Quick answer: Use 64-bit Windows if you have 2GB or more memory in your computer.

Some of the most common questions I get from readers involve the differences between 32-bit and 64-bit Windows Vista or Windows 7. Here are some articles I wrote in the past on this topic:

• Should I install 32-bit or 64-bit Windows Vista?

• Maximum Memory in 32-bit Windows Vista

• 32-Bit Vista Memory Limits

• Can I run 32-bit programs in 64-bit Windows Vista

In a nutshell, 32-bit Windows can only address 4GB (or less) memory. In the past, I recommended using 32-bit Windows even though 64-bit Windows 7 can address 8GB (in Home Basic), 16GB (in Home Premium), or 192GB (in Enterprise, Business, or Ultimate). The reason: you couldn’t always get drivers for 64-bit Windows.

Good news–in the years since Windows Vista was released, Microsoft has convinced hardware vendors to produce 64-bit drivers for everything. So, unless you have some really old hardware that you’re not willing to upgrade, you shouldn’t have a problem finding 64-bit drivers.

So, I now officially recommend using 64-bit Windows Vista or Windows 7 if you have 2GB or more RAM in your computer.

Unfortunately, you can’t just upgrade. You’ll need to backup all your files, install 64-bit Windows, and then restore all your files. Then, you’ll need to re-install all your applications.

im hoping you can help me. you seem to know a lil about this kinda stuff. heres what happened: I recently installed media player11 off of the web, well ever since then, i have not been able to use my cd/dvd player/burner. it dont recognize it. it thinks that it is unplugged, or that i dont have one. but i know i do. it was working fine before.do you know anything i can do to fix my prob??? any suggestions would be greatfully appreciated. thank you. -Sandy

Hi, Sandy. Does the CD drive appear in Explorer? For example, if you open My Computer from the Start menu, do you see it there?

Yes, it says : local disk c. You know, this is weird, but today it worked for long enough to burn one disk, then it did the same thing again. when i go to the media player, and set up a burn list, above my playlist where it should say “insert a blank disk”, it says “please plug in a burner, then restart the player to continue.” I have had many problems before, but i have never seen this.I tried going to the microsoft help sites, but they don’t seem to know what i am talking about.Thank you for your response.–sandy

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If your computer seems slow and you’ve already upgraded your memory (say, to 2GB or higher), your next step might be to upgrade the hard disk. First, check out your current hard disk’s performance using HD Tune. Write down the average transfer rate and access times so you’ll know how much better your new disk is. If you’re running Windows Vista or Windows 7, you can use the Windows Experience Index to get a rough estimate of your disk speed.

Now, figure out what type of disk you want to buy. Write down your choices as you go:

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That’s a screenshot from my favorite free tool for testing hard disk performance–HD Tune (there’s a pro version you can buy, too). That’s from my Seagate Barracuda 7200 RPM 1.5 TB SATA drive backup drive.

The Blue Line–Transfer Rate

First, the blue line is the transfer rate. That’s the speed which the hard disk sends data to the computer when a big file is lined up nicely–defragmented, in other words. Notice that the line starts high (at 126 MB/sec) and drops (to about 57 MB/sec). That’s because the test moves from the outside of the drive to the inside. Disk drives are round, like a record, and so the outside spins faster (in inches/sec) from the inside.

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i am retired and my wife loves taking pictures nature.

i have an old windows xp limited gb 60 or so. should i learn on this or get a different pc.so as to transfer from her camera
or how does she send them to walgreens for making copies etc. seems like an easier way and i would like to help her.ps what kind of camera for her would be best. middle beginer?

thanx for your time.

dave

do i need a pc with memory reader card?
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Hello,

I have a 1998 jaguar with a Harmon Karman (sp) stereo system with cassette and CD player.  I want to use my ipod so I purchased a cassette adapter.  It works great but my question is…my Ipod id digital music, is it still digital playing through my speakers with the cassette adapter?

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Hi Tony….

Our school is looking for a flip type video camera to be used in the classroom then downloaded onto a computer into Windows Movie Maker.  The cameras we have found so far have files that have to be converted to a .wmv file.  Do you know if there are any that produce a .wmv file so a conversion does not have to be done?  We are just trying to eliminate a step and make it easy to use in the classroom by students.

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