Windows 8.1 Pro will only install as 32bit

[Fireman Dave]

Hi all

I recently decided to install Windows 8.1 Pro on my aging laptop, after 6 months of enjoying it on my main PC.
My laptop is an Asus Pro50G (2ghz T6400, 2GB RAM, which I've put an SSD in). It does alright for what it is.
Anywho, I grabbed another copy of 8.1 (it's OEM on my PC), grabbed my 8.1 DVD I'd created for my PC, and set about installing it on my laptop. And after installing it said it was 32bit. Clearly not right.

So I created a new DVD from the MS media creation tool, ensuring I selected 64bit. Still installed as 32bit. Created USB flash drive installation media, making extra special certain I was selecting 64bit, and it still installed as 32bit.

Thing is, I had just had 64bit Windows 10 Preview installed on there for a few weeks!

Any ideas? Pulling me hair out over this one!

 

[johnnyb105]

Did you by all means format the drive first?

 

[Fireman Dave]

Indeed I did.

 

[jitpublisher]

Your "copy" must be a 32 bit version if thats what you end up with. You are doing a clean, fresh install right? .

 

[Fireman Dave]

The first DVD I used to install 64 bit 8.1 Pro on my PC earlier this year. I have today created another DVD and a USB, using the Microsoft media creation tool, each time selecting 64bit.
Yes, fresh, clean installs.
I can't tell you how many times I've installed am operating system over the years, and I've not come across this.

 

[jitpublisher]

All I can tell you is this, if you end up with the 32 version, then your install media is the 32 bit version.

 

[Fireman Dave]

I understand that. But that's not happening here, so hoping this had happened to someone else, or had heard of it. The disc I used to install 64 bit 8.1 on my PC didn't change into 32 bit over the past couple of months. Very frustrating! (situation, not you 😛)
I'm going to download a 64bit "specific" iso from some random website I think and take my chances =p

 

[johnnyb105]

Do you think the OS is choosing the 32 bit version because the laptop has only 2 gigs of ram???? Maybe you have the 32 bit version of the OS like others have said maybe the key is tied to a 32 bit version rather then a 64 bit version?????


http://getintopc.com/softwares/operating-systems/windows-8-1-download-iso-32-64-bit-free-official/

 

[jitpublisher]

When you buy Windows, the same key will work for either version, 32 or 64 bit.

It also comes on, or you create, if you downloaded a file, separated disks for each version. You cannot "choose" which version you want to install from a menu. You must boot with correct disk to do the install.

On a side note, if you use the upgrade advisor to download and make the disk for you, IT WILL ONLY CREATE A 32 BIT VERSION OF THE UPGRADE DISK IF YOU ARE USING A 32 BIT OS. Even if you select the 64 bit verison, it will only make a 32 bit version if that is what you have right now. The only way to get the 64 bit version, if you do not have right now, is to buy it retail. You cannot get electronically.

I will add that there are "work arounds" people have come up with, but the legality of some are questionable.

 

[Fireman Dave]

1. I have a Windows 8.1 Pro 64bit DVD.
2. I installed it on my PC.
3. It installed 64bit OS.
4. I installed it on my old laptop.
5. It installed 32bit OS.

I've downloaded a couple of "64bit" ISOs from around the net, so I'll see if I have any luck.
Even though I've only got 2Gb RAM at present I've got another 2Gb coming from a mate 😉