x86 or x64?

Can anyone help me figure out which version of Windows I'm running right now? (I'm on Windows XP). Also, would it be better to switch over to the 32-bit or the 64-bit version...

I’m pretty sure you’ll find that under system properties

I’m running Windows 7 right now—can't quite remember the exact path since I haven't looked in ages—but if I recall correctly, it goes something like this:

Open File Explorer, then look at that sidebar on the left side of the window; there should be an icon that looks like a little sheet of paper with a checkbox, and clicking that should take you straight to system properties.

As for whether it's x86 or x64, honestly, it doesn't make much difference to me—though I did hear somewhere that printers can be a real headache on Windows XP x64 Edition...

Look, if you’re the type of person who treats downloading malware like it's a hobby, then for the love of God, stay far away from the 64-bit version.

Benjamin King2, walk me through that logic. I switched over to Windows 7 x64 back in February and haven't picked up anything even remotely suspicious. Spybot and MBAM catch the occasional piece of junk here and there, but otherwise, my PC is spotless.

quiethound10 said:Benjamin King2, maybe walk us through that logic a bit more? I've been running Windows 7 x64 since last month and honestly, I haven't run into anything even remotely resembling a virus yet.

And what about those adult sites? You know, the... questionable corners of the web. I heard somewhere—some guy at the office was rambling about it—that because 64-bit versions have a larger address space or whatever, they basically provide more room for malware and junk to hide. More addresses, more open doors for the creeps to walk through. Personally, I think it’s only worth making the jump if you're planning on running heavy stuff like Adobe Photoshop.
🤷

The real headache starts when you catch some nasty piece of malware that won't budge—I mean, it completely ignores standard antivirus software and stuff like Malwarebytes—because those old-school rescue tools like Combofix just don't cut it on 64-bit Windows systems. At that point, you're basically looking at a total reinstall as your only real way out ->

I don't know. I've dealt with my fair share of malware over the years, but I've never run into anything that actually required a full OS reinstall to get rid of. And Andrew Kern67, whatever you heard from someone who heard it from someone else doesn't really mean much. Even if there's some truth to it, I still have to point out that I haven't had any issues with viruses myself,

Man, I still can't figure out where it shows me if my system is 64-bit or not... and does actually switching to a 64-bit OS make a difference? Like, does it actually boost my PC speed or help games run smoother? Can someone break down the difference for me and just tell me exactly where to look to see what I'm running?

quiethound10 said:Honestly, I’m not so sure. My history with malware is somewhat extensive, yet I have never encountered anything that couldn't be purged from a machine without a full OS reinstall. Andrew Kern67, whatever you heard through that chain of hearsay simply doesn't hold water. Even if there were some truth to it, I should point out that I don't personally struggle with virus issues,

From what I can gather, Benjamin King2 provided an explanation regarding 64-bit Windows XP, and I find myself in agreement....

"The majority of programs designed for the 32-bit version of Windows will function perfectly fine on the 64-bit version of Windows. Significant exceptions include many antivirus programs.

However, drivers designed specifically for 32-bit versions of Windows will not work on computers running the 64-bit version of Windows. If you attempt to install a printer or any other hardware that only offers 32-bit drivers, it will fail to operate correctly on the 64-bit version of Windows"

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/support/faq-questions

darkhawk9 said:I still can't figure out where it shows which version of the OS I'm actually running...

Just head over to Start - Control Panel - System, it'll show you everything you need to know right there (at least it works for me!)

Noah Foster57 said:...A lot of antivirus programs are pretty big exceptions to that rule.

They were exceptions because basically every decent AV software out there has an x64 version now.

Noah Foster57, I wasn't talking about standard antivirus software—I meant those specific removal tools you have to break out when your antivirus just can't handle the infection on its own.

Benjamin King2 said:Noah Foster57, look, I wasn't talking about standard antivirus software. I was specifically referring to those specialized removal tools you have to break out when your main antivirus just sits there staring at the infection without actually doing anything about it.

I remember hearing somewhere—honestly, it might have been some old tech blog or a thread on a forum back in the day—that if you're in that situation, the absolute fastest and most effective way to scrub everything clean is using some sort of format.exe utility. Does anyone know if there's an x64 version of that tool available?

I’m pretty convinced we’re looking at a format.com issue here. Is that even a 64-bit extension? As far as I know, it's just the EXE files that are flagged as being 32-bit or 64-bit.

Jason Harris5 said:Personally, I’m betting this comes down to format.com. Is that even a 64-bit extension? From what I've gathered, only the EXE files actually care about whether they're running on x86 or x64.

Honestly, who knows. I had some guy tell me once—and he wasn't even being serious, just venting—that his wife left her old extensions sitting right on the computer case, and then everything just went to hell. Maybe I should ask him if she was using 32-bit or 64-bit extensions when the whole thing crashed.

I am currently running Windows XP x64 Edition, and honestly, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. While the system itself is stable and I haven't run into any viruses or anything like that, I constantly run into issues where I try to plug a device into my computer and it just won't work because there isn't any driver support for 64-bit Windows.

It’s quite frustrating, I suppose. However, since dealing with that is probably less of a headache than reinstalling everything from scratch, I guess I'll just keep using it for now.

Ryan Wood98 said:...it happens all the time where I try to plug some device into my PC and it just won't work because it doesn't support 64-bit Windows.

Honestly, you should be taking that up with the hardware manufacturer—they're the ones who failed to write the drivers.

Andrew Kern67, how many cups of coffee have you had this morning? 😁

Benjamin King2 said:Seriously, man, how many espressos have you had today?

Oh, right. Again. Everyone’s basically on vacation at the office lately, work is dead, so I’m just sitting here nursing one cup of coffee after another...
😁