Windows upgrade question

[mumra]

I finally got around to building my new computer and it runs fine but I have an OS question now. I had a copy of Windows 7 ultimate laying around that I bought my last semester in school so after installing it I found out it was an upgrade only license. After a friend gave me an unused XP disk/key I was able to activate Windows 7. The only problem is the Windows 7 disk is 32 bit. I have 8 GB of RAM installed and it only uses 3 GB. I'm deciding if I should upgrade to a 64 bit to use all the RAM. We do some gaming and will be playing Diablo III when it is released.

I see there is a microsoft windows anytime upgrade but they only talk about going to a different version of windows 7, not ultimate 32 bit to anything 64 bit. Anyone know if this would work in my situation or would I have to buy a full license. I realize I would have to do a clean install/back up all my files.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/w...nytime-upgrade

Aside from going back in time to buy the 64 bit in the first place, any suggestions?

Can't switch to something other than Windows as my wife (no pics) plays Windows Live games that require the operating system. I've thought about installing a Linux os (probably the latest version of Mint or Ubuntu) and running Wine for the games. Anyone try this or know if it would work? Not sure if it would run the Windows Live games but might run everything else if I'm lucky.

Any other creative suggestions?

tl;dr
Windows 7 is activated but only 32 bit. Want to get 64 bit on the cheap to use all the RAM, suggestions?

[Hellraiser97]

Just download the iso for 64bit and resintall using the same key. Won't cost you a thing.

Also, we have an entire thread on how to get around the upgrade/custom install issue if you run into that. I'll see if I can did it up.

[Hellraiser97]

http://www.shaggybevo.com/board/show...=1#post3061366

Check out that link. You'll find links to the ISO's you'd need (I recommend getting one with SP1 already in it) and how to activate using an upgrade key on a full install.

[mumra]

Thanks for the quick reply, did a search didn't see anything spot on so I posted this here thread. Expecting someone to post a past thread with the same problem anytime now. I googled quite a bit and did not see this info, big ups to Hellraiser.

[bnb]

From your link

You can use Windows Anytime Upgrade to upgrade from a 32‑bit edition of Windows 7 to a 32‑bit edition of Windows 7 and from a 64‑bit edition of Windows 7 to a 64‑bit edition of Windows 7, but you can’t upgrade from a 32‑bit edition of Windows 7 to a 64‑bit edition of Windows 7 or vice versa.

I would think 3 or 4 gigs would be enough to run the latest games as long as you don't have stuff running in the background. If you don't have a video card with dedicated memory, it takes away from the 4gb. I've heard Wine is not reliable if your gaming.

You could either:
Download a beta of Windows 8 and in 3 months or whenever, put something else on (or I just read it has no time limit, but they will restrict it at some point (6 months+?).http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/w...nsumer-preview
Get something online, check the "file sharing" thread
Just use what you have until you are unhappy with it and it feels slow and buy a copy of 7 64bit

[Hellraiser97]

From your link

I would think 3 or 4 gigs would be enough to run the latest games as long as you don't have stuff running in the background. If you don't have a video card with dedicated memory, it takes away from the 4gb. 've heard Wine is not reliable if your gaming.

Actually the 4GB limit is a system wide limit. If you have a 1GB video card and 4GB of system memory, you will only have access to 3GB of the system memory.

WINE is not good for gaming (old games sometimes, but not new stuff, better to dual boot)

You could either:
Download a beta of Windows 8 and in 3 months or whenever, put something else on (or I just read it has no time limit, but they will restrict it at some point (6 months+?).http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/w...nsumer-preview
Get something online, check the "file sharing" thread
Just use what you have until you are unhappy with it and it feels slow and buy a copy of 7 64bit

Why would Windows 8 solve anything? Either way he is going to have to do a complete new install of the OS to go from 32 bit to 64 bit. And please read what I wrote in the original thread: You can use the same key for 32 bit or 64 bit, THERE IS NO NEED TO BUY A NEW COPY.

[bnb]

I thought b/c he said he just built a new system, a reinstall would be ok.
I didn't think one could upgrade from 32 bit to 64 bit with the same key (good to know). He also just has a Windows 7 upgrade key, your link has full versions. I didn't know if that key would work.

[bnb]

PS: if you get a copy of any Windows 7 64bit , I have an activator program, just pm me.

[mumra]

A full install would not be the end of the world, I just don't want to pay full price if there are other options. The system has been up and running for 2-3 weeks now and the only files I would not want to lose from the new computer (using the old computer as a storage unit for most of the files) are my wife's Fable III saved games. I think they are locally stored so if I'm thinking right I can save them to a flash drive and just reinstall the game later and put the saved game file back in the correct folder.

My wife thinks I should just break down and buy a new full license, she underestimates how cheap I am.

[Hellraiser97]

You can transfer the saved games.

Buying a new license isn't going to do anything for you, you're still going to have to do a clean install to go from 32 bit to 64 bit. If you're interested in burning money, you can send it to me for my advice here! :)

[MillerEP]

A full install would not be the end of the world, I just don't want to pay full price if there are other options. The system has been up and running for 2-3 weeks now and the only files I would not want to lose from the new computer (using the old computer as a storage unit for most of the files) are my wife's Fable III saved games. I think they are locally stored so if I'm thinking right I can save them to a flash drive and just reinstall the game later and put the saved game file back in the correct folder.

My wife thinks I should just break down and buy a new full license, she underestimates how cheap I am.

You can buy Win 7 on the cheap at Microsoft by using your utexas.edu e-mail here:

http://www.microsoft.com/student/en-...id=-pZSq35lNg6

If you do not have a utex.edu mail (and were a UT student who remembers their EID) go here to get yours: http://utmail.utexas.edu/

[mumra]

Update/conclusion for the thread: Hellraiser's suggestion of the iso worked fine. Downloaded it overnight (3.1 GB) on my slow connection and made a bootable usb drive. Only thing that wasn't straight forward was going into the BIOS to change the boot order, though that is probably easy if you do this enough. No problems activating it even though it was an upgrade only.