Repair Guy installed 32 Bit instead of 64 Bit...how big a deal is that?

[Concrete_blonde]

I've got this one guy I've been using for years. He's really not into anything to do with programming, he pretty much just want's to replace parts and reinstall software.

So, I did a bunch of my own diagnostics didn't come up with much and took it in.
Ran Diskcheck.
Fixed some NON system files. They were from games.

CPU was running at 100%, had a LOT of corrupted files which some got repaired and some didn't. and it kept hanging up and then releasing sporadically.

So, I took it in, because instead of wanting to do a clean install, he said he'd rather try diagnostics on it. The clean install, he said would run me $100. He didn't state how much a diagnostic would run, but it was implied that it wouldn't run as much.

So, after using as many of Microsoft Windows 7 tools as possible and still not resolving the problem, I took it in.

But THEN he wanted to do a reinstall instead of looking at the results of the System File Checker in that file it creates when it's finished. The only reason I didn't bother even opening the file, was because I didn't have the disk. The backup I had, was to the previous hard drive. He had recently installed a new hard drive for me because I had bad sectors.

So, since I'm on Soc. Sec. he does a deal. $75 now and the 25$ on the 3rd. And, he wanted cash. I said no problem.

So, I get home and I start doing the system updates (whatever happened to Microsoft for the updates to take more then one day?) and I didn't notice until today when I needed to find out what my processor speed was for FLASH, that he had installed the wrong Operating System.

He installed 32 Bit Windows 7 Home Premium instead of 64 Bit.

How is that going to affect what programs I can run? Isn't most everything in 64 Bit now? Like games? I usually install a lot of games from Big Fish Games.

Should I go back and make him re-install the correct OS?

 

[Themastererr]

You cannot use more than 4Gb of RAM with a 32-bit operating system. That is the main limitation.

 

[Paul NZ]

It will run programs fine but 32 bit only supports up to 3.5 - 4 GB. So if you install more ram, you'll have to reinstall 64 bit.

If you want to use more ram

64 bit supports 32 and 64 bit programs. But you need 64 bit drivers for 64 bit.

 

[Rogue Leader]

You are paying him $100 for a windows install the least he could do is do it right. Take it back to him.

 

[Concrete_blonde]

You are paying him $100 for a windows install the least he could do is do it right. Take it back to him.

Thank you!

I don't know what the going rate for installing an OS is, so I wasn't sure if I was asking too much?

So, thank you!

 

[Concrete_blonde]

It will run programs fine but 32 bit only supports up to 3.5 - 4 GB. So if you install more ram, you'll have to reinstall 64 bit.

If you want to use more ram

64 bit supports 32 and 64 bit programs. But you need 64 bit drivers for 64 bit.

Thanks!

I only have 2 Gigs Ram, but I increased the swap file size to ease any limitations.

I guess, I'm going to have to go back and tell him he messed up.


One more question on this.

I had hoped to hang on to this laptop for at least another year, and I had considered putting in more ram, but the Processor can't be upgraded can it?

Mine is Intel Celeron 900@ 2.20 GHz 2.19 Ghz.

I don't know why it has 2 separate numbers there or what the 900 represents, but I've got a feeling that I won't be able to update Flash at that speed.

 

[mrmez]

Helps to know system specs.

For an old PC it's ok, but anything new, it's totally unacceptable.
Apple, for example stopped making 32bit OS' 5 years ago.