Windows 7 32 bit

Muzi5434 · 17-06-2011 07:04PM #1

I have Windows 7 32 bit Ultimate installed on my desktop. I have a legit copy of Windows 7 Professional 64 bit and everytime I try to load it from BIOS, it just doesn't read it and goes on to load the 32 bit. No idea why this is happening...

Any ideas?

Kepti · 17-06-2011 07:25PM

Is the BIOS configured to boot from the cd-drive before the hard drive?

What happens when you load up the cd in windows?

Muzi5434 · 17-06-2011 07:41PM

Yes the BIOS is configured to load from cd first

Windows reads the cd but doesn't run setup because it says cannot open a 64 bit programme in a 32 bit windows

17-06-2011 07:44PM

Muzi5434 wrote: »

Windows reads the cd but doesn't open up set up because it says cannot open a 64 bit programme in a 32 bit windows

Would imagine you only have a 32bit CPU.

What is your CPU spec?

Muzi5434 · 17-06-2011 07:55PM

NoDrama wrote: »

Would imagine you only have a 32bit CPU.

What is your CPU spec?

Intel Core i7 CPU 870 @ 2.93 Ghz

Fysh · 17-06-2011 08:15PM

Muzi5434 wrote: »

Yes the BIOS is configured to load from cd first

Windows reads the cd but doesn't run setup because it says cannot open a 64 bit programme in a 32 bit windows

If Windows is reading the disc that's your problem; you're in a 32-bit environment by that stage, so it's no good.

If your BIOS is correctly reading the DVD before trying to load Windows from your hard drive, you should see a prompt on screen saying "press any key to boot from the DVD" that lasts about 5 seconds or so. If you're not seeing that your BIOS isn't trying to use your optical drive as a boot device.

Muzi5434 · 17-06-2011 08:26PM

Fysh wrote: »

If Windows is reading the disc that's your problem; you're in a 32-bit environment by that stage, so it's no good.

If your BIOS is correctly reading the DVD before trying to load Windows from your hard drive, you should see a prompt on screen saying "press any key to boot from the DVD" that lasts about 5 seconds or so. If you're not seeing that your BIOS isn't trying to use your optical drive as a boot device.

It only reads the disc when its in 32 bit windows hence its just reading it like any other disc which is fine

I know about the BIOS configuration. I installed the Windows XP prior to 7 32 bit using BIOS and it was fine

Fysh · 17-06-2011 08:49PM

Muzi5434 wrote: »

It only reads the disc when its in 32 bit windows hence its just reading it like any other disc which is fine

I know about the BIOS configuration. I installed the Windows XP prior to 7 32 bit using BIOS and it was fine

Are you seeing the prompt to press a key to boot from the DVD?

Have you ever been able to boot from any other 64-bit media (eg x86_64 Linux live CDs)?

Muzi5434 · 17-06-2011 08:51PM

Fysh wrote: »

Are you seeing the prompt to press a key to boot from the DVD?

Have you ever been able to boot from any other 64-bit media (eg x86_64 Linux live CDs)?

No, I'm not seeing that prompt.

Haven't tried that, will give it a go and let you know

kippy · 17-06-2011 08:55PM

Where did you get the disk?
Is it a copy, was it created from an ISO?
I would be thinking that, for whatever reason, the disk is not bootable.

If that is not the case, I would go into the BIOS, REMOVE all bootable devices in the boot menu (apart from the DVD drive) save, exit and reboot.
Should install then, just dont forget to change the boot devices back again after the install to add the HDD as a boot device.

Failing all that, can you advise what model of PC/laptop you have?

Dempsey · 17-06-2011 10:06PM

On my P5W DH, I had to change a BIOS setting for 64-bit, basically change from 32 bit to 64 bit memory mapping. I'm sure you'll have to make a setting change to install 64-bit W7

kippy · 17-06-2011 10:11PM

Dempsey wrote: »

On my P5W DH, I had to change a BIOS setting for 64-bit, basically change from 32 bit to 64 bit memory mapping. I'm sure you'll have to make a setting change to install 64-bit W7

You wouldn't normally have to do this.
That being said, the disk should at least boot up before memory mappings would start to cause an issue.

Elmidena · 17-06-2011 10:14PM

Have you tried installing it via a flash drive? You'll need just under 4gb and it has to be formatted first--Fat32 I think. Copy the files from the cd onto the flash drive and boot from that in the bios. Should work like a charm

(there's a lot of stuff online about command lines etc but I didn't need anything like that, just booted the drive and it found it)

kippy · 17-06-2011 10:17PM

Sunshine! wrote: »

Have you tried installing it via a flash drive? You'll need just under 4gb and it has to be formatted first--Fat32 I think. Copy the files from the cd onto the flash drive and boot from that in the bios. Should work like a charm

(there's a lot of stuff online about command lines etc but I didn't need anything like that, just booted the drive and it found it)

There is a bit more to it than just copying the files from the CD to the flash drive and formating with FAT32.
Instructions here:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/dd535816.aspx

That being said, it would be better if you could answer the earlier queries before changing anything else.

Dempsey · 17-06-2011 10:20PM

kippy wrote: »

You wouldn't normally have to do this.
That being said, the disk should at least boot up before memory mappings would start to cause an issue.

My board is about 5 years old, suppose its implemented better these days

Elmidena · 17-06-2011 10:21PM

kippy wrote: »

There is a bit more to it than just copying the files from the CD to the flash drive and formating with FAT32.
Instructions here:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/dd535816.aspx

That being said, it would be better if you could answer the earlier queries before changing anything else.

Did it last week with Windows 7 Ultimate, and nope, that was all I did

kippy · 17-06-2011 10:22PM

Sunshine! wrote: »

Did it last week with Windows 7 Ultimate, and nope, that was all I did

Fairly muff.
Didnt have to use diskpart?

Elmidena · 17-06-2011 10:25PM

Nothing, and drive was handily enough already in fat32 when I bought it. Literally copied the files across, hit boot from flash drive et voila, started installation process. Meant to say that's 64 I did it with too.

kippy · 17-06-2011 10:27PM

Sunshine! wrote: »

Nothing, and drive was handily enough already in fat32 when I bought it. Literally copied the files across, hit boot from flash drive et voila, started installation process. Meant to say that's 64 I did it with too.

Normally there's a bit more required - perhaps the drive was bootable out of the box. Either way, I stand corrected.

Muzi5434 · 18-06-2011 12:49AM

Right so, nothing was working. In the end, I just copied the contents from the cd onto the desktop and clicked on set up and it started running...was pretty weird that all the other ideal solutions didn't work.

I now have 64 bit windows, thanks for all the help guys

Windows 7 32 bit

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