One More Question About Vista

On Dell's website, the preloaded Windows Vista Home Premium - is that 32-bit or 64-bit?

 

32-bit... Ultimate's the only version with a 64-bit version.

 

Darn! So what I should I do about RAM then?

I was gonna get 4GB RAM, but Vista Home will only recognize 3GB RAM, right?

 

give or take ~3GB, you may end up with a bit more than that.

 

Well, the system I was/am going to get comes with 4GB of RAM...I can't downgrade it. I don't REALLY want to drop $150 more on Vista Ultimate...but if that's the only way to utilize the RAM?

 

No no no, nearly ALL versions of Vista come on 64bit. I dont know where people get this "x64 only comes with ultimate" . I am on Vista Home premium 64bit

If you buy a notebook these days it will come with 32bit unless you customise it to come on 64bit

 

All 4 versions of Vista are available in 64-bit. Dell does not provide 64-bit operating systems, even the Vista Ultimate is still 32-bit.

Edit: Got beat

 

I don't have a choice - Dell's website offers Vista Home Premium, Vista Business, and Vista Ultimate. It doesn't specify 32bit or 64bit. Now, I know that I've seen Home Basic - off hand, would the difference between Home Basic and Home Premium be the 32bit vs 64bit?

See, I have little-to-no Vista experience. I used it for a few days when I was on vacation at a friend's house, but aside from that I've used XP Pro since it came out.

 

I highly doubt it. My Dell came with Home Premium, and it's a 32-bit version. I think you have to upgrade separately to get the 64-bit version.

Whoops, sorry about that. Guess I still have lot's to learn.

 

So how much will it cost me to upgrade seperately?

 

wrong-- dell does if you request it..............

i got 64bit w/ my xps m1530

 

How do you request it?

 

call them and tell them you want the 64bit version w/ your order

or you can call xps support as soon as it arrives and tell them you needed the 64bit version, that you made a mistake or they did --> you can do it either way

And dell is one of the only ones to still send the re-install vista disk and have the recovery partition also- very nice deal.....

EDIT-- hope that answers your question RingLeadr.........

 

Will it cost me more? That's really what I'm driving at. So are you saying order the whole kiboodle over the phone, or order online and then call and tell them I want 64bit?

See, there's no point in getting a system with built-in 4GB if the system is only going to recognize 3GB of it. But I want 4GB and I've got a great price on it. I'm willing to pay a little bit more to get the 64bit OS.

And thanks very much for your help!!!!!

 

This is false information.

 

it didn't cost me extra as the key code on the bottom of your laptop works w/ the either the 32 or 64bit version of Vista.......

First call them and tell them you need it for the dual processors.....

if that doesn't work, call dell XPS support after it arrives....... they are very happy to help out, much more so than regular Dell support....... and you could always say you're going to return it if they don't.....

 

I'm planning on ordering tomorrow. Would you mind telling me exactly how I should do this - I know you are, I'm just trying to understand and it's been a really long day, so my apologies - order, then call, or call, then order? What are they going to do, take down my name/personal information then apply it to my order?

I REALLY appreciate this and already added to your rep. This system is going to be my sole computer for the next few years for college and I probably won't have the money to replace it so I'm getting as good as I can get now.

 

The link in the OP on the thread you linked no longer works, but thanks very much anyway.

 

sorry RingLeadr
I thought you had already ordered....

Call your order in, when you get to the OS tell them you want Vista HP 64bit...

if it's an additional cost, you can order it online and then call XPS support after you receive it.......you'll still be in the 21 day full refund/return period...

i don't mean to confuse you-- PM me if you need more information so we don't keep posting back and forth..

ann

 

PMed you. Thanks again for all your help.