Windows 7 32bit or 64 bit?

Hi,

I have a Lenovo ThinkPad T61p laptop that came with XP and Vista Ultimate restore disks. These are not clean OS install restore disks but contain all sorts of "extras" that I have to surgically remove after I perform a restore. A restore typically takes 2-3 hours and then some time to do the cleanup.

The machine has 4gb of ram and sports a T9300 Core 2 Duo processor.

I pretty much ONLY use this machine for Logos and BibleWorks.

What should I go with, the 32 bit or 64 bit version of Windows 7? I'm figuring on buying the Professional version.

Thanks,

Mike

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Daniel Lee

Hi,

I have a Lenovo ThinkPad T61p laptop that came with XP and Vista Ultimate restore disks. These are not clean OS install restore disks but contain all sorts of "extras" that I have to surgically remove after I perform a restore. A restore typically takes 2-3 hours and then some time to do the cleanup.

The machine has 4gb of ram and sports a T9300 Core 2 Duo processor.

I pretty much ONLY use this machine for Logos and BibleWorks.

What should I go with, the 32 bit or 64 bit version of Windows 7? I'm figuring on buying the Professional version.

Thanks,

Mike

If you're going to go out and buy Windows 7, then go for 64-bit to get access to your full 4GB of RAM (32-bit only allows up to around 3.2GB). Confirm before you buy, though, that your printer, scanner, and other peripherals have windows-certified drivers. 64-bit Windows doesn't support certain 3rd party drivers (ie those not signed by Microsoft). So some peripherals won't work at all (like my old visioneer scanner, had to replace with a new model), and certain applications (those that still are 16-bit - very few) won't run either.

777

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/47242#Comment_47242

If you're going to go out and buy Windows 7, then go for 64-bit to get access to your full 4GB of RAM (32-bit only allows up to around 3.2GB). Confirm before you buy, though, that your printer, scanner, and other peripherals have windows-certified drivers. 64-bit Windows doesn't support certain 3rd party drivers (ie those not signed by Microsoft). So some peripherals won't work at all (like my old visioneer scanner, had to replace with a new model), and certain applications (those that still are 16-bit - very few) won't run either.

Hi Daniel,

Thanks for your help. I just went ahead and ordered the 64 bit version of Windows 7 for this laptop. I have all sorts of old peripherals here but I can either use them with Linux or with 2000/XP/Vista on my desktop machines.

I'll be glad to be able to install a CLEAN Windows operating system on this laptop. ThinkPads are very nice, but the restore process is full of what appears to be python scripting and is like watching paint dry before anything gets done.

Thanks again,

Mike

George Somsel

Hi,

I have a Lenovo ThinkPad T61p laptop that came with XP and Vista Ultimate restore disks. These are not clean OS install restore disks but contain all sorts of "extras" that I have to surgically remove after I perform a restore. A restore typically takes 2-3 hours and then some time to do the cleanup.

The machine has 4gb of ram and sports a T9300 Core 2 Duo processor.

I pretty much ONLY use this machine for Logos and BibleWorks.

What should I go with, the 32 bit or 64 bit version of Windows 7? I'm figuring on buying the Professional version.

Thanks,

Mike

The maximum RAM on the T61 seems to be 4 G. A 32 bit system will access 3.X (I don't recall exactly the decimal). With a 64 bit OS you could access more, but if you can't install more then I'm not sure there is much value in that. I note you have commented on the speed of L4 a number of times. I have 6 G of RAM in my HP laptop with a 64 bit OS and it doesn't seem a bit slow. I note that the HD also isn't that large. I have a 500 G HD so that leaves some room to shuffle things around easily which might be a problem with a smaller HD. I don't think it's necessary to go with the professional version of Windows 7. The Home Premium should be quite sufficient and save some $$.

777

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/68115#Comment_68115

The maximum RAM on the T61 seems to be 4 G. A 32 bit system will access 3.X (I don't recall exactly the decimal). With a 64 bit OS you could access more, but if you can't install more then I'm not sure there is much value in that. I note you have commented on the speed of L4 a number of times. I have 6 G of RAM in my HP laptop with a 64 bit OS and it doesn't seem a bit slow. I note that the HD also isn't that large. I have a 500 G HD so that leaves some room to shuffle things around easily which might be a problem with a smaller HD. I don't think it's necessary to go with the professional version of Windows 7. The Home Premium should be quite sufficient and save some $.

Actually the machine will support 8GB of ram using 4x 2GB sticks. That's too expensive for me though. I went and bought the 64bit version of Windows 7 Professional for it and I really like it a lot. I think that Microsoft got this one right.

Thanks for your help George. Going to Windows 7 did speed up Logos a bit on that laptop over Vista Ultimate or XP SP3.

George Somsel

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/68119#Comment_68119

Actually the machine will support 8GB of ram using 4x 2GB sticks. That's too expensive for me though. I went and bought the 64bit version of Windows 7 Professional for it and I really like it a lot. I think that Microsoft got this one right.

Thanks for your help George. Going to Windows 7 did speed up Logos a bit on that laptop over Vista Ultimate or XP SP3.

I really think the HD might be the bottleneck in your system. Have you checked to see whether you can install a larger HD such as a 500 G? In regard to RAM, I bought some from ... (I can't offhand remember the name of the company, but it started with a "C"). This was for my old machine and was pretty cheap, but I'm not sure whether I would want to mess with my laptop since I have such fat fingers.

George Somsel

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/68124#Comment_68124

In regard to RAM, I bought some from ... (I can't offhand remember the name of the company, but it started with a "C"). This was for my old machine and was pretty cheap, but I'm not sure whether I would want to mess with my laptop since I have such fat fingers.

That was Crucial.com.

777

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/68130#Comment_68130

The drive is a Hitachi that spins at 7200 rpm. It's completely defragged.

On the desktop I use 10,000 rpm VelociRaptors by Western Digital.

Rich DeRuiter

What should I go with, the 32 bit or 64 bit version of Windows 7?

The only draw backs I'm aware of with 64bit Windows is that old 16bit programs won't work at all on it (at least mine won't) and some midi software synth's (as in Creative SoundBlaster Sound fonts, Roland Midi Synth) won't work either. MS built-in midi works, but it's pretty limited.

If those things aren't important to you now, go for the 64 bit. No question in my mind.

George Somsel

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/68137#Comment_68137

The drive is a Hitachi that spins at 7200 rpm. It's completely defragged.

Yes, but how large is it? If it's too small it will be putting a piece of your data in one location, another piece in a different location and yet another piece elsewhere. This means that your heads are shuffling around trying to stitch all of the pieces together which takes time. I'll bet it isn't over 160 G. I defrag once per week. I note that you mentioned reinstalling as though you have done this more than once. I haven't yet reinstalled my OS though I may need to do so soon. I'm sending it to HP for warrantly repairs. My darling little granddaughter took a nail file and pried off some keycaps and my DVD drive went south. Hopefully I won't need to reinstall, but when I get the use of my DVD again I need to install Windows 7 64 bit over Windows Vista. I would like to do a clean install, but I'm hoping to avoid having to reinstall everything else as well.

777

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/68140#Comment_68140

Yes, but how large is it? If it's too small it will be putting a piece of your data in one location, another piece in a different location and yet another piece elsewhere. This means that your heads are shuffling around trying to stitch all of the pieces together which takes time. I'll bet it isn't over 160 G. I defrag once per week. I note that you mentioned reinstalling as though you have done this more than once. I haven't yet reinstalled my OS though I may need to do so soon. I'm sending it to HP for warrantly repairs. My darling little granddaughter took a nail file and pried off some keycaps and my DVD drive went south. Hopefully I won't need to reinstall, but when I get the use of my DVD again I need to install Windows 7 64 bit over Windows Vista. I would like to do a clean install, but I'm hoping to avoid having to reinstall everything else as well.

Actually it is 200GB. All that is on it is Logos 4 and BibleWorks 8. I keep that install whittled down and don't park any cruft on that computer.

Do install Windows 7 64 bit over Vista. It's an amazing difference. Going from Vista Ultimate 32 bit on that laptop to Windows 7 64 bit made a difference in both Logos and BibleWorks. And it's always nice to have that clean install feeling.

Glenn F

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/68140#Comment_68140

This means that your heads are shuffling around trying to stitch all of the pieces together which takes time. I'll bet it isn't over 160 G. I defrag once per week.

There is a company and a software by the name of diskeeper that is the best defragger I have ever found. The newest 2010 version prevents the writing of data to a spot where it will have to be defragged when possible. But the main thing is that it constantly defrags your system in the background using idle resources. Install it and forget it. Never defrag again. I reccomend this program to all computer owners. Now that I think about it it might be even better with Logos what with all the re-indexing and merge indexes for new resources.

www.diskeeper.com