Office 2016 Home and Student question...

Hi, guys~

I have a question that will nail me as the newbie I am:

I've just ordered (from HIDevolution, through the wonderful Donald S.) a lovely custom-built MSI GS63 Stealth-016, 16GB RAM, 1TB M.2 SATA SSD, and I've added Microsoft Office 2016 Home and Student, which will be installed on the unit by the techs there.

I'm going to assume that the 64-bit version will be installed (although that will be the techs' call, I guess, since they'll know the machine), and I've just noticed that the 64-bit requires 2GB RAM.

Is that a permanent loss of 2GB of my 16GB--in other words, will it take those 2GB and hang on to them, leaving me with 14GB (less, I suppose, depending upon what Windows 10 takes) right from the time I receive my laptop, to work with for any other apps, programs, files, whatever? Or is it to be interpreted in some other way (as in, say, I'd use 2GB RAM only if I'm accessing ALL aspects of Office at the same time, rather than just Word)?

I'm embarrassed at having to ask the question, but if I can learn something by the answers, it's worth it.

Thanks!

 

There's nothing to worry about. The 2GB is the minimum computer RAM requirement for the software to run. Windows 10 will be very uncomfortable with only 2GB RAM (I consider 4GB to be the absolute minimum these days, 8GB will run more smoothly and the 16GB you have ordereed leaves plenty of headroom). Office won't use any RAM when it isn't running.

John

 

Whew! Thank you, John--that helps calm me down for sure. I remember reading something about 8GB being the current "base" RAM standard; I wanted twice that for whatever the future would require...but it's beginning to look like the future is getting closer every day!

 

Never assume here get it in writing or Invoice as to which version it is.

Office only uses RAM as mentioned when it runs beyond that I do agree 8GB should be the min and 16GB for overall benefits. And if you have Integrated Graphics you will loose System RAM to shared memory so if that is case more RAM the better.

 

@StormJumper, I wanted to thank you very much for what I consider a "wake-up" call: I did some research, read a few articles, and noticed that most reviewers--and even Microsoft--appear to suggest installation of the 32-bit Office 2016 version, even with 64-bit Windows 10 (Home).

So I realize that I had no reason to "assume" anything. I've left an e-mail for Donald (who has been wonderfully, unfailingly helpful), posing my question, providing my research, and asking if he could let me know what version is expected to be installed--and if that information could be added to my order specifics.

Thank you for your input--it was very helpful!

 

@sona, you would think they install the Office version to match your O/S version but for some failing reason logic is lost there. We have all been conditioned to use x86 so much that we lost sight that a x64 benefits more in a 64bit environment even if you don't use all the feature or RAM it just easier to have it when you need it. I myself have W10x64 FCU and Office 2016x64 but if I did a default it would install x86 instead why it does that is has no logic to it. It should detect your O/S and install the right version instead it always defaults to the x86 instead of asking you.

 

I've tried both on heavy workloads and have found absolutely no difference but to each his own I guess. I install the 32-bit version on my system but it really doesn't matter unless you have a certain workflow that deals with large files.

Even Microsoft recommends the 32-Bit version office unless you have a specific need where you deal with files larger than 4GB

Spoiler: Reasons to choose the 64-bit version

Computers running 64-bit versions of Windows generally have more resources such as processing power and memory, than their 32-bit predecessors. Also, 64-bit applications can access more memory than 32-bit applications (up to 18.4 million Petabytes). Therefore, if your scenarios include large files and/or working with large data sets and your computer is running 64-bit version of Windows, 64-bit is the right choice when:

• You’re working with large data sets, like enterprise-scale Excel workbooks with complex calculations, many pivot tables, data connections to external databases, Power Pivot, 3D Map, Power View, or Get & Transform. The 64-bit version of Office may perform better in these cases. See, Excel specifications and limits, Data Model specification and limits, and Memory usage in the 32-bit edition of Excel.
  
  
• You’re working with extremely large pictures, videos, or animations in PowerPoint. The 64-bit version of Office may be better suited to handle these complex slide decks.
  
  
• You’re working with files over 2 GB in Project, especially if the project has many sub-projects.
  
  
• You’re developing in-house Office solutions like add-ins or document-level customization. Using the 64-bit version of Office lets you deliver a 64-bit version of those solutions as well as a 32-bit version. In-house Office solution developers should have access to the 64-bit Office 2016 for testing and updating these solutions.
  

Spoiler: Reasons to choose the 32-bit version

IT Professionals and developers in particular, should also review the following situations where the 32-bit version of Office is still the best choice for you or your organization.

• You have 32-bit COM Add-ins with no 64-bit alternative. You can continue to run 32-bit COM add-ins in 32-bit Office on 64-bit Windows. You can also try contacting the COM Add-in vendor and requesting a 64-bit version.
  
  
• You use 32-bit controls with no 64-bit alternative. You can continue to run 32-bit controls in 32-bit Office like Microsoft Windows Common Controls (Mscomctl.ocx, comctl.ocx), or any existing 3rd-party 32-bit controls.
  
  
• Your VBA code uses Declare statements Most VBA code doesn’t need to change when using in 64-bit or 32-bit, unless you use Declare statements to call Windows API using 32-bit data types like long, for pointers and handles. In most cases, adding PtrSafe to the Declare and replacing long with LongPtr will make the Declare statement compatible with both 32- and 64-bit. However this might not be possible in rare cases where there is no 64-bit API to Declare. For more information about what VBA changes are needed to make it run on 64-bit Office, see 64-Bit Visual Basic for Applications Overview.
  

 

Thank you, @StormJumper and @Phoenix! I e-mailed Donald at HIDevolution, who confirmed that the 64-bit version of Office 2016 Home and Student will be installed. And I also spoke with Zoltan in their tech department, to confirm that, given my use and needs, the 64-bit version would still be the better option. He indicated that there would be no difference in Word files between the two versions--in other words, if I transfer over 32-bit Word files from Office 2010 (or even 2003), or receive 32-bit Word files from clients--there will be no problem or issues with working on them with my 64-bit Office 2016.

It takes up more system memory, just as you said, @StormJumper, and I told Zoltan that I do not deal with large files, Excel spreadsheets, or PowerPoint presentations--I even told him about Microsoft's own suggestion about sticking with the 32-bit version, the one you mentioned, @Phoenix.

But in his opinion, the 64-bit version will offer no problems. So that's what I'll be getting. If I should have any issues, he'd be the one I'd contact for work-arounds (although I have to say, @Phoenix, that I read the bullet points under "Reasons for choosing 32-bit," and I didn't understand a single one--Sanskrit again).

If it should become necessary for one reason or another, I'll have the 64-bit version uninstalled and install the 32-bit version; I can always work on my Inspiron and desktop if need be while that's taking place. But Zoltan seemed pretty sanguine about it, so I see no reason to be concerned right now.

Last week, I decided to upgrade my system memory in slot 1 from 512GB to 1TB--but it's not PCIe; it's the SATA SSD. I'm keeping the 2.5" drive empty for now. But 1TB should be plenty for whatever I need.

 

I have yet to run into issues with the 64-bit version of Office 2016. If anything, I deal with larger data sets and the 32-bit version at work has been nothing but excruciatingly slow at times, prone to hanging and altogether not liking those larger data sets. Not the only 32-bit program that has run into issues with that data.

From my experience, 64-bit Office has been issue free since the 2013 version.

 

@sona, if possible does your drive upgrade have the NVMe option? That would've been what I would do for Main drive for all software install and save the SSD for storage and file creation so that should you upgrade or NVMe have issue all your data on the SSD will be secure from any factory reset. That's my option only for now but something to consider for future options. This is what I did on my Desktop-NVMe for O/S and software install and running and multiple HDD/SSD for storage needs so should I replace the NVMe(250gb)now to a 500GB NVMe then I just restore the image to it and continue running the files and access the files on the other HDD/SSD like nothing happened. Some laptop has both NVMe and SSD and for me I would NVMe O/S and software running and SSD for storage of files/data.

 

@tijo, major thanks for this reassurance! I've been running this issue over and over in my mind at night, hoping that I'll be fine with the 64-bit version. You see, a number of my clients' manuscripts arrive for an e-c/e with the codes already applied, based on templates they create to work with Word; I open the files, work in Track Changes (Word), and add my own c/e revisions and comments as I go along.

I have been hoping that whatever templates my clients use to create their coding architecture will not clash with the 64-bit version of Word (Office 2016). So I'll be testing that when my new laptop arrives, using files that came to me over the last few months. I'll make some revisions on my new machine, then e-mail the files over to my older Dell Inspiron and review what I did. If all is well (no gobbledygook or weirdnesses), then I'm golden.

@StormJumper, forgive me for the delay in responding! I seem to receive e-mail alerts for some threads but not others—I’ll have to figure out what I need to do to get them for all threads I’m posting in (or starting).

In my first (main) conversation with @Donald at HIDevolution, I gave him my wish list for configuration on memory and storage: I’d come up with the specs based on my understanding that updates were in the offing (thanks to Spectre and Meltdown) that would jeopardize the speed of anything I ordered. I also explained my need for a lightweight laptop with a clear screen. I am not a gamer, graphics artist, or data cruncher; I’m a simple peasant, otherwise known as a publishing copy editor.

Anyway, once @Donald understood what I did for a living (what I’d be using the laptop for), he explained that my eager need to install 512GB of M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe SSD in slot 1 was not necessary—M.2 SATA SSD would be more than speedy enough for me. He agreed that I could remove the 2.5” drive bay (it might even save me a few ounces in weight), but I’ll be keeping the cables in case I ever decided to add storage there.

In the end, I chose 1TB M.2 SATA SSD for slot 1 and nothing for what would have been in the hard drive bay—and will hope that, yes, for my needs that will be fast enough. And I guess that also means that my OS, software, and data/files will all be on that one drive.

@StormJumper, I’m not sure I’ve responded properly to your suggestion(s), since I assumed NVMe PCIe and SATA were both SSDs (vs. HDs)—that SATA was just a slower type of SSD.

Perhaps I should look for an external storage backup unit? I mean, to cover the possibility that I might lose everything—data, files, software, and so on—in the event of a SATA meltdown (no pun intended).

Thank you for the information! I find that with every response I receive from you guys, I learn about at least one issue that hadn’t even occurred to me.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

 

I have worked on documents with the track changes features on between multiple people who used different versions of Office including 32-bit 2010 and I did not run into issues. My PhD thesis ended up being pretty large as well and 2016 handled the document very nicely compared to my Master's thesis where Office 2007 or 2010 would slow down a lot. You shouldn't run into issues as far as I am aware. Not sure if the document slowing things don was a result of 32-bit or of the older versions of Office not dealing with that kind of files better. It could also be that EndNote integrates better with newer versions of Office in that particular case.

 

Well, that gives me hope! I'll be posting in this thread when I've had the chance to check it out myself (laptop won't even arrive till end of next week or even later)--and if it all goes well, I'll be searching for the fireworks and balloons among the smiley faces!

Thanks, @tijo!