# Microsoft to drop support for Windows 10 on 32-bit systems



## Johnny b (Nov 7, 2016)

Not surprising and probably long over due:

* RIP: Microsoft to drop support for Windows 10 on 32-bit systems *
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/ne...rop-support-for-windows-10-on-32-bit-systems/

edit: be sure to read all of the quote below. The headline only applies to new manufactured computers.


> Microsoft has stated that future versions of Windows 10, starting with the May 2020 Update, will no longer be available as 32-bit builds on new OEM computers.
> 
> An update to the Windows 10 Minimum hardware requirements document, Microsoft states that starting with Windows 10 2004, new OEM computers will be required to use 64-bit builds of the operating system.
> ...................
> ...


----------



## flavallee (May 12, 2002)

All my 3rd/4th generation and legacy machines have at least 8 - 16 GB of RAM, so I stopped using 32-bit operating systems a long time ago. 

Except for my test machine which runs Windows XP Pro SP3. 

-------------------------------------------------


----------



## managed (May 24, 2003)

That headline is misleading, Micro$oft will still be issuing updates for existing 32-bit Windows 10 users :-


> *** Beginning with Windows 10, version 2004, all new Windows 10 systems will be required to use 64-bit builds and Microsoft will no longer release 32-bit builds for OEM distribution. This does not impact 32-bit customer systems that are manufactured with earlier versions of Windows 10; Microsoft remains committed to providing feature and security updates on these devices, including continued 32-bit media availability in non-OEM channels to support various upgrade installation scenarios.


Source :- https://docs.microsoft.com/en-au/wi...inimum/minimum-hardware-requirements-overview


----------



## Johnny b (Nov 7, 2016)

flavallee said:


> All my 3rd/4th generation and legacy machines have at least 8 - 16 GB of RAM, so I stopped using 32-bit operating systems a long time ago.
> 
> Except for my test machine which runs Windows XP Pro SP3.
> 
> -------------------------------------------------


Of operational computers, I only have two 32 bit systems.
One is an old laptop with a P4 cpu and XP Home, which sits in a closet.

The other one is a Lenovo M58 with Win 7 Home that I use every day. But not much each day.
I bought it new, on sale plus a discount coupon that brought the price to me down to $200.
It came with 2gb memory and I added 2 more.
That was about 7 or 8 years ago.
It does what I need and does it well, so I'd never consider upgrading it to Win 10, anyway.
It's got less than 4000 hours on it.
So I guess I'll be using at least one 32 bit system for a while lol.


----------



## Johnny b (Nov 7, 2016)

@Allan

Yep, that headline was obviously meant to attract attention. lol.


----------



## managed (May 24, 2003)

Johnny b said:


> @Allan
> 
> Yep, that headline was obviously meant to attract attention. lol.


And it succeeded !


----------



## Johnny b (Nov 7, 2016)

managed said:


> And it succeeded !


It obviously does, that's why I added in addition to the headline, part of the article to give a more correct image:



> This change does not mean that Microsoft is no longer supporting 32-bit builds, as they will continue to do so in a limited manner.


----------



## Professionalgirl (Jan 10, 2020)

I have an old 32 Bit Dell Dimension 2400 Desktop with a hard drive that only contains 80 GB and that's pretty tiny and rare with Windows XP Service Pack Three. Most of these older systems contained at least 256 GB Hard Drives and most other techs were puzzled including myself. The storage was very limited. It sits in my storage room and I haven't used it in years.

Next, I had upgraded to 64 Bit Windows 7 Acer Aspire laptop and upgraded to HP pavilion with Windows 7 that supported both 32 and 64 bit OS. I have found the 64 Bit is faster than 32 Bit so I quit using 32 Bit OS years ago.

I have borrowed a laptop once from a rental place that contained Windows Vista when I experienced a faulty hard drive component in one of the laptops that was sent to be repaired. The Windows Vista was a 32 Bit OS. 

Next, I purchased an ASUS not directly from a manufacturer (Big Mistake!) with a 64 bit OS and the hard drive failed in less than a year! I purchased a Dell Inspiron15 with Intel Core I7 64 Bit OS around the same time I purchased the ASUS with a 64 Bit Windows 10 Home Addition with NVIDIA GEOFORCE GTX and it still works great today. I have had it for three years now. I decided to purchase two at a time for backup reasons in the even that one should fail I still have the other. I now have the two in one Dell Inspiron 14 5000 with Intel Core 15 which is also a 64 bit OS and the performance is one of the best I have observed so far.

I'm totally okay with Microsoft's decision not to build another 32 Bit OS with Windows 10 and think it is less popular anyway and would be difficult for Microsoft to make sales on such Operating Systems. The performance based on personal experience with a 32 Bit is not nearly as good as a 64 Bit OS and you can certainly tell the difference in performance between the two types.


----------



## Snuffleufflegus (Apr 1, 2017)

I have windows 7 home premium 32 bit. Runs like a dream.Always has.It only has 4gigs of ram,intel icore3,dual core,2.20 ghz processor.
It's still super fast/responsive.I have had it now for about 8 years.
I havent installed windows updates on it in years.Only hardware updates.
Ive had a few small issues since i have had it,but they were mostly minor,or from user inexperience.
It still boots up and shuts down within seconds.
I will only upgrade when my computer finally bites it.
I have never had a problem with 32 bit.


----------



## Johnny b (Nov 7, 2016)

I just double-checked my Win 7 Home 32 bit system.
The OS is 32 bit.
The CPU is an Intel Pentium E6600 64 bit chip
And the motherboard is limited to 4 gb ram.

lol...sounds like a left over partsbin project to me.

But it's worked well. And still does.
I don't let it wander the Internet. That's probably why it works so well lol.


----------

