64-bit vista installation over an existing 32-bit OS

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Guest

Situation: 64-bit computer purchased before the release of 64-bit XP so I'm
running a 32-bit OS. I'm trying to install Vista 64-bit RC1 and cannot. The
install program appears to know that I running a 32-bit OS and will not
install a 64-bit OS over the 32-bit OS.

Anyone have any ideas as to how I can install the 64-bit version of Vista?

TIA
 
sharpebenjamin said:
Situation: 64-bit computer purchased before the release of 64-bit XP so I'm
running a 32-bit OS. I'm trying to install Vista 64-bit RC1 and cannot. The
install program appears to know that I running a 32-bit OS and will not
install a 64-bit OS over the 32-bit OS.

Anyone have any ideas as to how I can install the 64-bit version of Vista?

TIA
Click to expand...

It is not possible to upgrade a 32-bit OS to 64-bit. You must do a clean
install in a separate partition (or junk your XP, not recommended).

David Wilkinson
 
Well, I'm in the same situation. I have Win XP Pro 32 bit, am currently
downloading Vista RC-1 64 Bit and am planning on (hopefully) booting with the
burned DVD, then letting it format my C drive, THEN install a fresh install
of the Vista 64 Bit.
(Instead of trying to upgrade the 32 bit OS)

If that doesn't work, I'm just gonna format my C drive manually (somehow)
and THEN try and do a fresh install of Vista 64 bit.

Just in case, I do have a full Ghost backup of my C drive.

If any of the above works, I'll try and post back my results.
 
Booting with the cd, then formatting the target drive and installing
should work regardless of what was previously on the (now formatted) drive.

You can not launch the x64 setup from inside a x86 operating system to
my knowledge, but the dvd is bootable anyway.
 
David Wilkinson said:
It is not possible to upgrade a 32-bit OS to 64-bit. You must do a clean
install in a separate partition (or junk your XP, not recommended).

David Wilkinson
Click to expand...

Thanks David, I was pretty sure that a clean install was the answer but I
had hopes that I might have missed something obvious.
 
Well, I have successfully Installed Vista 64 bit.
I first just booted my PC with the Vista DVD and told it to format
my C drive (you have to click on "custom" or "advance" or something, can't
remember). Also, to get it to format the drive, I had to first select the C
drive, it said it did not have enough space, so I opened th extra drive
options at the bottom and told it to format C drive, and then installed to
that drive.

All went fine, then I restored my C drive with Norton Ghost and re-installed
Vista onto another Hard drive, on a separate channel with much more free
space.

The second way is much better for me, as I can now just change which drive
to boot with in my BIOS and I have BOTH Win XP Pro and Windows Vista RC1 to
work with!
 
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