How to find out the bitness of the operating system and processor in Windows. How to find out the bitness of the operating system and processor in Windows Win 7 64 bit system requirements

In today's first lesson, we will look at the minimum Windows 7 system requirements, on which successful installation will depend, as well as the smooth operation of our “Computer”.

The Windows operating system, version seven, due to its speed, attractive design and the existence of many required functions, is now becoming more and more popular, that is, it dominates the previous Windows XP operating system.

Some users try to work in the previous Windows XP operating system, acting on the basis that everything in Windows 7 is too complicated, I can’t understand it, I can’t master this operating system. In fact, friends, there is no need to be afraid of anything or anyone, it only takes desire and some time to master this Windows 7 system. Therefore, I strongly recommend that you subscribe to the newsletter and be aware of new lessons, thanks to which you will learn or receive additional Windows 7 skills and knowledge.

By the way, I can suggest you read another article - which will be very useful for you, the article is called -

So, installing Windows 7 is carried out by selecting a specific installation option and requirements for meeting hardware specifications. However, it is worth knowing that the operating system itself is classified into different installation options. Now we will briefly consider these options:

1. Windows 7 home version - this option is intended for home users, hence the keyword “Home”, which implies only a minimal set of software.

2. Windows 7 Home Basic Premium – also designed for home users, but includes additional extensions, for example, the presence of touch input, games and some other extensions intended for home use.

3. Windows 7 professional - this system is mainly aimed at use in various business-related organizations that use functions such as remote access management and operation of computers on a local network.

4. Windows 7 Enterprise - mainly used in large enterprises and has even more features and functions compared to a professional operating system.

5. Well, the latest version of Windows 7 is Windows 7 Ultimate - it includes all the functions of the above operating systems. The cost of this system is high compared to those listed above. If you want to master all the functions of this system, install it.

We have reviewed the classification, now we have an idea of what distributions are installed on personal computers, depending on their purpose and application.

The operating systems we reviewed are divided into both 32-bit and 64-bit processors. If the installation product contains a 64-bit edition, then it can only be installed if your computer has a 64-bit processor. And the 32-bit installation option can be installed on a 32-bit or 64-bit processor. You're probably asking, what's the difference? and how are they different? But the fact is that they differ, first of all, in productivity, reliability, speed of operation, and safety from outside interference. Therefore, before buying a computer you need to know Windows 7 system requirements . Let's find out with you Windows 7 system requirements.

Windows 7 system requirements

For example, if you install drivers on peripheral devices for 64-bit processors, then they must be specifically for 64-bit processors. In short, 64-bit processors have more capabilities and more functions compared to 32-bit processes.

Now let's find out what technical requirements are necessary to ensure that the installation of Windows 7 on a computer is successful.

First: your processor must be at least 1 GHz.

Secondly: the amount of free space on your hard drive must be at least 20 GB.

Thirdly: the video card capacity must be at least 128 MB.

Fourth: RAM must be at least 1 GB for 32-bit versions and at least 2 GB for 64-bit versions.

If the Windows XP operating system is installed on your computer, then you can install a second Windows 7 operating system and, as you learn this system, in the future, leave only Windows 7. However, you should know that when installing a second operating system on your computer, you must assign a separate partition on your hard drive. I recommend that you better install a virtual machine to install a second operating system. We will look at what a virtual machine is later. Therefore, subscribe to the mailing list and stay informed about the latest lessons on “technical aspects of Windows 7”.

If your computer characteristics meet the installation parameters, and you decide to install Windows 7, then the next step for you will be to copy all the information that is important to you. You can copy either to another partition of the disk where installation will not be carried out, or to a DVD disk.

That's it for this lesson windows 7 system requirements I'm finishing. In the next lesson we will learn how to install Windows 7 correctly and without errors, you can find out more by going to .That's all for today, see you all in the next article!

Windows 7 is a universal software from Microsoft. It is currently installed on millions of personal computers. Let's look at the minimum requirements for Windows 7 that are necessary to achieve normal functioning.

Required characteristics

32 (x86) or 64 (x64) bit system, and must be at least 1 GHz.
RAM. The 32-bit version requires 1GB of RAM, and the 64-bit version requires 2GB.
Memory. For a 32-bit system, 16 GB of hard disk space is enough, and a 64-bit system requires 32 GB.
DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM driver version 1.0 or later

Windows 7 was a real relief, since the previous Vista software was quite unsuccessful. The system requirements for Windows 7 are not very high. For older personal computers, it is recommended to use the 32-bit version; it loads the computer less and allows you to save computer resources. For modern PCs, it is better to use a 64-bit system; it reveals the potential of a powerful computer well, but at the same time, the minimum requirements for Windows 7 in the 64-bit edition are 2 times higher than for the 32-bit edition.

The problem with the 32-bit version is its limitations, which include the number of cores and RAM. The maximum it supports is 32 cores and 4 GB (RAM). The 64-bit system is designed for more powerful computers, it is capable of running with 256 cores and 192 GB of RAM.

"Seven" has 6 editions:

Starter;
Home Basic;
Home Premium;
Professional;
Enterprise;
Ultimate.

Each subsequent edition has a greater range of functionality compared to the previous version.

The first edition is intended for netbooks, there is only a 32-bit system, supports a maximum of 2 GB of RAM.

The second and third are for home use, they exist in the form of 32 and 64 bit systems, the difference is in the supported RAM, the basic one supports up to 8 GB, and the extended one supports up to 16 GB (RAM).

The last three editions have expanded capabilities and are designed for offices; they support RAM up to 192 GB.

It was also planned to create a seventh edition called Windows 7 (E), but for unknown reasons the project was canceled.

Basic requirements for installing Windows 7

DVD with the software itself.
DVD drive on a computer.
Free space on your hard drive (this can be created using the BIOS).
The PC meets the minimum Windows 7 requirements.

After installation on a computer, Windows 7 works for 90 days, during which time activation is required. An activation key is provided when purchasing a license disc.

Immediately after its release in October 2009, Windows 7 was significantly ahead of its previous version in demand. The system requirements for Windows 7 turned out to be the same as for Vista, the only difference is functionality and practicality. Compatibility has also been fixed. "Seven" is well compatible with both programs for XP and programs for Vista.

Currently, Windows 7 is gradually being replaced by its contemporary Windows 8. But production has not yet completely stopped; only the Professional version is being released.

What requirements did Microsoft customers have for Windows 7?

Many Microsoft customers were very angry about the unsuccessful version of Windows Vista. What was expected from the Seven was practicality and good refinement, compatibility with many old programs and devices, which, in fact, was lacking in the Vista version.

As a result, Microsoft released this amazing software that lived up to all expectations and brought enormous profits. In terms of practicality, Windows 7 surpasses even the beloved Windows XP, which held first place for many years.

Nice bonus

The minimum requirements for Windows 7 were a bit of a surprise to Microsoft users, as they were expected to be significantly higher than those of Vista.

Microsoft is well established as the best software company. Successful products such as XP and 7 not only brought huge profits to the company, they also made working with a PC easier and faster. Millions of organizations around the world use these software in their professional activities. Nowadays it is impossible to imagine your life without a computer and the software installed on it. And now you know what the minimum requirements for Windows 7 are. We hope that the information provided in this article will be useful to you and will allow you to achieve maximum productivity from your personal computer by choosing the optimal version of the system.

Hello dear visitors of our site , in this article we will talk about Windows 7 system requirements.

Many will ask why information is provided about the Windows 7 operating system, since the next operating system, Windows 8, has already been released. The fact is that Windows 8 is primarily an operating system focused on devices with touch screens, i.e. for tablets and touchscreen all-in-one computers, of course it works on a regular desktop computer, but judging by the statistics, users are not always ready to give up (for various reasons) the rather successful Windows 7 operating system.

Minimum system requirements for Windows 7

The requirements for installing the Windows 7 x32 and 7 x64 operating system on a computer are as follows:

Processor - system requirements for Windows 7. 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor operating at a clock frequency of 1 GHz or higher;
RAM - system requirements. 1 GB of RAM for installing a 32-bit OS or 2 GB of RAM for installing a 64-bit Windows 7 operating system;

Free disk space requirements. Installing Windows 7 requires 16 GB for a 32-bit operating system and 20 GB for installing a 64-bit Windows 7 operating system.

Video card. The video card used to install Windows 7 is not very important; it is desirable that it has at least 128 MB of memory. The only feature that can be affected by the video card is the Aero desktop theme. To activate it, you must have a video card that supports multimedia libraries from Diretix 9 and a WDDM driver starting from 1.0.

These are, of course, the recommended system requirements for Windows 7, but in general minimum system requirements windows 7 a little less, it can still be installed on a computer even with 512 MB of RAM and it will work quite well provided that you do not run demanding applications, install an antivirus, i.e. if you just use a computer for Internet surfing, for example, then this option will suit you.

Of course, work on a computer running Windows 7, which has hardware under minimum system requirements windows 7, not particularly comfortable, the computer will think, hesitate and slow down, especially when opening a large number of tabs. But here, of course, it’s easier to buy one or two sticks of RAM of 1 gigabyte or 2 gigabytes; there are sticks of 4 GB and 8 GB.

Today I propose to discuss the advantages and disadvantages 64-bit OS, which most modern computers with the Windows 7 operating system are equipped with.

Previously, 64-bit systems were the preserve of professionals and were used for programs that required huge resources. Home users made do with the 32-bit version of Windows. And although 64-bit processors appeared on the market already in 2003 (64-bit Windows XP appeared in 2005), the 64-bit system began to be installed on new computers only with the release of Windows 7.

So, what is good about 64-bit architecture? What benefits do we get and does it work faster? What problems will we, ordinary users, have to face?

On screen, 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows 7 look exactly the same. The features are identical, the programs are the same, however, the differences are significant!

1. Processing speed data is 2 times higher. A 64-bit processor is capable of processing 64 bits of data (8 bytes) per clock cycle, in contrast to a 32-bit processor, which processes only 32 bits (4 bytes) per unit of time, that is, the data processing speed is 2 times higher! Accordingly, programs for 64-bit operating systems work much faster than similar ones running on 32-bit OS.

2. More RAM available. The 32-bit version of Windows uses only 3.5 GB of memory at maximum, and it is not fully available to programs. For example, the operating system takes up 1 GB of memory, plus up to 1 GB can be reserved for video memory, leaving only 1.5 GB for programs. And if the programs are particularly “gluttonous”, there will not be enough memory.

64-bit versions of Windows do not have these problems. Windows 7 Home Premium uses a maximum of 16 GB of working memory and thanks to this, Windows uses the page file less frequently (used by the system to store data that does not fit in RAM), and the computer runs much faster.

64-bit computer requirements

1. Processor. As you may have guessed, one of the necessary conditions for work 64-bit OS- This is a 64-bit processor architecture. Intel calls this technology EM64T, and one of the largest processor manufacturers, AMD, calls it AMD64.

2. RAM. 64-bit Windows requires at least 4 GB of RAM. And unlike 32-bit operating systems, 64-bit operating systems do not have any other special requirements for the computer configuration.

To check the version of your operating system, click “Start” -> right-click on “Computer” and select “Properties” from the drop-down menu -> in the window that opens, on the right side, the version of your operating system is displayed.

Disadvantages of a 64-bit system

1. New drivers required. As you may have guessed, 64-bit Windows 7 requires new drivers (similar drivers for a 32-bit operating system are not suitable). The latest device models are released with new drivers, but problems may arise with outdated modules, since manufacturers do not develop drivers for the 64-bit version of Windows. Be careful, before switching to 64-bit Windows, go to the websites of device manufacturers and check the availability of 64-bit versions of drivers for your equipment.

2. Need more memory. It is important to remember that most 64-bit programs have an 8-byte data structure (64 bits) and take up about 10-20% more space on hard drives than the 4-byte versions of 32-bit programs. RAM consumption increases by about 15%

Is it possible to install 64-bit Windows 7 on a netbook?

With the advent of the Pineview family of 64-bit processors (N450 and above), netbooks now have the ability to run 64-bit software. However, RAM may be a stumbling block. Most netbooks are equipped with 1 GB of memory. And even if you upgrade to 2 GB, it will barely reach the minimum requirements of 64-bit Windows 7. So, Friends, we are not yet talking about the effective use of a 64-bit system on netbooks (at least 4 GB of RAM is required ).

Is it possible to use 32-bit programs on a 64-bit OS?

64-bit Windows has a Windows-on-Windows 64-bit (WoW64) conversion subsystem that makes 32-bit software run compatible with a 64-bit OS. Most 32-bit programs work flawlessly with WoW64, however, there are some exceptions:

Backup programs. When creating backups, programs directly access Windows system folders, and WoW64 in some cases redirects access to 32-bit software to other folders. Those. If you do not reconfigure the backup programs, the results of their work may be incomplete and erroneous.
Windows optimization programs. Programs created to optimize 32-bit Windows should never be used on 64-bit Windows 7; their work will do much more harm than help.
PC protection programs. If you need excellent computer protection, then use only 64-bit versions of antivirus programs for 64-bit Windows. Old 32-bit software is not able to provide reliable protection and will miss virus attacks designed for a 64-bit OS.
Speed of work. Legacy 32-bit software on 64-bit Windows runs slower than native 32-bit software. The reason for this is the extra time spent on transformations by the WoW64 subsystem.

To see which 32-bit programs run on a 64-bit system, just launch the Task Manager (press Ctrl+Shift+Esc) and find the programs marked with the *32 icon.

So, Dear Friends, let's summarize

When switching to 64-bit Windows 7, you should pay attention to several significant factors.

1. Computer equipment requirements:

64-bit processor architecture;
4 GB RAM.

2. Software Compatibility:

availability of necessary new drivers for your devices;
availability of software updates to the latest 64-bit programs.

1. You can check the compatibility of your device software with a 64-bit OS in the Windows 7 Compatibility Center.

2. When dealing with problems with a 32-bit program on a 64-bit system, updating the software to a new version, which can usually be found on the manufacturer’s website, helps.

Just a couple of years ago, most home computers ran a 32-bit version of Windows, and the 64-bit version was used exclusively by professionals (for example, for resource-intensive video editing programs). At the same time, processors with 64-bit architecture have been produced since 2003, and two years later Windows XP entered the market in a 64-bit version. However, on most new computers, 64-bit versions of Windows began to be installed only after the appearance of Windows 7. What are the advantages does 64-bit architecture provide? Does it really work faster? What problems will users encounter? Read more about this.

Benefits of a 64-bit system

The bit size may be 32 or 64 bits, but both versions of Windows 7 look the same on the screen. The capabilities of the systems are also identical: the same additional programs are included, for example Windows Media Player or Paint. However, there are still significant differences under the hood.

Increased operating speed. With a 64-bit version of Windows, a computer can process twice as much data per unit of time as with a 32-bit version. At the same time, it uses the advanced capabilities of 64-bit processors, which are capable of processing 64 bits of data (8 bytes) per clock cycle. Therefore, programs optimized for 64-bit OSes can work faster than their counterparts for processors that process only 32 bits (4 bytes) per clock cycle.
More RAM. 32-bit versions of Windows can use a maximum of 4 GB of memory, and not all of it is available to programs. For example, 1 GB is occupied by the operating system itself, and up to 1 GB (depending on the PC) is reserved for video memory. So there is no more than 2 GB left for the programs themselves. If they are "gluttonous", there may not be enough memory.

There is no such limitation for 64-bit versions of Windows. The maximum working memory in Windows 7 Home Premium has increased to 16 GB; Professional, Ultimate and Enterprise versions can even work with 192 GB. With more available memory, Windows is less likely to have to offload program partitions to a relatively slow hard drive (in swap file), so the computer runs faster.

Computer requirements

CPU. The most important prerequisite for running a 64-bit operating system is a processor with 64-bit architecture. Processor manufacturer AMD calls this technology AMD64, and its competitor Intel calls it EM64T.
Processors with 64-bit architecture have already become the rule rather than the exception. Since about 2006, most new computers and laptops have been equipped with them, although many still run 32-bit Windows. You can find out which processor is installed on your PC using the CPU-Z program (see figure below).
RAM. 64-bit Windows only makes sense if the computer has at least 4 GB of RAM.
Otherwise, 64-bit versions of the OS do not impose any special requirements on hardware (for example, HDD or video card) compared to 32-bit ones.

If 32-bit programs run on 64-bit Windows, they are marked accordingly in the Task Manager (*32). -Task Manager can be launched by pressing the key combination Ctrl+Shift+Esc<

How to find out the operating system version?

It's very simple: click on the "Start" button, then right-click on "Computer" and then select "Properties". In the window that opens, opposite “System type” you will see the system version.

Disadvantages of a 64-bit system

Need new drivers . All devices require appropriate drivers for 64-bit Windows 7 (analogs for a 32-bit OS will not work). For modern devices this is usually not a problem, but for older models many manufacturers do not develop 64-bit versions of drivers. So before you upgrade to 64-bit Windows, go to the device manufacturer's web page and make sure that a 64-bit version of the driver is available for your hardware.
More memory required. Many data structures in 64-bit programs are 8 bytes (64 bits) in size. Therefore, programs take up 10-20% more hard drive space than the corresponding 32-bit versions with 4-byte structures. The need for RAM for 64-bit software also increases - by about 15 percent.

Does Windows 7 work on netbooks?

The first netbook processors, such as the Intel Atom N270, were not 64-bit. Only with the advent of the Pineview family (N450 and higher) did Atom processors begin to support 64-bit operations and, accordingly, 64-bit OSes. However, most netbooks were equipped with only 1 GB of RAM, so even with an upgrade to 2 GB, they barely met the minimum requirements of 64-bit Windows 7. That is, regular netbooks do not fulfill one of the main conditions for effective use of a 64-bit OS, which is presence of at least 4 GB of RAM.

The best five programs for a 64-bit OS

These programs work perfectly on a 64-bit operating system and are in high demand among users.

7-ZIP An archiver program designed to compress files. It can be useful, for example, when you need to copy many large files to a USB drive.
Nitro PDF Reader A real “Swiss knife” for working with PDF files. This simple program makes it easy to create, view and edit documents of this format.
nHancer The utility provides access to the settings of the NVIDIA graphics card. Works with all common video card models and even SLI configurations. You can select settings profiles for different games.
ProgDVB If your PC has a digital TV tuner, you can use ProgDVB to watch TV programs and record them to your hard drive. The program works with TV tuners from different manufacturers. In addition to the free version, there is an extended paid version.
Blender A program for working with three-dimensional objects. It includes tools for modeling, animation, rendering, video post-processing, and creating interactive games.

Do 32-bit programs run on 64-bit Windows?

A conversion subsystem called Windows-on-Windows 64-bit (WoW64) allows 32-bit software to run side by side on a 64-bit operating system (see figure above). With its help, most 32-bit programs work flawlessly but, unfortunately, there are exceptions. Difficulties typically arise with programs in the following categories.

Backup. Backup programs directly work with Windows system folders. But WoW64 sometimes redirects 32-bit software access to other folders. If the program does not take this into account, the backup may be incomplete or even erroneous.
Windows optimization. Old optimization programs designed for 32-bit Windows cannot be run on 64-bit Windows 7. Sometimes they can do more harm than help.
Antiviruses. If you need reliable protection for your PC, use only 64-bit versions of antiviruses and similar programs on 64-bit Windows. Outdated 32-bit security software is unable to monitor all system folders, which means it may miss malware designed specifically to attack 64-bit Windows. Modern antivirus packages from well-known manufacturers, such as Kaspersky Lab, Norton or Symantec, are suitable for both 32- and 64-bit Windows.

Advice. If a program under 64-bit Windows is malfunctioning, installing the latest version and all updates from the manufacturer’s website often helps get rid of them. In addition, in the Windows 7 Compatibility Center you can check whether your devices and programs are compatible with a 64-bit system.

Programs run faster on 64-bit Windows

Some 64-bit programs were simply converted (“ported”) for use in 64-bit Windows, but essentially remained 32-bit. For example, although they have 64-bit data structures, they still store 32 bits of data. Such programs, as a rule, are not able to work faster.

64-bit programs only realize their benefits if they are designed and optimized for use on 64-bit Windows from the very beginning. In the ComputerBild test, such programs ran on average 13% faster than their 32-bit counterparts.

Old 32-bit software runs even slower on 64-bit Windows than on a 32-bit system; the reason is conversion by the WoW64 subsystem.

List of 64-bit programs

Finding such programs is not yet as easy as we would like. The table below shows the most important 64-bit programs, many of them are free and can be easily downloaded from the developer’s website.

Program	Version	Category	Internet address	Price
7-Zip	9.20	Archiver	www.7-zip.org.ua/ru	for free
AVG Anti-Virus Free	2011	Antivirus program	www.freeavg.com	for free
Blender	2.59	Editing 3D models	www.blender.org	for free
CCleaner	3.10	System cleaning	www.piriform.com	for free
Defraggler	2.06	Defragmenter	www.piriform.com	for free
GIMP	2.7.3	Image processing	www.gimp.org	for free
Image Composite Editor	1.4.4	Creating panoramas	www.microsoft.ru	for free
Internet Explorer	9	Internet browser	www.microsoft.ru	for free
iTunes	10.4	Playing Music and Videos	www.apple.com/ru/itunes	for free
Mathematics	4.0	Math program	www.microsoft.ru	for free
MediaCoder	2011 R8	Video conversion	www.mediacoderhq.com	for free
Mixxx	1.9.0	DJ program	www.mixxx.org	for free
nHancer	2.5.9	Optimizing graphics cards	www.nhancer.com	for free
Nitro PDF Reader	2.0	Editing PDFs	www.nitroreader.com	for free
Office	2010	Office suite	www.microsoft.ru	from 3 thousand rubles.
Paint.NET	3.5.8	Image processing	www.getpaint.net	for free
Partition Manager	11	Managing hard drive partitions	www.paragon.ru	590 rub.
PDF Xchange Viewer	2.5.197	View PDF	www.tracker-software.com	for free
ProgDVB	6.70.6	Watching and recording TV programs	www.progdvb.com	for free
SafeErase	5.0	Secure data deletion	www.oo-software.com	1200 rub.
Sandboxie	3.58	Protected environment	www.sandboxie.com	for free
Total Commander	7.56a	File manager	www.wincmd.ru	from 1750 rub.
SyncToy	2.1	Synchronization	www.microsoft.ru	for free
Thunderbird	6.0.1	Mail program	www.mozilla.org/ru/thunderbird	for free
Vegas Pro	10	Video editing program	www.sonycreativesoftware.com	28 thousand rubles.
Virtual Dub	1.9.11	Video conversion	www.virtualdub.org	for free
Virtual PC	6.1	Virtualization program	www.microsoft.ru	for free
WinRAR	4.01	Archiver	www.rarlab.com	850 rub.