32 Bit Vs. 64 Bit Windows Vista
Microsoft offers a 64 bit and a 32 bit version of the Windows Vista operating system. While the 32 bit version works on 64 bit and 32 bit processors, the 64 bit version is exclusively compatible with 64 bit machines.
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System Requirements
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The 32 bit Windows Vista requires a 1 gigahertz 32 bit or 64 bit processor and 512 megabytes of RAM. The 64 bit Windows Vista requires a 1 gigahertz 64 bit processor and 1 gigabyte of RAM.
Old 16 Bit Applications
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The 32 bit Vista supports a number of 16 bit DOS and Windows programs, while 64 bit Vista has abandoned support for these programs and will not run them.
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Kernel Protection
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The 32 bit Vista does not protect the kernel from malicious drivers. The 64 bit Vista will block kernel modifications, preventing many root kit attacks.
Memory Support
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The 32 bit version of Windows Vista supports a maximum of 4 gigabytes of RAM. Buying the 64 bit version will allow you to run a maximum of 128 gigabytes of RAM.
Driver Support
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The 32 bit Vista drivers will only work on 32 bit Vista; the same is true for 64 bit Vista drivers, as they will only operate on the 64 bit platform.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Jeff Wilcox
