Nkrumah Boakye asks:
How can I change Windows 7 64bit to 32bit without reinstalling Windows?
Tagged: downgrade, microsoft windows
14 Answers -
Mike
October 30, 2011Unfortunately there is no upgrade or downgrade option between 32bit and 64bit Windows.
Jeff Fabish
October 30, 2011As Mike stated, this can not be done. You will need to reinstall using the 32bit disk.
Jay
October 30, 2011why do you want to change to 32 bits from 64 bits ? Is compatibility problem for any program is the reason?
You can try virtual pc xp mode.
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtual-pc
http://www.w7forums.com/changing-64-bit-32-bit-t10664.html
Else reinstalling is the only option.
But, It is recommended to use 64 bit.
It’s only beneficial to use 64 bit if (s)he has four gigs of ram or more, otherwise it can be downright detrimental to use 64 bit. With Virtual PC, he essentially will be doing the same thing, re-installing to use a 32bit version.
October 30, 2011Yes, that’s why I asked the reason, if RAM is the problem, re-installation is the only option.
But if enough RAM is there, and compatibility for any software is the problem, then you can give virual pc/xp mode a try.
October 30, 2011Because it is the only possibility of not Re-installing and still running a different platform for free.
That’s why Microsoft has provided this feature.
Hello, just remember that not all editions of windows 7 can use the virtual pc xp mode.
October 30, 2011Professional and Ultimate can.
October 30, 2011hello, I know that but remember that most computers do not come with those editions. As a norm, unless it is an expensive computer, they come with the home editions.
October 30, 2011He can use VMware. It’s not OS dependent.
October 30, 2011FIDELIS
October 30, 2011Hello, it is not possible without reinstalling. If you want to have a windows 7 x86 bits installation you have two other options. The first one is running it in a virtual machine and the other option a dual boot your system. You can make another partition and keep the installation of 7 x64 in one partition and windows 7 x86 in the other.
Seriously now, there is simply no reason to choose x86 to x64 any way you look at it. There is no compatibility issues unless you are trying to run programs that run in operating systems under XP. If your computer came already installed with windows 7 x64, I am pretty sure that at least it came with 3GB of RAM if not 4+. Now, if it is a home built computer it is another thing all together. Let us say that your computer came with 4GB of memory when bought, it you go back to 32 bits you will not be able to use the 4GB of memory unless you implement some patches or if you have a version of Windows 7 Pro minimun. If you have the home editions you will not use your 4GB of RAM.
Another point to consider is the fact that if your computer came preinstalled with x64 and you do a clean install to x86, you will probably not be able to install the operating system with the key you have. You will probably end up buying the installation disk.
Just a side note. I’ve encountered a little app that can backup and restore your registration. This is important esp on computer preinstalled with Windows (OEM license). I believe the apps can restore the license on different architecture (x86 -to-x64 or vice versa), but it MUST be the same hardware and version
October 30, 2011Hello, I would be interested in finding out the name of the application you speak of. I know a couple of them but it does not hurt any to know of a different one. That is, as long as it is not a loader or software like that is….
October 30, 2011Trishul Shukla
October 30, 2011unable to open any application or file on the window 7 if open so error comes adobe reader cannot read this files or apps pl help
Looks like all the files are set to open with acrobat reader.
Try to open an mp3 file.
Right click on it open with >>windows media player or any music player.
and see if it can play the file.
if a virus has changed all your file associations.
go to system restore and restore to a point when the problem did not exist.
First restart the pc, may be it will get normal automatically.
you can ask a new question here :http://www.makeuseof.com/answers
October 30, 2011hey i have restore my pc but still the same problem persist ya but m able to play music files and video files in my pc but all the ikon on my desktop shows as adobe reader 8.1 ikon pls help
October 30, 2011try these options one by one :
there was a similar question, when the files became word.
1.http://www.makeuseof.com/answers/icons-word-documents/http:you will have to either set the defaullt file associations.
ek ek ko pakad ke set karo.
right click on a file …go to properties and change the open with option. apply ok
Or to apply to all :
2. they are saying it worked, you can try it at. click the link below.
http://www.geekstogo.com/forum/topic/290205-all-my-program-icons-turned-into-word-files/files
3.Which system restore point did you choose?
you should choose a point when the problem was not there, then only system restore can work. choose a date before you installed any update.
4.uninstall adobe reader, and reinstall aagain.
5. install a registry manager software
October 30, 2011This should work as worked for many:
File extension of shortcut icon is associated to acrobat reader.
You will have to remove the association.
change the lnk association :http://support.microsoft.com/kb/172053
Use this : http://www.winhelponline.com/fileasso/lnk_fix_w7.zip
October 30, 2011This should work as worked for many:
File extension of shortcut icon is associated to acrobat reader.
You will have to remove the association.
change the lnk association :http://support.microsoft.com/kb/172053
Use this : http://www.winhelponline.com/fileasso/lnk_fix_w7.zip
October 30, 2011Hello, You would get more answers if you open a question of your own.
October 30, 2011Ioot
October 31, 2011You can’t do that. But there is no reason to do that, in because you can run 32 bit applications in the 64 bit version. And if you had trouble running them, then you can change the mode of the application to XP, Windows 95, etc by right clicking on the icon and selecting Properties > Compatibility.
Quryous
November 9, 2011Quicken has completely abandoned all the people who have bought Quicken’s stand alone version of Home Inventory Manager. It only runs on 32-bit. They admit that it doesn’t run on 64-bit, and that they have no plans to update the program. The Home Inventory Manager will “sort of” run in Virtual XP-Mode, but it is so slow, even on a high-end machine, that it is completely useless. Does anyone know of a solution? Is there any way to export my hundreds of records to XLS or CSV formats? There is none in the program, though it certainly should have that feature.
bridgett
May 21, 2012I purchased this new computer. I am trying to get with Convegys working at home. They ask you to test your computer. The message I received stated that I needed to have a 32 bit mode.
It asks that you start the computer in the 32 bit mode. That is why I am trying to do this. Thank you for your assistance.
By default on windows 64bit there are two program files folders, ‘Program Files’ and ‘Program Files (x86)’. By default, 32-bit applications will install to ‘Program Files (x86)’, and 64-bit applications will install to ‘Program Files’.
It may be that your application is not compatible with Windows 7 and not that it is a problem with your 64-bit versus 32-bit.
If the program is not compatible, then try to install and run the program in compatibility mode.
1) Right click on the Program
2) Click on Properties
3) Click on Compatibility tab
4) Select Run this program in compatibility mode and select Windows Vista or another operating system the program was running successfully.
Make older programs run in this version of Windows
May 22, 2012http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/Make-older-programs-run-in-this-version-of-Windows
Right click on the program’s shortcut (LNK file), .EXE file, BAT file, CMD file, or MSI file, and click on Troubleshoot compatibility.
It looks like this software ties into phone systems for call center operations for customer management. It is probably relying on system drivers that are 32-bit only and will require the host system to be running a 32-bit OS. Because of this, the only real option is to reinstall the OS as 32-bit or to do a parallel install to dual-boot the system.
May 23, 2012FIDELIS
May 24, 2012Hello, What version of windows 7 does your computer have? If you have a version of windows 7 pro and above you can use the XP virtual machine provided by Microsoft. If you do it this way, you can start your system in windows 7 and then just start the windows XP virtual machine that is an x86 version. This would be the optimal solution for you.
Another possibility if you want to keep windows 7 x64 and have windows 7 x86, would be to create a dual boot. Create another partition in you harddrive and install the x86 version there. Of course for doing this, you would need to have an installation disc and a license.
Other than this, there is no possible downgrade from x64 to x86.
niket
June 3, 2012How can I change Windows 7 64bit to 32bit without reinstalling Windows?
You can’t, it’s a different software (i.e. it’s not a minor version of the same thing, but really different, even though it looks identical).
June 6, 2012You have to install 32-bit Windows 7 to get 32-bit version of Windows 7 on your PC.
June 7, 2012Hello, as you have already heard, it is not possible to do this unless you reformat your computer and install the operating system you want. Of course for you to do this, you will need an installation disk and probably a key depending on other factors.
June 7, 2012Sahil
June 13, 2012Use a vmwear workstatio …
Zhq111
June 19, 2012you must reinstall window, for 32 bit
Da
June 20, 2012How to change from 32 bit to 64 bit window 7. Do you have to clean the hard drive before insert 64 bit disc.
If there is anything on the system you want to save, do that first, then boot with the 64-bit OS disk. During the process, it will reformat the hard drive where you choose to install it since MS does not support any form of in-place upgrade for this type of operation.
June 21, 2012The 32 bit and 64 bit versions of Windows are two completely different pieces of software, despite the identical appearance and the 64 bit version’s compatibility with (most) 32 bit applications. You can’t “upgrade” from one to the other in the sense of adding files or changing some systems, but have to do a full installation. Therefore, as Bruce suggests, back up whatever you want to keep (data files, favourites or bookmarks, email storage, setting files…), then install the new system.
June 21, 2012Christian
July 14, 2012You can’t. You need to do a clean install.