2

I have a Dell Inspiron 3521 laptop, it's 1 year old. How can I tell if it's 32-bit or 64-bit? On Dell's website, it is listed as 64-bit, but in the System Information dialog box it displays the system type as x86 which indicates that it's 32-bit.

Josh
  • 5,143
  • 5
  • 34
  • 44
Arpan
  • 45
  • 2
  • Windows Logo Key + R > "winver". This used to show the type of OS on older versions of Windows; it no longer does this in 8.1, but it should work in Windows 7 if I remember correctly. – user2428118 Oct 02 '15 at 15:35
  • @user2428118, I have Windows 7 Pro x64, and 'winver' doesn't show 32-bit or 64-bit. It does give the long version number, but that's it. – JPhi1618 Oct 02 '15 at 15:41
  • @JPhi1618 I'm probably confusing it with something else, then. – user2428118 Oct 02 '15 at 19:39

4 Answers4

6

I would go with what the System page on the control panel shows

This is an example of what you should see:

enter image description here

You can find this by going to the file explorer and right clicking on This PC

enter image description here

or on the control panel enter this

Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\System

There is the possibility that you are using 32 Bit OS when your system is capable of using 64bit

Dave
  • 25,297
  • 10
  • 57
  • 69
Kieran Dunn
  • 128
  • 12
6

Another way to checking whether you are running a 32- or 64-bit Windows OS is to look for the folders C:\Program Files and C:\Program Files (x86). If you have both, you are running on a 64-bit OS. If you only have the former, then you are running on a 32-bit OS.

Canadian Luke
  • 24,199
  • 39
  • 117
  • 171
Damián Castro
  • 161
  • 3
  • This answers "How can I tell if Windows is 32 or 64 bit", but doesn't show if his "system" is 64 bit. The OP is running 32-bit windows on a 64-bit processor. – JPhi1618 Oct 02 '15 at 19:50
4

You have a 32bit version of windows installed on 64bit hardware.

RJFalconer
  • 10,195
  • 4
  • 43
  • 51
  • Source? Can you [edit] to expand a bit? This is a very low quality answer that would fail to help future visitors as well. – Canadian Luke Oct 02 '15 at 15:48
0

Use win + pause it will bring you to
Control Panel>All Control Panel Items>System.

Here under System Type you will find either 32 or 64-bit.

As backup of course you can select Control Panel from Start menu and Select System from there.

Hastur
  • 18,764
  • 9
  • 52
  • 95
jaxcoder
  • 1
  • 2