PCs come in two types: 32-bit and 64-bit operating systems. The difference is the amount of information the processor can handle at once. Software must match the processor type. 32-bit processors have memory limitations, while 64-bit processors can handle much more memory and perform some tasks faster. 64-bit operating systems may become more popular, but compatibility issues may arise.
Today’s PCs are of two types: those with a 32-bit operating system and those with a 64-bit operating system. The difference is the amount of information that the PC processor can handle at any given time. While a computer designed for this type of operating system has far more potential computing power, it requires fundamental changes to the way its software is designed.
The word “bit” refers to the way computers handle information in binary format, where all data is listed as a string of digits which can be either a 0 or a 1. Each of these digits is known as a bit , which means a 32-bit processor can process 32 digits simultaneously. Don’t confuse this with memory, which measures the total amount of information a computer can remember without having to use a storage device such as a disk. While the figure for memory will be much larger, a computer cannot process all of this information at once.
Software for a computer with a 32-bit processor, including operating systems such as Windows, must be written specifically to match that processor. The same goes for 64-bit processors. Microsoft has produced 32- and 64-bit operating system editions of Windows XP and Vista and will do the same for Windows 7.
There are also some significant mathematical limits for the two different processor types. A 32-bit processor can only run with up to 4GB of memory, and this is usually limited to 2GB for any program. A 64-bit processor could theoretically run on 17 billion GB of memory. A 64-bit processor can even do some tasks twice as fast.
The memory limitations of a 32-bit processor started to become clear with Vista, which uses a large amount of memory and can make it difficult to run multiple programs simultaneously without using even 4GB of memory. Meanwhile, it once seemed impossible for a program to need more than 2GB of memory, but some modern video games have reached this limit. For these reasons, 64-bit processors will likely start to become much more popular, which will increase the number of consumers interested in purchasing a 64-bit operating system.
64-bit editions of Windows can run some software designed for the 32-bit edition through a special compatibility mode, but the results can vary widely. Using a 64-bit operating system can also cause driver problems. These are small pieces of software that coordinate each hardware device with an operating system such as Windows.
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