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I wanted to do a clean install of my Win7 after I get my HDD so I decided to download the Official ISO from here.I got this link from HP's website. I have the product key with me but not the discs as the OS was pre-installed.
My laptop is HP DV4-2126TX with First Generation i3 processor.

  • does x86 = 32Bit Processor and x64 = 64bit Processor? and i3 is how many bits?
  • Do I install Win7 Home Premium 32bit or 64 bit?

    • I know when you buy a laptop the cost includes that of the OS so I guess its no piracy moving from a 32bit OS to a 64bit OS as the cost includes both.
    Please answer with reference to the site as to which one do I download.

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    From what I can tell, all Core i3 processors are x86-64. Simply put, they are 64-bit. x86 is "32-bit", while x86-64 is "64-bit". – Bob Oct 19 '12 at 11:37
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    x86 refers to the instruction set originally introduced with the 8086 (originally 16-bit). x86-64 is an extension of the x86 instruction set, but 64-bit, also known as AMD64 and Intel 64 and backwards compatible with x86 - that's why it's an extension, instead of being totally different. x86 is also a common name for the 32-bit implementation of that instruction set (also known as IA-32, x86-32, etc.). There are many other instruction sets and processor architectures, one of them is Itanium by HP and Intel, also known as IA-64, a 64-bit architecture incompatible with x86. – Bob Oct 19 '12 at 11:48
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    what I get from your first few sentences: 32bit processor will not support 64bit OS, only 32bit but 64bit processor will support both – Fasih Khatib Oct 19 '12 at 11:51
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    Generally, though, with consumer CPUs you'll see x86 (meaning 32-bit, backwards compatible with 16-bit) and x86-64 (meaning 64-bit, backwards compatible with 32-bit and 16-bit). An OS will run as long as the processor is (backwards) compatible with it. Fun fact: Windows (XP/Vista/7) refers to x86-64 as AMD64 internally, since that was the original name. – Bob Oct 19 '12 at 11:52
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    I can't remember seeing any within the past few years. Intel, starting from the Core2 family on have all been 64-bit processors. No, I stand corrected. The Intel Atom series of CPUs are 32-bit only. They're standard in netbooks and really low cost PCs. – UtahJarhead Oct 19 '12 at 12:11
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    up vote 2 down vote accepted

    The Intel Core i3 is in fact a 64bit CPU, I'd go with the 64bit ISO.

    But I doubt that this link was from HP.

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    A user asked the same question as I did in the forum a bout getting Win7 ISO. Someone posted that link as an answer and he had an 'Expert' badge – Fasih Khatib Oct 19 '12 at 11:37
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    I see. The x64 is actually 64bit x86, so that's it. – ppeterka Oct 19 '12 at 11:40
    The x64 is actually 64but x86, so that's it what do you mean? – Fasih Khatib Oct 19 '12 at 11:41
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    I edited, it was an unfortunate typo, you need the x64 ISO. – ppeterka Oct 19 '12 at 11:42
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    @FasihKhatib You could use the 32-bit ISO as long as you have under 4 GB of RAM (and no intention of upgrading), which will also save some disk space (64-bit is larger). The 64-bit version of Windows also does not support 16-bit programs, and many programs will use more RAM when running. Also, 32-bit Windows tends to have slightly better driver support, though more recently 64-bit drivers have become easy enough to find. On the other hand, for intensive mathematical/scientific calculations and simulations, 64-bit Windows may be faster. – Bob Oct 19 '12 at 11:58
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