Which version for my amount of RAM?

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My PC which is a few years old has the 1st version of the AMD Phenom 9600 Quad Core processor. It came with 3 GB of RAM. The maximum amount of RAM it can use is 4 GB. I purchased RAM to make it 4 GB but I have not installed it yet. I installed a solid state drive and use the original hard drive as well. I installed the OS on the SSD for increased speed and I am currently Dual Booting with Windows 7 & 8. I have a 1 GB Video Card. After I install the additional RAM should I use the 32 or 64 Bit version of Windows 8/8.1? I bought the Retail Boxed Version of Win 8 but instead of getting a 32 & 64 Bit install disk in the package it came with 2 32 Bit disks! So I am running the 32 Bit version of Windows 8. I was told by a friend that since my PC can only hold 4 GB of RAM I don’t need the 64 Bit version. But I am running the 64 Bit version of Win 7. Should I stick with 32 Bit or will the PC run better with 64 Bit? Its my understanding that 64 Bit has better Memory Management as well as increased security. I am aware that due to the age of my PC/Motherboard I cannot utilise all of the 64 Bit or Windows 8 improved security features. I found out that there is no Trim function with my SSD for example which I assume is due to the age of my Motherboard. Buying a new PC is not a option for me at this time.

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Are you sure about the contents of your box? The retail Windows 8 upgrade was meant to come with both 32-bit and 64-bit:

Windows 8 Pro Upgrade media, … This package provides both 32-bit and 64-bit media, so you can choose which to use.
Windows 8 Upgrade: 32-bit to 64-bit

Microsoft Windows 8 PRO 32/64-bit Upgrade Version (BOXED RETAIL DVD)

If the 64-bit disk was missing, I think you should be able to get it.

Bruce

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I’m not a Novice user. Even if I was, each installation disc clearly says “32 Bit Version”. It was packed at the Factory like that because the box was sealed. I got 2 32 Bit discs when I paid for one 32 & one 64. I complained to New Egg & Microsoft. Microsoft was no help & New Egg wanted me to send them a picture of the box and the 2 discs before they would authorise a return/exchange. They were acting like I was Pirating the software. Rather than go through such nonsense I simply kept what I got. Interestingly enough, someone left feedback on New Egg that the exact same thing happened to their shipment. You would think that would have made New Egg believe me since I was going to return everything to them but it made no difference. I wonder how many other retail boxes left the Factory like mine…

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If you have a 64 bit computer with a 64 bit data buss you can choose to run either a 32 bit or a 64 bit Operating System.

I strongly suspect that an old motherboard that cannot accommodate more than 4 GB would only have a 32 bit data buss,
and 64 bit Windows could not run.

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One advantage you gain with 32-bit Windows is backward compatibility. If you run old stuff, you should consider this.

If your computer maxxes out at 4 GB of RAM, then you won’t gain much from going with 64-bit Windows. I’m not sure about every advantage you would gain by going with 64-bit over 32-bit. Being able to install and use more than 4 GB of RAM is the main advantage, which won’t apply to your computer.

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

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One advantage you gain with 32-bit Windows is backward compatibility. If you run old stuff, you should consider this.

If your computer maxxes out at 4 GB of RAM, then you won’t gain much from going with 64-bit Windows. I’m not sure about every advantage you would gain by going with 64-bit over 32-bit. Being able to install and use more than 4 GB of RAM is the main advantage, which won’t apply to your computer.

The PC originally came with Windows 7 & advertised its 64 Bit capability. Since it only can use a maximum of 4 GB of RAM I guess that was a advertising come on. Unless at the time with Windows 7, 64 Bit was an advantage over the 32 version.

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The lack of TRIM function is more likely to be because your current SATA driver does not support it, try changing the driver to use the standard Microsoft IDE/ATA version.

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There are indeed just a couple of advantages of using 64-bit, one is the RAM; if you need more than 4 for anything, it has to be 64-bit but almost no one needs more and they already know what they’re running that needs it (multiple VMs for instance). Second, no matter how hard you try, you will not be able to run a system drive with Windows 7 or 8 32-bit on it that is larger than 2.19 terabytes. Three and four TB drives can still be used as external or non-system data drives though.
Also whenever one sees the minimum requirements for almost anything, it always indicates more for a 64-bit system than a 32-bit system. I see this all the time for games and it leads me to believe 64-bit systems are bigger RAM hogs for equivalent work though I don’t have any empirical evidence to that effect. Also it is ever so nice to run 32-bit if one has a lot of 32-bit peripherals connected to other systems that are shared on a network. Connecting to them is a breeze while it’s not so easy at all sharing peripherals from 32-bit to a 64-bit system.

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Well, I am not a Hardcore Gamer nor do I edit HD Video on my PC so I guess the 4 GB of RAM & 32 Bit will do. I have never needed ultra large hard drives as I use external storage. Right now given the lack of 64 Bit software for many its probably overkill. Of course, new PCs can take advantage of all the 64 Bit perks. Now I am wondering if I should install a USB 3.0 card, but after reading the replies I guess not.

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Well, I am not a Hardcore Gamer nor do I edit HD Video on my PC so I guess the 4 GB of RAM & 32 Bit will do. I have never needed ultra large hard drives as I use external storage. Right now given the lack of 64 Bit software for many its probably overkill. Of course, new PCs can take advantage of all the 64 Bit perks. Now I am wondering if I should install a USB 3.0 card, but after reading the replies I guess not.

I would still go with 64 bit. Using the 32 bit version can get your usable memory to as little as 2.8 GB, so you can lose from 200 MB to more than 1 GB of usable memory, just by going with 32 bits.
I have yet to find any issues with using 64 bits on all my computers.

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I have yet to find any issues with using 64 bits on all my computers.

I am aware of one issue: My wife needed to install some programs to prepare for her Architectural license. They would work in Windows 7 32-bit, but not in W7 64-bit.

My computer maxxes out at 2 GB. It came with Vista. I installed Windows 8 32-bit mainly because of the 2 GB limitation. If it would take more memory, I would have gone with 64-bit.

Interestingly, until very recently, and maybe still, Microsoft recommends that you install the 32-bit version of Office. So all the while they were pushing everyone to go with 64-bit Windows, they were recommending that you stay with 32-bit Office.

As Rui points out, issues with 64-bit Windows are extremely rare. Typically the only people who need 32-bit Windows are dinosaurs like me.

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

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That is why I asked initially because due to the defective packaging by Microsoft I will have to buy another Windows 8 installation disc set if I want 64 Bit.

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That is why I asked initially because due to the defective packaging by Microsoft I will have to buy another Windows 8 installation disc set if I want 64 Bit.

See if this is of any help:

http://www.redmondpie.com/download-windows-8-iso-x86-x64-file-directly-from-microsoft/
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/upgrade-product-key-only

If it works, you will be able to download a Windows 8 x64 version ISO, or install it directly.

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This is from the 1st URL:
“It’s worth noting at this point that if you follow these steps on a 32-bit Windows 8 installation, the resulting ISO would be 32-bit as well. Vice versa holds true for 64-bit versions of Windows 8”

Will look into the 2nd URL, but I am not hopeful.

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This is from the 1st URL:
“It’s worth noting at this point that if you follow these steps on a 32-bit Windows 8 installation, the resulting ISO would be 32-bit as well. Vice versa holds true for 64-bit versions of Windows 8”

I recall upgrading Vista 32-bit to Windows 7 (64-bit). I put the relevant DVD in the machine and rebooted and started the OS installation in the normal way. It went on for a good while before deciding that it was trying to upgrade a 32-bit install and that wouldn’t do. I then rebooted again and started the whole procedure over again and that time it worked. The procedure was unsupported by Microsoft but seemed to be standard workaround. I wouldn’t have preserved settings and so on — it would have been a fresh install. And of course, I don’t know whether that trick will work going from Win 7 to 8! You would need your 64-bit CD though, so maybe you should give in and send New Egg the pictures they asked for. For the sake of a snap it could save a lot of hassle.

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Aren’t you running the 64 bit version of Windows 7? You can start the process from Windows 7, just create the ISO and then use the ISO to setup Windows 8.

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Aren’t you running the 64 bit version of Windows 7? You can start the process from Windows 7, just create the ISO and then use the ISO to setup Windows 8.

I thought I was running Windows 7 64 Bit but it was 32 Bit. I reinstalled Windows 7 64 Bit & then downloaded Windows 8 which turned out to be the 64 Bit Version. However, I didn’t burn it to a DVD so the installer wouldn’t let me set up a Dual Boot. So will have to repeat the process. But once I get it right will make a system image so I don’t have to go through all of this again. Took forever to install all the updates on Windows 7 including the Service Pack. I was planning on wiping my Hard Drives clean because I do so every so often. So this has been a learning experience as I completely forgot about the website where you could download Windows 8. Glad Windows 8.1 is almost here as it will make it more enjoyable for me to use.

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May i ask which exact model PC you have? If it was custom built can you tell us exactly which motherboard it has? Some older systems have BIOS updates available which may better accommodate extra RAM or newer operating system options ….

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Check here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/enterprise/products-and-technologies/windows-8-1/compare/default.aspx may be it helps

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I checked out your processor. It supports 64-bit Windows, no problem: http://products.amd.com/pages/desktopcpudetail.aspx?id=374&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1

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