Vista 64 with asus a8js purchase

What is the best way to try and get the 64-bit version of vista with my computer I'm ordering? The 24c version comes with Home Premium 32bit - I could go for the 24p and get xp professional, but this just lets me upgrade to vista business edition, not vista x64.

What are my options to do this? Will microsoft let me get a 64bit dvd without having a retail copy of home premium? Please help!

 

My advice is: don't get Vista 64-bit.

Very few drivers exist for Vista 32-bit, let alone 64-bit. I'd wait until at least when Service Pack 1 comes out. By that time, there should be sufficient 64-bit drivers to warrant buying Vista 64-bit edition.

 

Developement is in progress for a 64bit version of PCSX2, gonna need a 64 bit operating system to run it - promises a nice performance increase though for people interested in ps2 emulation at least.

 

Most versions of vista komes in 32 and 64 bit, meaning there's no special Vista x64 like there was with xp. Asus lets you choose if you want to upgrade to business 32-bit or 64-bit, if you buy it with xp pro.

 

^^ What the above poster said. Only Vista Starter Edition doesn't come in 64bit flavor. If you buy a retail copy you will get both 32 and 64 in the same package. If you use the upgrade you will have to choose 32 or 64 bit.

Microsoft has an 'alternate media' upgrade option, you can pay $10 for a CD version (instead of DVD) provided you have a legal key. You can also ask for a 64 bit version if you have 32 bit (and probably vice versa but I'm not 100% on that).

No one has verified yet if our upgrade keys are tied to the bitrate we choose. It might be that our key will work *only on 64 or 32, whichever was chosen in the upgrade. Then again, it might not be.

I hope this wasn't too confusing. Here is a website for you to look at: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/1033/ordermedia/default.mspx

 

AFAIK, only Vista Ultimate comes with both 32-bit and 64-bit media, and they come on separate DVDs in the same package.

For upgrading:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.ht.../105-7341440-0242024?ie=UTF8&docId=1000057391

Edit: Another link explaining 64-bit Vista: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/editions/64bit.mspx

 

I see that, looks like you can get the 64bit or the 32bit with the express upgrade, which is good. However, I thought that in order to upgrade to 64bit vista, you had to have xp 64bit to begin with. This is an upgrade isn't it?

Does that mean that I have to purchase xp 64bit first before I can use the vista 64bit upgrade if I want to go that route?

 

You can get around that whole upgrade issue by upgrading Vista from an unactivated fresh install of Vista. You'll be fine with just the upgrade disc.

 

ok great thanks!