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ilvuszq

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ilvuszq

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January 2nd, 2015 12:00

32bit or 64 bit?

I have an optiplex gx520 and an optiplex 755.  I want to run ubuntu x64 in the 520 but I can't tell what the bus width is.  I installed win 8.1 over win-7 32 bit and my 'system' says it is now running "32bit os, x64 based processor".  why didn't windows 8 x64 install?  Can I run ubuntu x64 on this motherboard which has an intel pentium 4 cpu?  Do I have to up my ram from 2.00 gb?  Can I plug in 64bit ram?

How much ram can i install?

whew!

  • ilvuszq

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    Posted January 2nd, 2015 15:00

    So I should be able to install and run ubuntu 64.

    I thought the "64" referred to the address bus width.

    FYI I really like the way Dell puts their boxes together and the small form factor.

    There are good buys in the refurbished market.

    thanks

    jim murray

  • osprey4

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    Posted January 2nd, 2015 13:00

    Hi ilvuszq,

    Please provide the specific processor installed in your GX520.

    The maximum memory is 2x2GB modules. And, no, there's no such thing as "64-bit RAM".

  • ilvuszq

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    Posted January 2nd, 2015 14:00

    The info from the "PC INFO" selection in windows 8.1 enterprise evaluation is ...

    product ID:     00260-60000-00000-AA378

    processor:     intel(r) pentium(r) 4 cpu 3.00ghz  2.99ghz

    installed ram:   2.00gb

    system type:   32-bit operating system,  x64-based processor

    pen and touch:   no pen or touch input is available for this display

    edition:  windows 8.1 enterprise evaluation

    I thought that windows 8.1 was a 64-bit os and i installed the evaluation copy to see if this machine would run a 64-bit os.

    thank you

    jim murray

  • osprey4

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    Posted January 2nd, 2015 16:00

    So you do have a 64-bit processor. But of course, since you installed over a 32-bit OS, you now have a 32-bit version of Win 8.1

    There's really very little difference and with an older CPU like yours, 64-bit is not going to have a significant impact.

  • Philip_Yip

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    Posted January 2nd, 2015 17:00

    You can opt to download a Windows 8.1/10 32 Bit or 64 Bit .iso.

    For the GX520 most processors even if 64 Bit will be below the elevated system requirements for Windows 8.1/10 64 Bit so its best to install the 32 Bit version. 4 GB of RAM is therefore maximum. A new Windows license and RAM is probably going to be near the price of a second hand OptiPlex 760 which has a Windows 7 license and probably more RAM so it might not be worthwhile.

    For the OptiPlex 755, it runs Windows 8.1/10 64 Bit without any problem and can have 8 GB of RAM.

    See www.crucial.com for compatible memory and SSD upgrades. 

  • speedstep

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    Posted January 2nd, 2015 22:00

    520 will never see more than 3.5 gigs ram regardless of os or cpu being 64 bit.  This is a chipset limitation.  Same is true for 620.

    64 bit windows 8.1 REQUIRES A Pentium D 900 series and Bios A11 so the Pentium D 915 with the copper performance heatsink are required.

    8.1 AND 10 have more requirements than 8.0

  • ilvuszq

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    Posted January 3rd, 2015 08:00

    I searched Dell for 'pentium d915 desktop' and got no hits.

    I am retired and now just toying with various os and languages so price is a factor and I shop for re-furbished pcs.

    Could you tell me what Dell models would support more than 8G of RAM?

    I really like the Dell small form factor mechanical architecture.

    thanks