More fun (not really) with Windows 7
Ok, so now I'm looking around for instructions to do a "clean install" of Windows 7, which I wanted to do before, because more and more of the commercial crap on this computer is getting to irritate me (and "uninstalling" said crap does not actually get rid of it).
Now we have a new little puzzle. According to the info I keep finding online, Win7 comes in two versions: 32-bit and 64-bit. (I'm still a little vague on what this means, but it's got something to do with the size of the computer's assets. I suppose 64-bit machines can hold more data or process more shit or something, and Win7 is able to take advantage of this.)
Here's where it gets puzzling. I keep seeing the phrase "(x86)" in conjunction with 32-bit Windows 7, and (x64) connected to 64-bit Windows 7. Great, that explains the (x86) thing that all my new Program Files keep wanting to install into. So that suggests I have 32-bit Win7. Well, what did I expect, it was a cheap machine, and I don't really need mega power, right? I just want a no-frills laptop.
But then I open up my System Properties to see which version I have, and guess what? According to that thing, my version of Win7 is the 64-bit version.
Now I'm more confused than ever. And I probably shouldn't try fucking around with the OS and hard drive until I figure this one out.
I'm telling you kids, when it comes to computers, it seems like the more I learn, the less I know. This would be more reassuring if computers weren't, y'know, a completely man-made device that is maybe fifty years old.* These things really shouldn't be this hard to comprehend.
* I know some very clunky mechanical computers existed earlier, but processors as we know them now are not that old. Wikipedia dates them to the 1960s.
Now we have a new little puzzle. According to the info I keep finding online, Win7 comes in two versions: 32-bit and 64-bit. (I'm still a little vague on what this means, but it's got something to do with the size of the computer's assets. I suppose 64-bit machines can hold more data or process more shit or something, and Win7 is able to take advantage of this.)
Here's where it gets puzzling. I keep seeing the phrase "(x86)" in conjunction with 32-bit Windows 7, and (x64) connected to 64-bit Windows 7. Great, that explains the (x86) thing that all my new Program Files keep wanting to install into. So that suggests I have 32-bit Win7. Well, what did I expect, it was a cheap machine, and I don't really need mega power, right? I just want a no-frills laptop.
But then I open up my System Properties to see which version I have, and guess what? According to that thing, my version of Win7 is the 64-bit version.
Now I'm more confused than ever. And I probably shouldn't try fucking around with the OS and hard drive until I figure this one out.
I'm telling you kids, when it comes to computers, it seems like the more I learn, the less I know. This would be more reassuring if computers weren't, y'know, a completely man-made device that is maybe fifty years old.* These things really shouldn't be this hard to comprehend.
* I know some very clunky mechanical computers existed earlier, but processors as we know them now are not that old. Wikipedia dates them to the 1960s.