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The 32 bit version of Windows can only use up to 4gb of RAM memory.
The 64 bit version can make use of additional memory above 4gb RAM.
If your PC has 4gb RAM or less, and you do not intend to upgrade the memory, then I suggest you upgrade the operating system to Windows 7 / 32 bit.
If your PC has more than 4gb RAM, then you will need Windows 7 / 64 bit in order to make use of the full amount of memory installed in the PC.
The 64 bit version can make use of additional memory above 4gb RAM.
If your PC has 4gb RAM or less, and you do not intend to upgrade the memory, then I suggest you upgrade the operating system to Windows 7 / 32 bit.
If your PC has more than 4gb RAM, then you will need Windows 7 / 64 bit in order to make use of the full amount of memory installed in the PC.
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Also - in some specific cases, use of 64 bit OS with corresponding 64 bit applications can be faster than using the 32 bit system.
However, this is not very common, and in almost all cases there will be no noticible performance advantage to using 64 bit OS over 32 bit OS on a PC equipped with 4gb RAM.
And, given that Windows 32 bit has better compatability with older applications and games, I would say that a 4gb RAM PC should be installed with 32 bit OS, not 64 bit.
However, this is not very common, and in almost all cases there will be no noticible performance advantage to using 64 bit OS over 32 bit OS on a PC equipped with 4gb RAM.
And, given that Windows 32 bit has better compatability with older applications and games, I would say that a 4gb RAM PC should be installed with 32 bit OS, not 64 bit.
I actually run my PC with 64 bit despite being 4GB.
Reason being is that 32 bit can only actually address 3.5GB and so the extra 100MB which is taken up by the 64 bit over the 32 bit is worth it to gain the extra 300MB for me.
I don't want to spend good money upgrading it now because it is 8 years old.
However, the compatibility issue is a valid one and older software may not work as a result - so I would probably recommend 32 bit as well.
Extra memory is only of use if you use many applications at once or run larger applications or those which handle graphics / video.
If you are then 4GB is nuts anyway and the machine in question won't be up to it these days anyway if it is running XP!
Reason being is that 32 bit can only actually address 3.5GB and so the extra 100MB which is taken up by the 64 bit over the 32 bit is worth it to gain the extra 300MB for me.
I don't want to spend good money upgrading it now because it is 8 years old.
However, the compatibility issue is a valid one and older software may not work as a result - so I would probably recommend 32 bit as well.
Extra memory is only of use if you use many applications at once or run larger applications or those which handle graphics / video.
If you are then 4GB is nuts anyway and the machine in question won't be up to it these days anyway if it is running XP!
Ted
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The biggest difference you will notice is that it won't run on your machine.
64 bit requires a 64 bit processor.
64 bit requires a 64 bit processor.
I assumed a new machine was being bought.
It is not cost-effective to upgrade to a new Windows on an old XP machine!
Having said that, if you can get a cheap copy of Windows 7 Home Edition, which has 32 bit and 64 bit discs as the licence cost is the same, you can try upgrading it to 7 32 bit.
Windows 7 runs well on reasonable spec XP machines in my experience.
It is not cost-effective to upgrade to a new Windows on an old XP machine!
Having said that, if you can get a cheap copy of Windows 7 Home Edition, which has 32 bit and 64 bit discs as the licence cost is the same, you can try upgrading it to 7 32 bit.
Windows 7 runs well on reasonable spec XP machines in my experience.
Just as aside, when I upgraded an old PC from Win XP I found there were no Windows 7 drivers available for the expensive scanner I had 
Less serious but I also found there was no Win7 driver for my old-ish Canon EOS 20 DSLR. And no support for the Firewire CF card reader I had either! But a new USB card reader wasn't a big deal.
I can confirm this as I've just upgraded from 32 bit XP to 64 bit 7 home and the machine is much happier, although the clean install is probably the reason for that. Cheaper than buying a new machine either way.
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I am still running my xp ,i am on it now and use it all the week .No good with explorer so loaded up Fierfox running sweet as a nut .Thats if Talk talk would help and do the right thing.Talktalk are a waist of space . Plus turn off the windows up dates as it will load them auto .
Not sure I follow?
Windows XP is getting more and more insecure by the second.
You could be fine if you are lucky but you could also be unlucky and spend time scraping nasties off your computer - which could well be on there now... or worse still have your machine grind to a halt.
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I very much doubt you are getting updates for XP anyway. Support finished ages ago. Your PC is waiting to be infected. Only good thing you have done is ditch IE.
I think Windows Defender and MRT updates still come through.
Bit like hoping a wet paper towel will help with the rust on a Merc.
Not sure about MRT but Defender updates stopped some months ago. We still have an old XP box ... I put Avast on that instead.
Thank you to everyone who replied to my post - the replies were greatly appreciated. I have been looking at enlarging the RAM and came across a good site called Crucial.com which details the RAM suitable for my make and model of desktop (Dell Dimension 9200) I am in China next month and I can see a Windows 7 Professional 32 bit package being on the shopping list.
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Crucial memory modules are fine.
How much will you be upgrading the memory to - presumably no more than 4gb RAM, given that you intend to purchase Windows 7 Pro 32 bit?
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Just as aside, when I upgraded an old PC from Win XP I found there were no Windows 7 drivers available for the expensive scanner I had
Not just a Windows problem - when I plugged my scanner into my shiny new Mac it was like, what? OK, the scanner's old, but it was top rank in its day and still useful now, although the resolution isn't up to today's models.
So I plugged it into my old Linux box, which has a brain the size of a pea, and it goes "Ah, OK boss, a scanner. What d'you want to do?" Newer is not always better..
Cheers,
Gaz
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I have run this for 18 months with no problems , i just keep it clean with a few tuneup tools and a Norton for the nasties. I.have nothing to loose of it packs up to-morrow The other computer is Windows 7 so i am ready if it crashes. Half of the hospitals in my area are on XP ..strange but true.
