installing 64bit os from 32bit

have an acer aspire 6920g.
i know that it is capeable of running a 64bit os even though it's running a 32bit at the moment.
i cannot install a 64bit disc from the current os directly or from the hard drive when it has been re-formatted.
can anyone come up with a solution please ?

here are the specs :

processor - intel mobile core 2 duo t5750
code name - merom
package - socket p (478)
technology - 65nm
core vid - 1.063 v
spec - 2.00 ghz
instructions - mmx, sse, sse2, sse3, em64t (which on test say its 64bit enabled)



motherboard - acer aspire 6920
chipset - intel pm965 rev. - c0
southbridge - intel 82801hbm (ich8-me)

bios - acer
version - v1.07

 

what happens when you try to install the 64bit OS?

 

You need to completely reformat the drive and instal the OS from scratch if you change from 32 to 64Bit or vice versa.

 

As DetlevCM said, you will nead to do what is called a "clean install". This means you will need to install 64-bit Vista from the installation DVD and it will completely erase your previous installation and create a new one. Make sure you back up all your data before proceeding.

And welcome to NBR

 

hi,
i have tried everything that you all have suggested already. be it a re-formatted hard-drive or a fresh install from my current os. it just will not work. it is a genuine dvd.

thanks

 

"Not work" how?

 

@ osmington: For instance, what is the error message, or the last thing you see on screen.

 

hi,
when i try to boot from a restart. the disc will try and boot but then stop. nothing actually happens. when i put the disc in when the laptop is running i get an error message that says the version is not compatible as i'm running a 32bit version and to contact the vendor.
if i put the disc in from a re-formatted hard drive then the laptop tries to boot up but nothing happens at all.

 

Hello!

That's not an error. You cannot install a 64-bit OS on a 32-bit OS (and vice-versa), while the 32-bit OS is running, and you can't update it either. You have to format and remove the 32-bit OS (unless you want to dual boot) and then install the 64-bit OS.

It's most likely that the disc is bad. Try to get a new one, and see if that works.

 

How can one expect to upgrade from one architecture to a different one?

 

Is the laptop set to boot from DVD in the BIOS?

 

hi,
yes it is set to boot from the dvd drive.
if i want to dual-boot, how should i go about this ?
if all else fails then i will return the disc for a new one.

 

Does the setup load? Does it expand files???

 

Can you boot to a 32-bit Windows setup disc? If you can, then the 64-bit setup disc is probably faulty like it has been suggested.

 

if i try and run the disc whilst my current os is running, i get a essage saying it cannot run etc. but i can expand the files. this is as far as it will let me go.

 

You can on Windows 7 IIRC. But upgrading an OS is never a good idea, one should always be doing a clean install imo.

 

There are several good tutorials depending on which OS's you are using. In general, format and partition your drive using a g-parted disc, creating 2-3 partitions (at least one per OS+an optional but useful data partition). Then install the older OS first so that the newer one can recognize it on installation. If you are installing 32 bit and 64 bit Vista, then Windows should just set up the boot menu for you after the second install so that you have a pause before loading the default version where it displays a list of installations.

 

That is normal!! As others have said, you cannot install x64 from your x86 version of Vista. You HAVE TO BOOT from the x64 disk to install it.

And as the other OPS have said, if you're running Vista 32bit and you can boot from that disk, the x64 disk is most likely bad.