[SOLVED] Windows 7, 10 and Linux 64 distros??

[Simon]

A person I know is really getting under my skin. My nemesis is my step-son... He has Windows 7 - 32 bit on a machine that is sporting (get this) 16 GB of RAM and a 2 GB Nvidia card and told me it is more "wicked" than my Linux. I don't mind his choice of Windows, but I cringed and told him that Windows 32 bit can only use up to 4 GB of RAM. To the best of my knowledge, he is wasting 12GB, they are just dormant, correct? I suggested he look through the Linux 64 bit distros and run a dual boot system to do benchmarks. He won't have anything to do with Linux.

I really want to help the guy out, but his attitude is, his machine is awesome. He thinks he can upgrade to Windows 10 for free. But if memory serves me correct, it was a limited time trial or something to that affect. I would recommend he purchase a Windows 64 bit version, however, if he can upgrade to Windows 10, it remains 32 bit and won't be 64 bit am I right?

I didn't force Kubuntu on him either. I told him all the popular flavors of Linux such as Mint, Ubuntu, Debian, etc.. I know he uses the machine for some gaming but the real issue is all that RAM just sitting there and the CPU is saying, "I don't know what to do with that.". Since this is a teenager, I only have to put up with his sarcasm for at most 6 years, then I am shipping him off to college... maybe in Japan. >

[Snowhog]

Well, if his PC is truly a 32-bit CPU, he’ll never be able to install (or upgrade to) a 64-bit OS of any ilk. And, he’s a teenager so, he knows EVERYTHING!

[oshunluvr]

From MS itself:

32-bit Windows has an address space of 4GB. Part of that is used by system BIOSes and graphics memory.

With a 256MB graphics card about 3.3-3.5GB of RAM can be addressed and used, assuming you have 4GB fitted.

If you fit a graphics card with 1GB of memory only about 2.6-2.8GB of the RAM would be addressable and usable.

To prove it to him, try:

Find how much RAM is installed and available in Windows Vista and 7. From the Desktop or Start Menu, right-click on Computer and select Properties. In the System Properties window, the system will list"Installed memory (RAM)" with the total amount detected.

[Simon]

We are both looking at his PC now, and it reads; Processor as i-3 core and the RAM 16 GB installed 3.2 usable.

He is going to try the 64 bit Mint, and if he likes it, I will help him partition the dual boot. I don't want to suck up all his free space on his HDD. Unless he decides otherwise, I will allocate 80GB (20GB is recommended) for the OS and 2GB for the swap. With 16GB of RAM available the swap doesn't need more than that? I will check back with you guys tomorrow, until then he can preview and see the difference on a Live CD first. What amazes me is the computer was set up by a local "professional" this way. I think he got cheap on the OS. Wouldn't surprise me if it wasn't a bootleg.

Linux Mint 18.2 Sonya is the current release and while I see they have a KDE option, we are getting the Cinnamon for him to try.

[whatthefunk]

Dont think youre going to have much luck running a 64 bit OS on 32 bit hardware...

[Snowhog]

Dont think youre going to have much luck running a 64 bit OS on 32 bit hardware...

“...much...” How’bout “...NO...”

[oshunluvr]

Dont think youre going to have much luck running a 64 bit OS on 32 bit hardware...

I think you are mistaken. All i3s are 64 bit.

[oshunluvr]

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/32bit_and_64bit

List of processors with 64-bit support:

• [*=left]AMD
  • [*=left]Athlon64, Athlon FX, Athlon X2, Phenom, Semprons that use AM2/AM2+/AM3 socket, Turion64
  
  
  [*=left]Intel
  • [*=left]F and 5x1 series Pentium 4 using the "Prescott" core
    [*=left]Pentium D
    [*=left]Core 2 (Solo, Duo & Quad)
    [*=left]Core i3 (all)
    [*=left]Core i5 (all)
    [*=left]Core i7 (all)
  
  
  [*=left]VIA
  • [*=left]Isiah

[Snowhog]

I think you are mistaken. All i3s are 64 bit.

But in the 1st post he says: “...He has Windows 7 - 32 bit on a machine...”

The assumption (yeah, I know what that makes out of U and I) is that the PC is 32-bit. Given that it has Windows 7, “I” assume that it came preinstalled, and so, the PC is a 32-bit architecture rig, else, why have a 32-bit version of Windows on it?

[oshunluvr]

As far as the swap size goes - debatable. I believe if he hibernates, he'll need a lot more.

I don't know how current or accurate this is, but: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/SwapFaq

[oshunluvr]

But in the 1st post he says: “...He has Windows 7 - 32 bit on a machine...”

The assumption (yeah, I know what that makes out of U and I) is that the PC is 32-bit. Given that it has Windows 7, “I” assume that it came preinstalled, and so, the PC is a 32-bit architecture rig, else, why have a 32-bit version of Windows on it?

Your guess is as good as mine - The manufacturer got a better price from Microsith on the 32 bit version? They were trying to sell the upgrade? He got a free copy and didn't know better?

If I was guessing: the original machine had only 4GB RAM and they sold it with Windows 32-bit because it wouldn't have any noticeable difference to the end-user AND they wanted to sell him the upgrade if he wanted more RAM...

...regardless, all Core i3 CPU's support the 64 bit instruction set, so the whosit's and whatit's don't really matter.

[oshunluvr]

Back to swap - if he's not hibernating the PC 2GB is good IMO. I would adjust swappiness too...

[Snowhog]

...the whosit's and whatit's don't really matter.

Oh the indignity of that statement! I’m the “whosit’s” and the “whatit’s” would beg to differ with you!!

[oshunluvr]

All heck is breaking loose in Whosit and Whatsit-ville tonight!

[oshunluvr]

@here with 16gb ram and <clears throat in an elitist manner> a Core i7, I run swappiness at 2 and vfs_cache_pressure at 50 with tmpfs in RAM at a size of 16GB. Seems to truck along nicely.