Verifying 64 Bit machine?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Artreid
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Artreid

I have a Gateway all-in-one GZ7108 the machine. In the following link. it is
listed as a 64 bit machine but when I got this it was loaded with Vista
Enterprise 32 bit..

How can I verify this is a 64 bit machine before I buy 64 bit OS?
 
Artreid said:
I have a Gateway all-in-one GZ7108 the machine. In the following link. it
is listed as a 64 bit machine but when I got this it was loaded with Vista
Enterprise 32 bit..

How can I verify this is a 64 bit machine before I buy 64 bit OS?
Click to expand...


Gateway's web site says it is a 64 bit processor machine and a quick check
on the web site would have confirmed that.

http://support.gateway.com/s/ONE/1014807R/1014807Rsp3.shtml

Before you purchase a 64 bit OS, ensure that Gateway has 64 bit drivers for
all of the hardware on the machine.

On a quick check of their driver page it doesn't look like they have 64 bit
drivers for the GZ7108 computer (did not check for the GZ7108a model.)

And why would you want to upgrade anyway, the computer won't take any more
than 4 GB of RAM which is the maximum supported by a 32 bit OS?
 
In looking at the Gateway website I am not seeing this machine is a 64 bit
or not???

Is there no software I can run that can confirm this or not?
 
Artreid said:
In looking at the Gateway website I am not seeing this machine is a 64 bit
or not???

Is there no software I can run that can confirm this or not?
Click to expand...


Intel® CoreT2 Duo T5250 dual core processor from the Gateway site I gave. Sorry, somewhere on Gateway's site it said it was a 64 bit processor but I posted the wrong URL It doesn't really matter as Gateway does NOT have drivers for a 64 bit operating system that you want to install. If you want to go to each device manufacturer's web site and see if there is drivers for that device go ahead but ensure that all drivers are exactly compatible with the device in the computer.

Going to Intel's site and do a search for that processor get this: http://ark.intel.com/Product.aspx?id=30786&processor=T5250&spec-codes=SLA9S


Intel® CoreT2 Duo Processor T5250 (2M Cache, 1.50 GHz, 667 MHz FSB)

CPU
Essentials
Status Launched
Processor Number T5250
# of Cores 2
Processor Base Frequency 1.5 GHz
L2 Cache 2 MB
Bus/Core Ratio 9
FSB Speed 667 MHz
FSB Parity No
Instruction Set 64-bit
Embedded No
Supplemental SKU No
Lithography 65 nm
Max TDP 35 W
VID Voltage Range 1.075V-1.250V
 
Thanks for all your info:

One last thought just so I have this right in my mind:

My machine has a 64 bit CPU but the hardware is not supportive of 64 bit? If Gateway does not have 64 bit hardware drivers, shouldn't the OS (Vista or Win7) have the 64 bit drivers for whatever machine its being installed on?

In order to have a true 64 bit machine you would need all of the following to fall into place:
- A true 64bit computer
- (Which means a 64 bit CPU and 64 bit supported hardware)
- 64 bit O/S?


Artreid said:
In looking at the Gateway website I am not seeing this machine is a 64 bit
or not???

Is there no software I can run that can confirm this or not?
Click to expand...


Intel® CoreT2 Duo T5250 dual core processor from the Gateway site I gave. Sorry, somewhere on Gateway's site it said it was a 64 bit processor but I posted the wrong URL It doesn't really matter as Gateway does NOT have drivers for a 64 bit operating system that you want to install. If you want to go to each device manufacturer's web site and see if there is drivers for that device go ahead but ensure that all drivers are exactly compatible with the device in the computer.

Going to Intel's site and do a search for that processor get this: http://ark.intel.com/Product.aspx?id=30786&processor=T5250&spec-codes=SLA9S


Intel® CoreT2 Duo Processor T5250 (2M Cache, 1.50 GHz, 667 MHz FSB)

CPU
Essentials
Status Launched
Processor Number T5250
# of Cores 2
Processor Base Frequency 1.5 GHz
L2 Cache 2 MB
Bus/Core Ratio 9
FSB Speed 667 MHz
FSB Parity No
Instruction Set 64-bit
Embedded No
Supplemental SKU No
Lithography 65 nm
Max TDP 35 W
VID Voltage Range 1.075V-1.250V
 
Thanks for all your info:

One last thought just so I have this right in my mind:

My machine has a 64 bit CPU but the hardware is not supportive of 64 bit? If
Gateway does not have 64 bit hardware drivers, shouldn't the OS (Vista or
Win7) have the 64 bit drivers for whatever machine its being installed on?

In order to have a true 64 bit machine you would need all of the following
to fall into place:
- A true 64bit computer
- (Which means a 64 bit CPU and 64 bit supported hardware)
- 64 bit O/S?


Artreid said:
In looking at the Gateway website I am not seeing this machine is a 64 bit
or not???

Is there no software I can run that can confirm this or not?
Click to expand...


Intel® CoreT2 Duo T5250 dual core processor from the Gateway site I gave.
Sorry, somewhere on Gateway's site it said it was a 64 bit processor but I
posted the wrong URL It doesn't really matter as Gateway does NOT have
drivers for a 64 bit operating system that you want to install. If you want
to go to each device manufacturer's web site and see if there is drivers for
that device go ahead but ensure that all drivers are exactly compatible with
the device in the computer.

Going to Intel's site and do a search for that processor get this:
http://ark.intel.com/Product.aspx?id=30786&processor=T5250&spec-codes=SLA9S


Intel® CoreT2 Duo Processor T5250 (2M Cache, 1.50 GHz, 667 MHz FSB)

CPU
Essentials
Status Launched
Processor Number T5250
# of Cores 2
Processor Base Frequency 1.5 GHz
L2 Cache 2 MB
Bus/Core Ratio 9
FSB Speed 667 MHz
FSB Parity No
Instruction Set 64-bit
Embedded No
Supplemental SKU No
Lithography 65 nm
Max TDP 35 W
VID Voltage Range 1.075V-1.250V

While you are correct in your assumption that a true 64 bit machine should
have all 64 bit drivers and a 64 bit OS, there have been 64 bit CPUs out for
quite a number of years. Windows XP came out in a 64 bit version initially
but most 64 bit computers could not run it as the device manufacturers did
not submit any 64 bit drivers for their products as 32 bit OS was the
standard at the time (and to many respects still is.)

Your machine is about 3 years old and the parts inside are three years old.
Three years ago the only 64 bit OS in mainstream use was XP 64. Apparently
the device manufacturers decided not to produce the drivers and turn them
over to Gateway. Remember, Gateway, Dell, Acer etc. buys the components
parts and puts the machine together. Some assistance is supplied to the
larger computer manufacturers in customizing their hardware to the
manufacturer's specifications. If the manufacturer doesn't specify a 64 bit
driver you aren't going to see one.

I have hardware right now that I would love to turn into a 64 bit machine
but there are not XP 64 or Vista 64 or even Windows 7 64 bit drivers for a
few components that I would use with it so I am stuck with Vista 32 right
now on the machine I am using. It is also a Gateway and about 2 1/2 year
old. I have a scanner and a printer where 64 bit Vista or Win 7 drivers do
not exist. Hopefully when I do decide to upgrade to Win 7 32 bit early next
year (I already have the disks to upgrade) there will be compatible drivers
Win 7 32 bit drivers for the printer and scanner. Gateway has the drivers
(32 bit) for Win 7 for this machine but no 64 bit drivers for some
components.
 
Thanks to all those that responded.

It hardly seems worth it to purchase a 64bit yet. Its been several years
since its introduction and there are still many pieces missing, lack of
drivers, actual 64 bit programs.

Not sure what good a machine with just a 64 bit processor in it, is
exactly???
 
Artreid said:
Thanks to all those that responded.

It hardly seems worth it to purchase a 64bit yet. Its been several years
since its introduction and there are still many pieces missing, lack of
drivers, actual 64 bit programs.

Not sure what good a machine with just a 64 bit processor in it, is
exactly???
Click to expand...

If you are purchasing a new computer then 64 bit operating system is the way
to go as more and more programs are fully 64 bit compatible. If you
purchase a 64 bit OS computer then all the drivers for that computer will be
compatible but any add-on peripherals may not be compatible such as
printers, scanners, or any other external plug-in device. The good thing
about the 64 bit architecture is the ability to use more than 4 GB of RAM.
I do run some high end programs that I would really like to have more RAM
available for the program. Also, when the full 64 bit architecture is used
with full 64 bit OS and programs it does operate much more efficiently and
faster.
 
It hardly seems worth it to purchase a 64bit yet. Its been several years
since its introduction and there are still many pieces missing, lack of
drivers, actual 64 bit programs.

Not sure what good a machine with just a 64 bit processor in it, is
exactly???
Click to expand...


A 64-bit processor with a 32-bit operating system is like having a
32-bit processor. There are no benefits at all.

The real issue is should you buy a 64-bit motherboard/processor *and*
a 64-bit version of Windows. In general, they will do next to nothing
for you, unless one or both of the following is true:

1. You also buy 64-bit applications to run on it. Note that there are
very few such applications available yet.

2. You can make effective use of the greater amount of RAM you can use
(32-bit client versions of Windows can only use around 3.1GB). If you
run applications that use a lot of RAM (for example if you edit large
graphic images or video files), then more RAM than 3.1GB will likely
help you; for most other people, it will do next to nothing.

However, here's my recommendation: if you are buying a new computer
with a new copy of Windows, get the 64-bit versions of both. True, it
will probably do little or nothing for you now, but it puts you in the
best possible position to take advantage of new 64-bit applications as
they start becoming more available in the near future.
 
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