Microsoft: 46% Windows 7 installations are 64-bit

Status
Not open for further replies.

Matthew DeCarlo

Posts: 5,271   +104

For the first time in history, 64-bit operating systems are gaining serious traction with the arrival of Windows 7. In a blog post today, Microsoft revealed that 46% of Windows 7 users are running a 64-bit version, which compares to only 11% of those on Vista and less than 1% on XP. Steam recently released stats showing an even higher adoption rate among its customers, with around two times more people running Windows 7 x64 than x86.

OEMs have finally embraced the architecture, with some converting their entire consumer lineups to 64-bit-only machines. NPD says that 77% of retail PCs sold in the US during April 2010 ran the updated architecture – but it's not just end users buying into 64-bit computing.

Gartner estimates that 75% of all businesses will ditch 32-bit systems by 2014, and Intel recently migrated to a 64-bit environment to take advantage of features such as support for more than 4GB of RAM and additional security benefits.

Are you among the 54% on a 32-bit copy of Windows 7? What's stopping you from making the switch? If you're teetering on the fence about what version of Windows to install, we have a quick overview of the topic here.

Permalink to story.

 
some people don't need 4+ GB of RAM and use older hardware...

this sounds like more people are just buying more 64-bit systems, because I haven't seen a good deal of 32-bit systems for sale lately; even the majority of laptops with Win7 are x64. it may also have to do with stability. Windows 7 64-bit is much more stable than Vista and let's be serious... WinXP x64 was a joke.
 
A quick look at my local DIY computer store shows that I could only really buy 64-bit cpus. Better off just going x64 already.
 
I made the x64 switch at home when going to Windows 7 (both disks (x86/x64) came with the upgrade). We have been runing x64 at work on systems for some time, though of course we still have some x86 only systems. Overall I'm very happy with x64.
 
Been doing x64 for nearly 3 years starting with Vista. I'm frankly surprised it took this long for acceptance, because the technology has been around for quite a while.
 
Same here Tom, I've been running a 64-bit OS for two years now (currently Win 7) and I don't think I've had any major software compatibility problems.
 
Bought the Win 7 Pro upgrade version for $99 during the Beta testing. Don't have a 64-bit version to upgrade from, so am stuck with 32-bit. Otherwise I would be using 64-bit.
 
I put Windows 7 32 Bit on my wifes netbook with 2 GB of RAM. I saw no sense in putting a 64 bit OS on it.
 
Microsoft shouldn't have let the OEM's even sell a 32 bit version. I know the Atom's at the time weren't 64 bit, but that should have been the only exception. a lot of the consumer grade dell's and other OEM machines have 32 bit windows systems installed where there shouldn't be, it hinders 64 bit adoption.

making retail copies of 32 bit windows 7 available is fine, MS doesn't sell nearly as many retail copies of windows as they do through the OEM channels.
 
- "Are you among the 54% on a 32-bit copy of Windows 7? What's stopping you from making the switch?"

In my case the decision was quite simple, Microsoft offered me a Windows 7 Ultimate 32-bit only license code from their tech conference. And that's what I'm using.

Had I purchased Windows 7 it probably would have been 64-bit. But the reason that I don't bother going out and purchasing th3 64-bit version has little to do with the money, and more to do with how Windows 7 32-bit installs to a smaller foot print on disk and I enjoy the extra room on my hard drive for games.
 
I switched to x64 architecture ages ago with the incarnation of XP x64; hence, I really haven't used any x86 OS in years now, its been generally good, hassle free ride for me.
 
Windows 7 x64 works well for me. Like it recognizing over 3.5 GB of RAM, not sure what the other differences are. It's time for the world to move towards 64-bit OS anywho.
 
Long time coming, why aren't we at 128 bit OS's by now is a better ??
At this rate I won't live to see 256-bit OS'n mega scream machines!
 
There is absolutely no point for the general home user in installing 64 bit.
It runs slower than 32 bit and there are some hardware driver issues but nothing to get worried about. Another pointless "advance" that does not advance anything but make more sales to a world knee deep in "old" hardware that otherwise still works.
 
Guest said:
1. There is absolutely no point for the general home user in installing 64 bit.
2. It runs slower than 32 bit and there are some hardware driver issues but nothing to get worried about.
3. Another pointless "advance" that does not advance anything but make more sales to a world knee deep in "old" hardware that otherwise still works.

Wrong, Wrong,... and Wrong again!

64Bit is the future. Everything eventually will become 64Bit, then much later in the future, it will become 128Bit, and etc etc.

Its faster, its better, and there are no issues. It just works!
 
I was running 64-bit Vista and I stayed with 64-bit for 7. I've got 6GB of ram, so no other alternative really. I was actually a bit surprised that the percentage of 64-bit users isn't higher. I personally don't know anyone who is running 32-bit 7.
 
@UglyChild:
You're not wrong, just not right in a few places.

What you've said is largely true for anyone who doesn't:
1. own a camera or other media device that is over 1 or 2 years old which tend not to have even 32 or 64bit drivers.
2. if you're not running any business software which has to be executed in 16bit
3. or if you're not NASA...

My Samsung NV30 digital camera drivers, REFUSE to operate on 64bit Windows, because of 16bit drivers due of the way 64bit protected mode works it cannot execute the 16bit driver for the USB interface device.

So what is the customer forced to use? Yes that's right 32bit windows. The camera series is about two years old, but I've only had it from new for a year.
Vista x64 existed back then, but the low adoption due to teething problems meant drivers were not made.

I'm just lucky I have a laptop, which would probably cripple under 64bit with a mobility AMD Turion 1.8GHz processor so I use that for the Camera... A normal non-tech consumer might be faced with dumping it and getting a new one.

That is unless you feel up to rewriting a 16bit driver to 32/64bit for it to work without source you have to work from the disassembly of the driver... No thanks, I have a life.

I don't think 64bit will become a wide spread reality for all sectors since it's not practical for all, it has its place and use - like Linux and UNIX.
Example: NASA use out of date systems because they know all the faults and life span of older hardware for reliability and stability sake.

Otherwise, yes 64bit does have its numerous advantages, personally I have had far less blue screens, greater stability and more RAM than I've seen in my life on a Desktop system WITH modern hardware - and that's the catch, many cannot justify the upgrade of hardware for the minimal benefits they would receive from 64bit.

As for 128bit knocking around at AMD from what I've read,
128bit instructions with some insane SSE copy speeds etc.

Jim,
 
I was running a Windows 7 64 but switched back to 32 due to only having 2gb of ram. Unfortunately my motherboard is an early ddr3 board and I can't find compatible memory anymore without spending the same as a new system.
 
i still run 32-bit stuff at home, but my main machine is 64-bit Windows 7. if i have under 4GB RAM whatever, 32-bit is fine, but for the most part i've fully adopted 64-bit with Win7. I skipped Vista altogether and I had 64-bit XP but that just crashed all day long.
 
Windows 7 64-bit Ultimate will run on even 1GB of RAM. Those who just ditch it because of 2GB, then you either got a slow HDD or the system isn't fully tweaked. The rest of my system are Q-Core 64-bit they all run 7/64/U on some laptops. The rest run 7/32/U
 
j4m32 said:
What you've said is largely true for anyone who doesn't:
1. own a camera or other media device that is over 1 or 2 years old which tend not to have even 32 or 64bit drivers.
2. if you're not running any business software which has to be executed in 16bit
3. or if you're not NASA...

My Samsung NV30 digital camera drivers, REFUSE to operate on 64bit Windows, because of 16bit drivers due of the way 64bit protected mode works it cannot execute the 16bit driver for the USB interface device
Jim,

Perhaps its time you bought a new camera buddy. It is year 2010 *wink*. And there is a cheaper solution as a card reader for under $10.

Many, not most, but many people now days, love to post youtube videos of them sefls on .. YouTube. Some of those videos have to be encoded, or rein-coded. A 64Bit Audio-Video Software, combined with 64Bit OS, will get the job much quicker, so the world of youtube can be filled faster with more .. umm.. fun things to watch.

You dont have to be part of NASA, or have a business, but there are every day software's that come in 64 bit flavors; AntiVirus, Internet Surfing Software like FireFox, or IE8. You want to watch your Movies? No problem, you got 64Bit flavored Software for that as well.

No as far as drivers, thats another story.
As the old story goes, and its a very simple one. Manufacturers of hardware have to pay extra $$ to M$ to get permission to make 64Bit drivers. Now making those 64 Bit drives is not a whole lot more complicated then it is making drivers in 32Bit flavor. It just takes a little more time.

For most part, most major Manufacturers have drivers ready in 64Bit flavor almost at the same time as 32Bit drivers are. They just have to transfer few thousand $$ to M$ bank account.

The list goes on and on why we should move towards 64Bit, and the faster we do, the more we will enjoy our current PC that was made to support 64Bit many many years ago.
 
Another thing that many people seem to misunderstand.

Just because you have less then 4GB, does not meant you shouldnt use 64Bit OS. Its ok to have less then 4GB of RAM and use 64BIt OS at the same time.
 
that's true, because most laptops with 64-bit operating systems ship with either 2 or 3GB, but if i'm gonna install the OS myself on a computer i don't plan on updating past 3GB i'm probably just gonna go with 32-bit. you're not really going to benefit from installing x64 stuff on a 1 or 2GB machine...
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back