What is 64 bit operating system windows

In computing, there exist two type processor i.e., 32-bit and 64-bit. This type of processor tells us how much memory a processor can have access from a CPU register. For instance,

A 32-bit system can access 2 32 memory addresses, i.e 4 GB of RAM or physical memory ideally, it can access more than 4 GB of RAM also.
A 64-bit system can access 2 64 memory addresses, i.e actually 18-Quintillion bytes of RAM. In short, any amount of memory greater than 4 GB can be easily handled by it.

Most computers made in the 1990s and early 2000s were 32-bit machines. The CPU register stores memory addresses, which is how the processor accesses data from RAM. One bit in the register can reference an individual byte in memory, so a 32-bit system can address a maximum of 4 GB (4,294,967,296 bytes) of RAM. The actual limit is often less around 3.5 GB since part of the register is used to store other temporary values besides memory addresses. Most computers released over the past two decades were built on a 32-bit architecture, hence most operating systems were designed to run on a 32-bit processor.

A 64-bit register can theoretically reference 18,446,744,073,709,551,616 bytes, or 17,179,869,184 GB (16 exabytes) of memory. This is several million times more than an average workstation would need to access. What’s important is that a 64-bit computer (which means it has a 64-bit processor) can access more than 4 GB of RAM. If a computer has 8 GB of RAM, it better has a 64-bit processor. Otherwise, at least 4 GB of the memory will be inaccessible by the CPU.

A major difference between 32-bit processors and 64-bit processors is the number of calculations per second they can perform, which affects the speed at which they can complete tasks. 64-bit processors can come in dual-core, quad-core, six-core, and eight-core versions for home computing. Multiple cores allow for an increased number of calculations per second that can be performed, which can increase the processing power and help make a computer run faster. Software programs that require many calculations to function smoothly can operate faster and more efficiently on the multi-core 64-bit processors, for the most part.

Advantages of 64-bit over 32-bit

• Using 64-bit one can do a lot in multi-tasking, user can easily switch between various applications without any windows hanging problems.
• Gamers can easily play High graphical games like Modern Warfare, GTA V, or use high-end software like Photoshop or CAD which takes a lot of memory since it makes multi-tasking with big software, easy and efficient for users. However upgrading the video card instead of getting a 64-bit processor would be more beneficial.

Note:

• A computer with a 64-bit processor can have a 64-bit or 32-bit version of an operating system installed. However, with a 32-bit operating system, the 64-bit processor would not run at its full capability.
• On a computer with a 64-bit processor, we can’t run a 16-bit legacy program. Many 32-bit programs will work with a 64-bit processor and operating system, but some older 32-bit programs may not function properly, or at all, due to limited or no compatibility.

Attention reader! Don’t stop learning now. Get hold of all the important DSA concepts with the DSA Self Paced Course at a student-friendly price and become industry ready.

32-bit and 64-bit Windows: Frequently asked questions

Here are answers to some common questions about the 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows.

Upgrading from the 32-bit version to the 64-bit version of Windows requires that you reformat your hard disk, install the 64-bit version of Windows, and then reinstall everything else that you had on your device.

Windows 10 and Windows 8.1

Select the Start button, then select Settings > System > About .
Open About settings

At the right, under Device specifications, see System type.

Windows 7

Select the Start button , right-click Computer, and then select Properties.

Under System, see the system type.

To install a 64-bit version of Windows, you need a CPU that’s capable of running a 64-bit version of Windows. The benefits of using a 64-bit operating system are most apparent when you have a large amount of random access memory (RAM) installed on your computer, typically 4 GB of RAM or more. In such cases, because a 64-bit operating system can handle large amounts of memory more efficiently than a 32-bit operating system, a 64-bit system can be more responsive when running several programs at the same time and switching between them frequently.

To run a 64-bit version of Windows, your computer must have a 64-bit-capable processor. To find out if your processor is 64-bit-capable, do the following.

Windows 10 and Windows 8.1

Select the Start button, then select Settings > System > About .
Open About settings

At the right, under Device specifications, see System type.

Windows 7

Select the Start button , and then select Control Panel. In the search box, type Performance Information and Tools, and then, in the list of results, select Performance Information and Tools.

Select View and print detailed performance and system information.

In the System section, you can see what type of operating system you’re currently running under System type, and whether or not you can run a 64-bit version of Windows under 64-bit capable. (If your computer is already running a 64-bit version of Windows, you won’t see the 64-bit capable listing.)

How to determine if you have a 32-bit or 64-bit CPU

The steps to determine whether your computer has a 32-bit or 64-bit processor (CPU) depend on the type of operating system installed. Below are the steps to determine the processor type for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Windows 8 and 10

To determine your CPU type in Windows 8 and Windows 10:

• In the Windows search box, type system information and select the System Information icon.

Or, if you do not have a search box (because you have disabled it):

1. Open a File Explorer window by pressing Windows key + E .
2. On the left, right-click This PC.
3. In the context menu, select Properties. The System Properties window opens.

1. In the System Properties window, find your System type, which lists your operating system and CPU type.

Earlier versions of Windows

If you are using an earlier version of Windows, follow these steps.

• Open the Start menu >All Programs. Open the Accessories folder, then the System Tools folder. In the System Tools folder, select the System Information option.

On the right side of System Information, look for the System Type option under the Item column. The associated value, in the Value column, will tell you which type of CPU the computer has in it. If the System Type value includes «x86» in it, the CPU is 32-bit. If the System Type value includes «x64» in it, the CPU is 64-bit.

Determine if using 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows

Microsoft Windows is available in 64-bit and 32-bit. 32-bit processors can only run 32-bit versions of Windows. However, 64-bit processors can run either the 64-bit or 32-bit versions.

To determine if the version of Windows on your computer is 32-bit or 64-bit, choose your version and follow the steps.

Determine if Windows Vista, 7, 8 and 10 is 32-bit or 64-bit

1. Press and hold the Windows key and the Pause key.
2. In the System window, next to System type, it lists 32-bit Operating System for a 32-bit version of Windows, and 64-bit Operating System if you’re running the 64-bit version. Below is a picture and an example of this window.

Determine if Windows XP is 32-bit or 64-bit

1. Press and hold the Windows key and the Pause key, or open the System icon in the Control Panel.
2. On the General tab of the System Properties window, if it has the text Windows XP, the computer is running the 32-bit version of Windows XP. If it has the text Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, the computer is running the 64-bit version of Windows XP.

Determine if Windows 2000 and prior is 32-bit or 64-bit

Windows operating systems, from Windows 95 to Windows 2000, are all 32-bit. There are no 64-bit versions of these operating systems.

Apple macOS

On the macOS, click the Apple icon in the menu bar. Select the About This Mac option in the Apple menu. On the About This Mac window, click the More Info option. Open the Hardware section and find the Processor Name attribute. Once listed, perform an Internet search, using that CPU’s processor name as a keyword, to determine if it’s a 32-bit or 64-bit CPU.

Processor	32-bit or 64-bit
Intel Core Duo or Solo	32-bit
Intel Core 2 Duo	64-bit
Any Intel Xeon processor	64-bit
Intel Core i3	64-bit
Intel Core i5	64-bit
Intel Core i7	64-bit

As shown in the table above, all the most recent Mac computers are 64-bit processors.

Linux

On the Linux operating system, access the command line interface and enter the following command.

Look for «lm» in the command output. If lm is found in the output, then the CPU is 64-bit. If you don’t see lm or see i386, i486, i586, or i686 in the output, then the CPU is 32-bit. Below is an example output of the command above with lm in the information.

Determine if the Linux kernel is 32-bit or 64-bit

Using the uname command, you can determine if your Linux kernel is 32-bit or 64-bit by running the command below.

This command would give you output similar to the example output below.

If you see x86_64 in the output, this indicates it is x86 and that it is 64-bit.

32 bit vs 64 bit: Key Differences

What is 32-Bit?

32-bit is a type of CPU architecture which is capable of transferring 32 bits of data. It is the amount of information which can be processed by your CPU whenever it performs an operation.

What is 64-Bit?

In computer architecture, 64 bit refers to the number of bits which should be processed or transmitted in parallel or the number of bits used for a single element in a data format. A 64-bit microprocessor allows computers to process data and memory address which are represented by 64 bits.

KEY DIFFERENCE

• 32-bit processors have 4 GB addressable space while 64-bit processors have 16 GB addressable space.
• 32-bit systems limited to 3.2 GB of RAM while 64-bit systems will enable you to store up to 17 Billion GB of RAM
• 32-bit processors need a 32-bit operating system whereas 64-bit processors can run either on 32 or 64 64-bit operating systems.
• 32-bit processors is not an ideal option for stress testing and multi-tasking whereas 64-bit processors are best for performing multi-tasking and stress testing.
• 32-bit operating systems and applications require 32-bit CPUs while 64-bit OS demands 64-bit CPU

History of 32-Bit

Here, are important landmarks from the history of 32-bit processors:

• The 32-bit processor was the main processor which was widely used all over the world in the early 1990s.
• In 2000 AMD processor and Intel Pentium processors also start using 32-bit processors.

History of 64-Bit

Here, are important landmarks from the history of 64-bit processors:

• 64-bit CPUs have been used in supercomputers since the 1970s
• It is used in RISC ( reduced instruction set computing) based workstations and server in the early 1990s.
• The first AMD64-based processor, the Opteron, was released in April 2003.
• ARM architecture targeting smartphones and tablet computers first sold on September 2013

Difference between 32-bit vs. 64-bit Operating System

The difference between 32-bit and 64-bit processors are:

Parameter	32-bit processors	64-bit processors
Addressable space	It has 4 GB addressable space	64-bit processors have 16 GB addressable space
Application support	64-bit applications and programs won’t work	32-bit applications and programs will work
OS support	Need a 32-bit operating system.	It can run on 32 and the 64-bit operating system.
Support for multi-tasking	Not an ideal option for stress testing and multi-tasking.	Works best for performing multi-tasking and stress testing.
OS and CPU requirement	32-bit operating systems and applications require 32-bit CPUs	64-bit OS demands 64-bit CPU, and 64-bit applications require 64-bit OS and CPU.
System available	Support Windows 7, 8 Vista, XP, and, Linux.	Windows XP Professional, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8,Windows 10, Linux, and Mac OS X.
Memory limits	32-bit systems limited to 3.2 GB of RAM 32 bit Windows. It addresses limitation doesn’t allow you to use full 4GB of Physical memory space.	64-bit systems will enable you to store up to 17 Billion GB of RAM.

Advantages of 32-Bit Processor

Here are important benefits\pros of 32-bit processor:

• The only advantage that one can mention is that it is compatible with all the older devices which are developed in early 2000 and late 1990.

Advantages of 64-Bit Processor

Here are benefits\pros of using a 64-bit processor:

• Increased program performance and helps you to take advantage of a 64-bit operating system
• Enhanced security feature
• Windows 64-bit with a modern 64-bit processor allows you to take additional protection which is not available to 32-bit users.
• 64-bit processor offers security protections, which is not limited to hardware kernel patch protection.
• 64-bit processor allows you to create 16TB of virtual memory. Although 8 TB is allotted for user processes and 8 TB reserve to perform kernel processes.
• 64-bit processors offer advanced capabilities. It allows you to store 264 computational values.
• It is possible to have up to 16.8 terabytes of RAM on a 64-bit computer.
• 64-bit processors offer dual-core, six-core, quad-core, and eight-core versions
• Multiple cores support to helps you to increased number of calculations that can be performed, which can increase the processing power to makes your computer to run faster.
• Software programs which need various types of to function smoothly can operate efficiently on the multi-core 64-bit processors.
• Allows you to access virtual memory per process.

Disadvantages of 32-Bit Processor

Here are important cons/ drawbacks of using a 32-Bit operating system:

• The biggest drawback is that the vendors no longer develop applications for 32-Bit operating systems.
• Many processors require a 64-Bit operating system.
• Manufacturers often do not offer 32-Bit driver versions for their hardware due to a lack of market demand or their product.

Disadvantages of 64-Bit Processor

Here, are some possible drawback of using a 64-bit processor:

• It is highly unlikely that 64-bit drivers will be available for older systems and hardware.
• Some old 32-bit software doesn’t make the transition to 64-bit smoothly.

Should I Upgrade to 64-Bit Computers?

If you want to consider replacing your old computers to get better performance, you should better upgrade to 64-bit computers if your software is compatible with a 64-bit processor.

Most computers sold today will have 64-bit processors and more and more software which is available in a 64-bit version. Therefore, you must make sure all of the software you wants should able to run in a 64-bit version.