How to Upgrade to Vista 64 Bit From 32 Bit OEM on Windows Vista Home Premium
- 1). Download CPU-Z from the CPUID website. Install the program to the computer. Click "Start," "All Programs," "CPUID" and then "CPU-Z." Review the "Name" field on the "CPU" tab to see which CPU is installed.
- 2). Go to the Intel or AMD site. Search for the CPU product model. On the Intel site, check the information next to "Instruction Set" to see whether the PC has a 32-bit or 64-bit CPU. On the AMD site, check the information next to "Operating Mode 64-Bit" to see whether or not the CPU can run a 64-bit OS.
- 3). Navigate to the computer manufacturer's website. Select the "Support" or "Download" link.
- 4). Search for your product model. Select Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit as the OS. Download the device drivers to USB flash drive, or write the drivers to a CD or DVD.
- 5). Transfer your personal files on the hard drive to online storage or to another storage device, such as a USB drive.
- 6). Create a set of backup CDs or DVDs using the computer's recovery software so that you can reinstall Windows Vista OEM in case any problems occur during upgrade. If you already have a set of recovery CDs or DVDs, you don't need to create another backup set.
- 7). Insert the Windows Vista 64-bit DVD into the disc drive. Restart the computer. Press any key, if prompted, to boot from the disc drive.
- 8). Enter your language and regional settings. Click "Install Now." Enter your Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit product key on the "Type Your Product Key for Activation" screen.
- 9). Check "Automatically Activate Windows When I'm Online." Click "Next." Read the license terms, check "I Accept the License Terms," then click "Next."
- 10
Click "Custom (Advanced)." Select the partition (the largest partition) where Windows Vista 32-bit OEM is installed. Make sure not to select the recovery partition, which is usually only a few gigabytes in size. - 11
Click "Next" to install Windows Vista 64-bit over Windows Vista 32-bit OEM. Follow the on-screen directions to set up the operating system. - 12
Log in to Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit as an administrator. Click "Start." Click "Control Panel." Enter "Device" into the search field, then click "Device Manager." - 13
Expand each category to view the software drivers. If an exclamation point is displayed next to any of the devices, install the device's 64-bit driver from the CD, DVD or USB flash drive.
Source...