PDA

View Full Version : [all variants] 32-bit OS on 64-bit comp?



derekmbarnes
January 15th, 2010, 05:35 AM
Fellow users:

After several weeks of CPU fan problems (specifically the fan not turning on), I've been forced to wipe Ubuntu from my hard disk and re-install Windows 7. Before I go back to anything Linux-based, I was wondering: I know putting a 64-bit OS on a 32-bit computer is a bad idea, but can a 32-bit OS cause complications if used with 64-bit hardware? I'm planning on downloading the 64-bit version regardless, but I'm also trying to figure out what this bug is and how I can fix it.

Helpful advice shall be well received. Thank you.

-Derek M. Barnes
Stuck in a rut

pirateghost
January 15th, 2010, 05:37 AM
first of all, you cannot even attempt to load a 64bit OS on 32bit hardware, so its not only 'a bad idea' but its impossible

secondly. there are no problems at all with running 32bit OS on 64bit hardware...millions of people have been doing it since the first run of AMD64's came off the line

warfacegod
January 15th, 2010, 05:50 AM
No specific reason not to do 32 on 64 hardware. I've seen a very few instances were you get a misbehaving machine but it's extremely rare and probably more due to user error. derekmbarnes is right, 64 on 32 equipment is impossible. It would be like trying to put all of the water from the Pacific ocean into the Atlantic. It would just spill out every where and make a mess.

lisati
January 15th, 2010, 05:58 AM
You should be able to run 32-bit software on a 64-bit machine without any major hassles.
I had one of my machines about 4 years before I realised that it could run a 64-bit OS, and it had 32-bit XP preinstalled. (XP is gone from it, now running 64-bit Ubuntu Server 9.04)
My laptop came with 32-bit Vista Home Premium even though it's a dual-core 64-bit machine, and I'm typing this from a 32-bit copy of Ubuntu (misplaced my 64-bit installation CD the last time I cleaned things out and did a fresh install)