I have bought the official Retail copy of Windows 7 Ultimate ... I have a question ...

Currently I have the 64 Bit version of Windows activated on my pc

Now ... my retail copy only comes with 1 cd key

My question is this - If I were to install the 32 Bit version of Windows on the same pc and activate it with the single cd key that comes with my windows package ...

... with the 32 bit version of windows being now activated ... will Microsoft "auto de-activate" the installed 64 Bit version of windows on that same pc ???

in doing so - keeping only 1 version of windows alive on my pc ???

Or will I be able to activate both the 32 and 64 bit version of windows 7 on the same pc ???

 

I don't believe so. I think only one OS can use the key at any time.

Why would you want both 32 and 64 bit anyway? Most, if not all applications that run on 32-bit can run on 64-bit.

 

It will work if the OP has two separate partitions created as primary on the same drive or if he has two separate physical HDD's on his computer. I have 3 physical drives on my desktop computer and W7 activates fine with 1 drive running 32bit and the others running 64bit.

Now I did cheat a little because I used the backup activation key tool so I restored it with the 64bit version and it accepted it.

 

Ah ok, I thought for sure you couldn't. Learn something new everyday.

 

What if I were to install win 7 64 bit on partition A

and then

Format partition A and install Win 7 32 bit

what will happen ???

if I activate the 32 bit win 7 will the 64 bit win 7 be de-activated ???

 

NO, if you make both partitions set to "Primary". I would download the Windows 7 Activation Backup/Restore tool. I won't post a link for obvious reasons but you can Google it. Backup your activation key first from your W7 32bit partition then when you install W7 64bit on your second partition just do a Restore of your Key and you'll be activated.

 

So umm unless you have some very incompatible 64bit stuff, is there any reason you'd want both x86 and x64 on a same machine?

 

Yup, 64bit Nvidia drivers aren't worth a dam. I find certain of my racing sims run better with the 32bit drivers so that's why I use 32bit.

 

well on my D900F setup ... quite a lot of stuff gives me the black screen of death ...



sid meier's pirates for example

divine divinity

temple of elemental evil

and all these are the retail copies of games that i have bought ... that works only for the 32 bit version of windows 7 but not the 64 bit version of windows 7 ...



they simply give me the black screen of death ... on the 64 bit version of windows 7 ...

 

ABR works only on Royalty OEM installations, not Retail or System Builder OEM. In this case it is not a valid solution.

(Royalty OEM = computer comes with Win7 preinstalled and pre-activated from factory, same thing was with Vista)

 

I must be truly special then because i've been able to backup/restore retail keys with no problems.

oops my bad i'm not running ABR afterall. It's another W7 Backup/Restore Key utility.

 

Could you either post or PM me the utility that you're using? I haven't found one that works with retail installations.

On a weird side note, the last wave of Windows updates somehow identified my wife's computer as running illegitimate Windows. However, when I went to microsoft.com and did the manual validation thing, it said it was fine and the notices went away. What's that about?