It is the amount of RAM that determines the speed of computer processes. 32-bit operating systems use RAM, whose volume usually does not exceed 4 gigabytes. In the event that the user wants to use a larger volume, he must install a 64-bit system. It should be noted that today 32-bit operating systems from Windows are most widely used, since most of the software is produced specifically for this type of operating system. If a decision is made to switch to a 64-bit OS system, then the user must carefully and carefully reinstall the driver for each device used by the computers. This may cause some difficulties and inconvenience.

How to determine the number of bits in Windows?

1 way

If there is a need to find out the type of system installed on the PC, we recommend that you do this:

1. Open the menu "Start"
2. Choose a tab "Installed Programs".
3. Follow the section "Standard",
4. From there to "Service".

A window will pop up in front of you, where you must click on the "System Information" option. A table will appear on the screen, at the top of which the desired parameter will be displayed. Please note that the number of bits is displayed at the beginning of the table if the PC is running a 64-bit system. If the table does not necessary information, then most likely the PC has a 32-bit (the most common and popular) system.

2 way

1. Click "Start"
2. "Control Panel"
3. We find the icon there "System" and press it

In the panel that opens, there will be an option "System type" which will explicitly indicate how much bit Windows you have

.

In some cases, you may need to know how many bits: 32 or 64 Windows installed on the user's computer Windows. This question is especially relevant for those who like to play modern games. computer games, since it is the latter that most often require a certain bit depth of the operating environment. When installing a device driver, you may also need to know what type Windows you have installed.

Windows type definitions

You can find out what type of bit depth your Windows belongs to using certain steps. The article will just talk about those methods that allow you to determine the bit depth in different versions of Windows. It should be said that all of them are quite simple and do not require practically any skills from the user.

What is bit depth (bit depth)

Before starting to answer the question how to find out the bitness of the system 32 or 64”, you need to figure out what it is - bitness. The bitness (bit depth) of a hardware device is its ability to process a specified number of bits at the same time. That is, how much information, for example, the processor processes per unit of time depends on this value. It is clear that the greater the bit depth, the higher the speed of operation.

Operating system types

Depending on the bit depth, today there are two types of Windows systems:

• 32-bit (or x 86) is the traditional type used to this day;
• 64-bit (or x64) - on this moment the most common and promoted version.

An important difference between these versions of operating systems is not only the support for the respective types of processors, but also the ability to work with a certain amount of RAM. For example, for the 32-bit version of Windows, the maximum allowable amount of "RAM" is limited to 3.5 GB. At the same time, its modern 64-bit counterpart can be increased up to 200 GB. With all this, visually determine what kind of version Windows, most likely will not work: they are absolutely identical.

So, how to see how many bits: 32 or 64? There are several ways to do this, which will be discussed further.

Method 1: the easiest

The easiest way that does not require special skills: we just press the "Win" key and, without releasing it, then press "Pause". In the window that opens, in the line "System Type" and the bit depth of your Windows will be indicated. This method is suitable for all modern Windows versions(from 7 to 10).

Method 2: System Properties window

This method, like the previous one, leads to the system properties window and allows you to answer the question "how to find out on xp 32 or 64". The difference is that we use only the mouse instead of the keyboard. This method is suitable for everyone current versions Windows, but especially useful for Windows X users. P. To determine the type of system, do the following:

• Click on the "Start" button.
• mouse click ( right click) on the My Computer icon.
• Select "Properties".

Thus, we will get to the same window where we can find out the type of our system.

In order to answer the question " how to find out windows 7 32 or 64” there is another simple way that includes the items on the Start menu. So let's use it:

• Click the "Start" button with the mouse.
• In the search bar, type "System Information".
• In the window that opens, find the words "Type".

DirectX Diagnostic Tool

Information about which Windows bit depth, can also be viewed in the DirectX Diagnostics dialog box. To do this, perform the following steps:

• Press the combination "Win + R".
• In the field that opens, we drive in the word "dxdiag".
• In the column "Operating system" and the bitness of your Windows will be indicated.

Method 4: "Computer Settings"

This method will allow you to find out the type of system for users of Windows 8 and higher. It is perfect for those who like to use innovations in the interface. latest versions Windows. In this case, all the necessary information is obtained by using the Charm panel. And for this you need to do the following:

• Move the cursor to the lower right corner of the screen.
• In the panel that appears, click on the icon labeled "Settings".
• Then select "System Information".

Another method that is relevant for the latest versions of Windows, including Win10, is the following. It is as simple as all the previous ones:

• Click "Start" and then select "Settings".
• The next step: go further through the "System" menu items, and then to the "System Information" sub-item.

So, now you know several ways to see how many bits: 32 or 64 in any version of Windows. As you can probably understand, all the methods described in the article are extremely easy to use. And this means that the question of the bitness of programs installed on your computer will no longer be a problem for you.

Each user, one way or another, heard such a concept: bit depth. Any system can be either 32-bit or 64-bit. What is x86 then? This is another name for the same 32-bit system. So Windows has only two bit depths. Almost everyone has heard about this area, but a very small number of users know exactly what it is. Let's understand this topic.

Let's apply this term to processors and operating systems. Bit depth characterizes the performance of a computer. This characteristic shows how much information the system can work with at a time. Therefore, it is the bitness that determines maximum volume RAM to be used by the system.

Processor Bitness

To install a 64-bit system, you must be sure that the heart of your computer can work with 64-bit systems. Otherwise, you will not be able to install such a system. You can find out with the help of a good and free utility CPU-Z. You can download it from the site: http://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php.

System differences

Visually, the x32 and x64 systems will not differ in any way. From the technical side. First of all, it is the amount of RAM. A 32-bit system is not capable of using more than 4 gigabytes of RAM. Any volume above this will not be used to improve performance. So, the bars of a larger volume are simply useless. If your computer has more than 4 gigabytes installed, then feel free to install the 64-bit version.

And what if exactly 4 gigabytes are installed. Might be worth staying on a 32-bit system. This conclusion follows from the second difference. On a 64-bit system, you can run programs and applications that are designed specifically for such a system. They are more voracious and require more computer performance.

64-bit systems also have higher system requirements. For example, 32-bit Windows 7 requires 16 gigabytes free space on disk, and 64-bit as much as 20 gigabytes. On the amount of space occupied, the difference in system requirements does not end, so if you are the owner of the old and weak computer, it is better to install the 32-bit version of the operating system.

Note! On a 32-bit operating system, you cannot install programs that are designed for a 64-bit version of the same operating system.

Find out the bitness of the system

To do this is very easy, for this:

Method through "System Information"

This method should be used if the previous one did not work, and you could not find out the bit depth in this way. So you need:

Note! If your device has a 32-bit system, then this line will begin with "X32 ...". If you have a 64-bit system, then you will see the line "X64 ...".

Method through "Program files"

This method is extremely simple. Absolutely anyone, even an inexperienced user, can try it.

• if you are the owner of a 64-bit operating system, then you will see the “Program files” folder and the “Program files x86” folder in front of you;
• if you have the 32-bit version installed, then you will only have one "Program files" folder in front of you.

Why is this happening? Remember, we said that a 64-bit OS supports installation of both 32 and 64-bit programs. 32-bit system. That is why the bitness of the system can be determined by the number and name of folders.

We examined the bitness of operating systems, found out their differences and similarities, and found out that in powerful computer Be sure to install a 64-bit operating system.

Video - How to find out the bitness of a Windows 7 system

Hi all . Don't know where to look at the bit depth of the system? In this note, we will tell you how to find out the bit depth Windows systems. It would seem a simple question about the bitness of the operating system, and many Windows users do not know what operating system they have installed. To begin with, let's define what the bit depth of the Windows operating system is, and only then we'll figure out how to check the bit depth of the system. Almost all versions of operating systems Windows XP, Windows 7 and Windows 8(Besides entry level) have two bit depth branches: x64 and x32 (or x86, which is the same).

Briefly, the bit depth of the operating system can be characterized as follows: the ability to process a command in 32 or 64 bits in one cycle of processor time. The main difference between x32 and x64 is the ability to use more RAM in the 64-bit version of Windows. On Windows x32 versions, the system cannot use more than 4 gigabytes of RAM. Let's figure out how to find out the bit depth of the system.

How to find out the bitness of the system

To begin with, a few words why even recognize the bit depth of Windows. Everything is simple. This knowledge will be needed when installing programs, drivers, and even games. Some "legacy" programs do not support 64-bit versions of Windows. And when installing the driver from the official websites of component manufacturers. Hardware manufacturers are first of all asked to indicate the bitness of the operating system when downloading drivers.

So first, not too much verbose way how to determine the bit depth of the Windows operating system is to right-click on the "Computer" or "My Computer" icon, select "Properties". The system type will appear in the window that appears. Let's take a closer look at all three OS.

How to find out the bit depth of Windows XP

At the time of the popularity of Windows XP, 64-bit versions of this operating system were not as popular as their 32-bit counterparts. Apparently, therefore, the developers from Microsoft did not indicate the bit depth of Windows XP x32. In other words, if your system does not indicate that this is a 64-bit version, then it means it is 32-bit. Here's how to find out. Right-click on "My Computer" on the desktop, select "Properties".

As you can see, the tab shows that the system is 64-bit. If this is not written, then you have a 32-bit Windows XP. By the way, they don’t look for easy ways on the official Microsoft website and offer such ways to find out the bit depth of Windows XP:

Through the "System Properties" window in the "Control Panel"

1. Enter command sysdm.cpl and click OK.
2. Next, open the General tab.
   • If your computer is running a 64-bit version of the operating system, under "System" 64-bit will appear Windows version XP Professional< Год выпуска системы > .
   • If your computer is running a 32-bit version of the operating system, under "System" Windows XP Professional appears< Год выпуска системы > .

Through the System Information window

1. Select "Run" from the "Start" menu.
2. Enter command winmsd.exe and click OK.
3. If an item is selected in the Navigation Pane "System Summary", go to item "CPU" in an element in the Element details pane. You need to remember the specified value.
   • If a 32-bit system is installed on the computer, the value of the item "CPU" will start from x86.
   • If the value corresponding to the processor starts with IA-64 or AMD64, then it is a 64-bit version of Windows.

Difficult for an inexperienced user. Let's move on to Windows 7.

Bit depth of Windows 7 operating system

Now we will learn how to determine the bitness of the system Windows 7 or Windows Vista . It's simple, right-click on "Computer" again.

After that, just look at the information about the system.

Employees Microsoft do not give up, and go their own way in search of the capacity of the system.

Open the "System" window in the "Control Panel"

1. Click the "Start" button, enter the word "system" in the "Start search" field. Next, you need to select the "System" item in the list.
   • If your computer is running a 64-bit version of Windows, then in the "System type" under paragraph "System" a 64-bit operating system is displayed.
   • If your computer is running a 32-bit version of Windows, then in the "System type" under paragraph "System" 32-bit operating system is displayed.

Open the System Information window

1. Press the "Start" button, enter the word " system" in the "Start search" field. Next, select the item "System Information" in the list.
2. If an item is selected in the navigation bar "System Summary", then information about operating system are displayed as follows.
   • If a 64-bit version of Windows is installed on the computer, the value x64 based PC appears in the element "System type".
   • If a 32-bit version of Windows is installed on the computer, in the section "System type" will appear x86-based PC.

FROM Windows 8 everything is the same as with Windows 7. Just look at the system details. Or use the methods to determine the bitness of the system by methods from Microsoft presented above.

We hope our article helped to see the bit capacity of the system. Visit website!

In this age of rapid development of high technology, sophisticated PC users are very careful in choosing their iron "friend". A modern computer must meet a number of criteria: it must have good technical characteristics, reliability and, first of all, of course, high performance (for last paragraph processor responds.

Modern CPUs are divided into 2 types: 32-bit and 64-bit. Before you find out if 32-or systems are preferable to use, let's first understand what these numbers mean. Without going deep into the basics, we can say that bit depth is the number of bits of information that the system can operate at a time. Indeed, Windows 64 bit can use up to 16 GB of RAM, while x32 is limited to 4 GB. It is logical to assume that the 64-bit system is twice as fast as its "old" 32-bit predecessor, which means that it is better, however, this is only at first glance. In fact, this is a very controversial issue.

Firstly, when using the x64 processor in "home" conditions, there will be no particular benefit for the user. The reason for this is that this system in this mode of operation does not realize its full potential. The problem is that processors of this type were originally developed for design institutes, enterprises and financial organizations (to work with extra-large data arrays).

Secondly, the biggest problem of 64-bit computing systems is incompatibility with software. The fact is that many programs and drivers for them were originally written for 32-bit types of processors, and when you try to use them on new generation systems, they either simply do not start or give error notifications. However, it is worth noting that most developers currently adapt their applications to the x64 version.

So how do you know: 32 or 64 bit? Which of these types should you choose? ordinary user? If you are not going to develop three-dimensional graphic prototypes, but only plan to communicate in social networks, work with text or listen to music, then a regular 32-bit processor will cope with all these tasks quite tolerably.

And how do you know if you have 32 or 64? Information about this can be found in the "My Computer" menu by going to the tab (or simply by pressing the "Win + Break" combination). If you have installed, for example, Win XP 64, this must be indicated, but if you did not find any information about the bitness of the CPU in the system properties, then most likely it is 32-bit.

Based specifications computer, you should choose the type of installed. It is important to remember that on 64 bit Windows processor x32 will work fine, but a 64-bit OS will never run on a 32-bit computer.

By the way, at present, most manufacturers computer technology are gradually moving to the release of exclusively 64-bit systems as the most promising. Therefore, soon, as you might guess, the question of how to find out whether 32 or 64 bit better, will disappear by itself.