Computer processors can be 32-bit or 64-bit, and it is important to be able to find out which one you have. You can take different steps depending on your operating system. Continue reading to learn how to tell if your computer is 64-bit, depending on the type of operating system you have.
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is available in both 32-bit and 64-bit processors. If you have a 32-bit processor, it can only run the 32-bit version of Windows. If you have a 64-bit processor, it can run either the 32-bit or the 64-bit version. If you need to know what version you have, you can follow certain steps to find out.
First, you should hold the Windows Key and the Pause Key at the same time. You will see a box that comes up. It will say System Type on one side, and it will tell you whether it is a 64-bit or 32-bit processing system. If you are using Windows XP, it will display Windows XP for a 32-bit system and Windows XP Professional x64 Edition if it is running a 64-bit version.
Apple MacOS
If you have a Mac, you will need to follow a different process. First, you can click on the Apple icon in the menu bar. You can choose the About This Mac option, and then look for a button that says More Info. You can choose the Hardware section and look for the Processor Name. When you find it, you can do a search to find out whether it is a 64-bit or 32-bit system.
Apple uses names for their processors, and each name is either 32-bit or 64-bit. Most Macs are 64-bit processors, but there is one processor that is 32-bit. It is called the Intel Core Duo or Solo.
Linux
If your computer uses Linux, you need to enter the following command: grep flags/proc/cpuinfo. When you see the output, you should look for lm. If you do not see it, then the processor is 32-bit. If you do see if, it is a 64-bit processor.
If you have a 32-bit computer you can upgrade it as long as the processor is a 64-bit processor. If you have a 64-bit processor, you can upgrade the operating system. You can purchase the new OS online or at a store. There are 64-bit versions of Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, and 10. Your Mac is probably a 64-bit processor because most models are.
As long as you understand the steps above, you can find out whether your computer is 64-bit or not. To say that a processor is 64 bits means that it can transfer 64 bits of data in each dock cycle. Basically, this is how much information it is able to process when it performs an operation. This is why you can run a 32-bit operating system on a 64-bit processor. However, the reverse is not true. If your computer has a 32-bit processor, it can only run a 32-bit operating system.
It is important to have this information if you are considering upgrading your computer system. If you do not have a 64-bit processor and want to upgrade, you will have to upgrade both the processor and the operating system. Once you determine the size of your processor, you will know what operating system you can use.
If you have a Mac, it is pretty simple because most of these computers have a 64-bit processor. You can look at the name of the processor and look it up if you aren’t sure. Once you follow the steps listed above, you will have no trouble figuring out what kind of processor you have. Having a 64-bit processor allows you to use either type of operating system, so you have more options.