Helping people with computers... one answer at a time.
Determining whether or not your process or operating system is 32 or 64 bit is very easy with the aid of a tiny tool, and knowing where to look.
How do you tell if an operating system is a 64-bit or 32-bit?
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I'm going to expand that to include both hardware and software.
In other words, how to tell if you have a 32 bit or 64 bit capable system, and then whether or not you have a 32 bit or 64 bit operating system running.
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You could, of course, download and run the Windows 7 upgrade advisor, I suppose, and it'll tell you a lot about your system, including whether or not it'll support the 64 bit version of Windows 7.
But that's overkill.
Download, instead, Securable, a tiny little utility from grc.com. Run it, and you'll get the answer about your hardware. Here's mine:
As you can see, my CPU can handle 64bits even though I'm currently running a 32 bit version of Windows XP.
To find out what your operating system supports, right click on My Computer, in Windows XP and click on Properties:
If it doesn't say "64 bits", then it's 32.
In Windows 7 right click on "Computer" in your start menu, then click on Properties:
The resulting screen shows exactly which version you're running.
Article C3916 - October 30, 2009
Leo A. Notenboom has been playing with computers since he
was required to take a programming class in 1976. An 18 year career as a programmer at Microsoft soon followed.
After "retiring" in 2001, Leo started Ask Leo! in 2003 as a place for answers
to common computer and technical questions. More about Leo.
Regarding how to know whether it is 32-bit or 64 bit, you mean to say that when we right click on My Computer, in Windows XP and click on Properties and if it doesnt show the readings we can 100% confirm that it is running on 32-bit . Correct me If I'm wrong
Posted by: RoshanAshraf at November 3, 2009 6:08 AMSlight correction for opening system properties: 1... open start menu...2...Right click "my computer in the start menu! (works in XP too!)
Posted by: Joe F at November 3, 2009 6:53 AMin Vista Home Premium I do this:
Posted by: Ken Laninga at November 3, 2009 8:23 AMStart
Computer
System properties
I ran "Securable"; it did say my processor was capable of running 64 bit, but I have heard that my mother board has to be compatible with 64 bit also. How can I determine that? I currently have Vista Home Premium 32 bit and would like to switch to Windows 7 64 bit.
Posted by: Kitty Ashenbrenner at November 3, 2009 1:56 PMmine, at system properties doesn't show 32bit and by running securable.exe it confirms 64 and it is as i know 64b.
but my ''hardware virtualization '' is locked off.
How to put it on !
thanks.
01-Jan-2011
Posted by: marioz at December 31, 2010 10:55 AM