Windows 7 64 bit, downgrade

[Scott K]

How can I down grade a 64 bit to a 32 bit. Do I need to buy a new OS? Is there a free download?

Technology is great, but when it gets ahead of the programs, and wont allow the programs to work, it makes it hard to like the new better system. You would think they would allow 32 bit to work in a 64 bit system.

[upnorth]

Where did you buy the PC? They may have a way to downgrade it, or you maybe able to contact Microsoft and see if they will give you access to the 32 bit system. It sounds like you know you will have do a format and reload.

I think there was a brief discussion about this in another thread, there were a few that thought this kind of stuff would be a non issue with 64 bit, but as you found out it is not,.

[Scott K]

I bought it at BB. The problem with returning the laptop and exchanging it is, they dont stock much for 32 bit systems that are pre installed. There wasn't too many options I had to chose from that had everything I needed, and of those, they were all 64 bit.

It looks as though I can upgrade to the Windows 7 Professional for $89.95 on my present laptop, then I can have a XP partition. I would assume the xp partition would be 32 bit? Also would I need to do a complete install and reformat, by upgrading from Windows 7 Home, to the Professional?

[JollyT]

Remember, if you have more than 4GB of RAM you'll only be able to use ~3.5GB in a 32 bit OS. That's why they've gone to 64. Have you tried the 32 bit compatibility mode?

[Scott K]

I think that is only for IE correct? The application I need it for doesn't run off of IE.

[MN Mike]

64 bit / 32 bit, frustrating isn't it?!

Now days I'm running into more and more computers that if they were built on 64 bit, you can't move them back to 32 bit even if it is Vista or Windows 7, the system was built for 64 bit only.

You can still purchase systems with 32 or 64 bit but like you said, you're not going to find them at the big box stores. I know we have orderd in Dell's with the Windows 7 downgraded to XP Pro, I haven't installed it yet but will be soon for some customers.

Are you tech savy? Willing to try something?.........If you were to upgrade to Windows 7 Professional 64 bit, I believe you can run what they call Virtual PC ( google it and check it out ), what this ' should ' allow you to do with a application is to take a copy of your old PC ( windows xp ), bring it to your new computer and run your old computer on your new computer , doesn't matter, 32 or 64 bit. I'm going to try it as soon as I get a chance to spend some time in front of my dang computer again.

You shouldn't have to reformat your computer in order to upgrade to Professional.

Good luck.

Mike

[upnorth]

There are a lot of applications that have compatibility mode. It is more a feature of operating system than the application. I have no experience with Windows 7 yet, so I can tell you how to use compatibility mode on 7.

[JollyT]

Search for Windows 7 XP Compatibility mode on the web. It will explain it.

It is basically a full copy of XP SP3 running in a virtual machine. Unfortunately it only comes with Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate.

[upnorth]

OK try this, not sure if this works but easy enough to check,.

Quote:

Windows 7 Compatibility Mode

If you have trouble running applications designed for the previous versions of Windows, you can also use the Windows 7 Compatibility Mode to run them in Windows 7. Using the Compatibility Mode, you can configure an application to try to run in the version of Windows that it was written for.

To configure an application to run in Compatibility Mode, right-click the application’s shortcut, .exe, or installation program, and select Properties. Next, select the Compatibility tab and you should see the option “Run this program in compatibility mode for:” (see Figure 8.30).

I tried to get the image to load, but alas it just links back the HSOforum and not the image.

[Scott K]

I tried messing with that yesterday, I had no idea what I was doing, when I did, and it didn't work, I will research it a little, and retry it.

[Scott K]

Update, and another question. I upgraded my Windows 7 home premium to Windows 7 Professional. I created a virtual partition and am running XP on the partition. I am still having problems.

I think the problem I am having is that the Powerbuilder in the new computer is newer then the one in the program. Can I back date Powerbuilder to an older version?