Windows 10 - architecture switch from 32-bit to 64-bit

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Jim West

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I've been using 32-bit Windows on a desktop box for quite some time. More recently I've gone through the upgrade path from 7 to 8, 8 to 8.1, and now 8.1 to 10. No problems. Upgrading has been flawless.

So now I'm running Win 10 32-bit. But I want to switch architecture to 64-bit, which necessitates a fresh (clean) install. Will the 64-bit Win 10 ISO available from the link below allow me to do so, and will it activate?

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10
 
Jim West said:
I've been using 32-bit Windows on a desktop box for quite some time. More recently I've gone through the upgrade path from 7 to 8, 8 to 8.1, and now 8.1 to 10. No problems. Upgrading has been flawless.

So now I'm running Win 10 32-bit. But I want to switch architecture to 64-bit, which necessitates a fresh (clean) install. Will the 64-bit Win 10 ISO available from the link below allow me to do so, and will it activate?

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10
Click to expand...

Your key is in the BIOS, which is valid for both 32x and 64x bit.
You should have no problems with a fresh install. The only question is driver support.
 
Any reason to go to 64Bit?


It doesn't sound like you need it unless you upgrading RAM.
 
Johnatan56 said:
Your key is in the BIOS, which is valid for both 32x and 64x bit.
You should have no problems with a fresh install. The only question is driver support.
Click to expand...
Key in the BIOS what? Care to explain what you mean by this?
 
Johnatan56 said:
Your key is in the BIOS, which is valid for both 32x and 64x bit.
You should have no problems with a fresh install. The only question is driver support.
Click to expand...

I own the retail version of Windows - not OEM. It's running on a custom built box. So I don't think the key is the BIOS. Also don't anticipate any driver issues running Win 10 64-bit.
 
Rickster said:
Any reason to go to 64Bit?

It doesn't sound like you need it unless you upgrading RAM.
Click to expand...

It's become necessary to run 64-bit versions of Micromine and ArcGIS, with the added benefit of the extra memory that 64-bit Windows addresses.
 
The key isn't "in the BIOS". The key is a unique token that is generated based on a number of machine identity and configuration parameters such as CPUID, motherboard, chipset, RAM, disk, graphics, devices, etc, etc.

When you activate Windows, these parameters are stored in the activation server, and if you have a MSA, these are also associated with that token (you can call it a serial key if you wish, but it's not a serial key as you know it from previous versions of Windows). It simply means that when you do an upgrade or a clean install onto a virgin disk, Windows will generate a token based on these parameters and check that against the activation server records. If it finds a match, your system will be automatically activated without any further issues. If not, you'll have to follow other steps which could include a manual phone-in or even the purchase of a new key.
 
Last edited:
Interesting. Hardware will remain the same. Except I want to do the fresh install on a newly purchased SSD. Would this negate the activation?
 
Arthur said:
The key isn't "in the BIOS". The key is a unique token that is generated based on a number of machine identity and configuration parameters such as CPUID, motherboard, chipset, RAM, disk, graphics, devices, etc, etc.

When you activate Windows, these parameters are stored in the activation server, and if you have a MSA, these are also associated with that token (you can call it a serial key if you wish, but it's not a serial key as you know it from previous versions of Windows). It simply means that when you do an upgrade or a clean install onto a virgin disk, Windows will generate a token based on these parameters and check that against the activation server records. If it finds a match, your system will be automatically activated without any further issues. If not, you'll have to follow other steps which could include a manual phone-in or even the purchase of a new key.
Click to expand...
http://www.nextofwindows.com/how-to-retrieve-windows-8-oem-product-key-from-bios
The key is now embedded in BIOS and can be retrieved automatically during the activation process in Windows 8
Click to expand...

It is embedded. Has nothing to do with activation servers etc. though it will still check those as well.
 
Jim West said:
Interesting. Hardware will remain the same. Except I want to do the fresh install on a newly purchased SSD. Would this negate the activation?
Click to expand...
It shouldn't. Activation makes allowance for this sort of migration - from HDD to SSD.

As to moving from 32-bit to 64-bit: I must confess I haven't checked whether the policies have changed with Win 10, but I'd be surprised if they had. In the past Microsoft allowed this migration using the same serial key. However, check out whether this applies to the free Win 10 upgrade just to be sure. After all, you are technically getting an upgrade to you previous (Win7/8) system, ie an upgrade licence, not a new/FPP/OEM licence.

If I were you I'd first make a disk image of the the original valid/activated/legal installation (I use Acronis Backup, an invaluable tool). You can then always go back within minutes to your previous installation should you require. Then I'd restore the image to the SSD system and make sure it's activated. Then I'd do a clean install of the 64-bit version.
 
Arthur said:
It shouldn't. Activation makes allowance for this sort of migration - from HDD to SSD.

As to moving from 32-bit to 64-bit: I must confess I haven't checked whether the policies have changed with Win 10, but I'd be surprised if they had. In the past Microsoft allowed this migration using the same serial key. However, check out whether this applies to the free Win 10 upgrade just to be sure. After all, you are technically getting an upgrade to you previous (Win7/8) system, ie an upgrade licence, not a new/FPP/OEM licence.

If I were you I'd first make a disk image of the the original valid/activated/legal installation (I use Acronis Backup, an invaluable tool). You can then always go back within minutes to your previous installation should you require. Then I'd restore the image to the SSD system and make sure it's activated. Then I'd do a clean install of the 64-bit version.
Click to expand...

Just to back you up, swapping the HDD made no difference on my machine, it never asked for a key and activated itself.
 
Johnatan56 said:
http://www.nextofwindows.com/how-to-retrieve-windows-8-oem-product-key-from-bios


It is embedded. Has nothing to do with activation servers etc. though it will still check those as well.
Click to expand...
He's talking about a home-built machine, not one where Windows 8 was pre-installed by the IHV.

Jim West said:
I own the retail version of Windows - not OEM. It's running on a custom built box. So I don't think the key is the BIOS. Also don't anticipate any driver issues running Win 10 64-bit.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
1. The new SSD is not the same size as my existing HDD. Hence not easy to restore the HDD image to the SSD. (I suppose it's possible if I downsize the HDD content before imaging.)

2. My plan is to disconnect my existing HDD, connect the new SSD and do the fresh 64-bit install on the SSD. (BTW I know my product key.)

3. Once Win is installed on the SSD, I'd reconnect the HDD. The boot disk will be the SSD. (But I intend to keep the original valid/activated/legal 32-bit install on the HDD for awhile just in case).

4. Note that my SSD would be used for Win and software - but the HDD would be retained for documents, data, photos, etc.

Comments pro and con WRT the above are appreciated.
 
Johnatan56 said:
http://www.nextofwindows.com/how-to-retrieve-windows-8-oem-product-key-from-bios
It is embedded. Has nothing to do with activation servers etc. though it will still check those as well.
Click to expand...

It's not embedded. The OP's machine is custom built and not OEM. His Windows 8 key is a proper key and his Windows 10 "key" is based off a hardware hash as mentioned in an earlier post.

OEM's used SLIC 2.0/2.1/3.0 for Windows Vista/7/8 respectively for adding a SLIC table to the BIOS for OEM pre-activation. Custom built PC's don't have this table and must use internet/phone activation. This table can actually be added to a custom built PC but that's a whole different topic of discussion.
 
Reporting back - I did successfully switch from 32-bit to 64-bit. No problems.

So over the years, my upgrade path has been...

Win 7 Pro 32-bit --> Win 8 Pro 32-bit --> Win 8.1 Pro 32-bit --> Win 10 Pro 32-bit --> Win 10 Pro 64-bit

Am now running Win 10 Pro 64-bit on an SSD. What a difference. Should've gotten an SSD earlier. :)
 
Just to confirm you where able to do a fresh install of Win 10 and activate it with your Win 8.1 key?

I read an article where they stated this won't be allowed.
 
TheGuy said:
Just to confirm you where able to do a fresh install of Win 10 and activate it with your Win 8.1 key?

I read an article where they stated this won't be allowed.
Click to expand...

Didn't use my Win 8.1 key - instead I upgraded to Win 10 32-bit, then used the Win 10 key for the fresh install of 64-bit.
 
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