I've been using 32-bit systems over the last ten or so years. Currently I have an Socket 478 for Intel® Pentium® 4 (Northwood) 3.00GHz with 2Gb ram. Now, I recently, purchased, new (for $20.00) an Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 511 (1M Cache, 2.80A (Prescot) GHz, 533 MHz FSB) mPGA 478 chip for my ASUS P4P800-E Deluxe MoBo. I haven't installed it yet, most likely this coming Friday night, because I had a few questions to ask before I screw myself. 1.) Can I install this new (old) CPU and still keep all my software I have with the 32-CPU, and then back it up, and do a CLEAN install of Win 7 SP1/Win8 Pro, or do I have to back everything up first, install the 64-bit CPU, and do a clean install the first time I turn the computer on with the 64-bit CPU? 2.) Will I notice, very slightly, any performance/speed up with a 64-bit CPU, or will it be slower than the 32-bit CPU? 3.) I know I can use more RAM since I have a 64-bit CPU, but will that help speed up my processing abilities since it is a 64-bit CPU. 4.) Do I HAVE to install 64-bit programs, like MS Office? The reason why I'm concerned is because I need/depend on my computer every day. That's how I search for jobs, I constantly using MS Outlook as my contact with everyone involved in my job searches. I also use Firefox to research the companies I have interests/interviews with. I have to admit that job searching is a full time job in itself! It is impossible to find a successful job in todays market with out a computer of some sort. I hope that someone can give me the answers I need before I have to find out for myself by trial and error. Even though, learning that way, you learn better. Thank You. _____________ OS: Windows 7 x32 Ultimate V6.01 Build 7601 Service Pack 1|| MoBo: ASUS P4P800-E Deluxe || CPU: Socket 478 for Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 (Northwood) 3.00GHz [D1]|| Ram: 2GB of 400MHz Dual DDR RAM (Corsair) GPU: Radeon HD4650 2Gb || Monitor: Acer H274HL (HDMI) || HDD: 1Tb Western Digital Black Drive || DVD ROM: SONY DVD RW DRU-830A ATA Device || Blu-Ray DVD ROM: LG HL-DT-ST BD-RE GBW-H20L
Thank you for replying so quickly! That's what I like about MDL forums, they have the "PRO" people here! I only have one last, and it's a biggy, the reason why I want to switch CPUs is because my current CPU can't run or install Win 8 Pro (not because it's not 64-bit) because I attempted over a dozen times to install Win 8 Pro with different configurations. My last resort was that I disconnected everything from the PC (USB devices, Blue Tooth devices, HP flatbed scanner, external HDD, the HP Color Laser Printer (it's an older version but it's reliable) and even disconnected my router (My Internet connection), and still wasn't able to install/run Win 8 Pro. Then I read, somewhere online, that my CPU didn't have a certain thing to run Win 8 Pro, so after research, I found that the Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 511 (1M Cache, 2.80A GHz, 533 MHz FSB) mPGA 478 CPU, which is compatible with my MoBo, is able to run Win 8 Pro. Now, back to the big question, can I install one of the CPUs below and will I be able to install and run Win 8 Pro (it really doesn't matter if its a 64-bit CPU)?: P4-3.20 GHz Extreme Ed. (800 FSB, HT) P4-3.20E GHz (800 FSB, L2 cache:1MB, HT, 90nm) P4-3.40 GHz (800 FSB, L2 cache:1MB, rev.G1) P4-3.40 GHz (800 FSB, L2 cache:512KB, HT, D1) P4-3.40 GHz Extreme Ed. (Socket478, 800 FSB, HT) P4-3.40E GHz (800 FSB, L2 cache:1MB, HT, 90nm) P4-3E GHz (800 FSB, L2 cache:1MB, HT, 90nm) I hope that you will be able, somehow, to tell me if any of the CPUs above (they are all compatible with my MoBo) can install/run Win 8 Pro. I know, Win 8 Pro is another Win Vista, but I still would like to have the option to install Win 8 Pro. I appreciate the time you gave to answer my question, and I will appreciate any and all comments about the CPUs I listed above. Thank You. ___________________________________________ OS: Windows 7 x32 Ultimate V6.01 Build 7601 Service Pack 1|| MoBo: ASUS P4P800-E Deluxe || CPU: Socket 478 for Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 (Northwood) 3.00GHz [D1]|| Ram: 2GB of 400MHz Dual DDR RAM (Corsair) GPU: Radeon HD4650 2Gb || Monitor: Acer H274HL (HDMI) || HDD: 1Tb Western Digital Black Drive || DVD ROM: SONY DVD RW DRU-830A ATA Device || Blu-Ray DVD ROM: LG HL-DT-ST BD-RE GBW-H20L