What bit windows 7 should i get?

Either version will work on your computer but if you want to use more than 4GB of RAM you will want the 64-bit version.

I’d go with 32bit for now unless you ever upgrade your memory. I’ve had a problem justifying 64 bit OSes because the vast majority of software is still 32 bit. I count on boot-time scans using various software, and that seems to be something that just can’t be done with 64-bit machines.

o ok. thanks guys

I’d stick with 32 bit. It will probably install all the drivers you need to get going without any problems.

I would get the 8 bit. Just because I’m retro.

@timtrueman
actually, you need 64 bit if you have more than 3Gbyte.

Go with 16bit, it’s definitly the best quality.

@ragingloli Incorrect. 32bit windows can address upto 4gb of ram. However that includes not only system ram but also graphics card etc. If you have a 128mb graphics card you will see more ram than if you have a 1Gb graphics card

@Lightlyseared
You are correct, however, windows uses part of the available address space to allocate addresses for system hardware, like BIOS, IO cards, networking, PCI hubs, bus bridges, PCI-Express, and video/graphics cards. Which also means that part of the available address space is used to allocate video memory addresses, so if you have a 512 mbyte video memory, you lose 512 mbyte of your ram capacity.
In the end, the actual available memory will be around 3 Gigabyte if you install 4 gbyte in a 32 bit system.

@ragingloli : Well we are talking about physical memory in the first place. And it’s not like the computer won’ turn on if you have a 32 bit system with 4+GB of ram, it just won’t address it.

@ragingloli I’m aware of the address space issues but I looked up the Inspiron and it’s using Intel’s onboard X3100 graphics which uses system memory which I figured was essentially negligible and not worth trying to be confusing to @tocutetolive90 since it’s closer to 4GB than 3GB since it can only use up to 384MB for graphics.

I have “upgraded” to 64, but I need to install a 32 bit operating system. There are a LOT of drivers that aren’t compatible with 64 bit windows seven. If you want to run random hardware (auto scanners, older wireless cards that support monitor mode, reflash your old magellean GPS via USB, old ass printers, usb-to-WHATEVER converter cables) 64 bit blows hard. My old POS gateway with a broken HDD, under 500 mb ram, XP, and a Pentium 3 processor runs these obscure hardwares more so than my new dell!!!

Only highly intense operations (calculations or graphics) need to make use of the extra registers. Most of these programs are compiled as 32 bit applications, so they won’t make use of them anyway. Who the hell needs over 4GB ram anyway.

EDIT: Before anyone says shit, YES I have tried compatibility mode. It works for some things, but not others.

@OMGHax11ONE : I need over 4 GB of RAM but that’s because I run a small file and web server for my brother’s business that I game on at the same time. Hooray 32 bit virtual machines?