[Jayce]

If I were to request it, would I be able to get a 64 bit version sent to me from either MS or Toshiba? Would it cost money? Or would they say I have to pay full out retail on the 64 bit version of Home Premium?

[Fat.Clown]

you could try...

Windows Vista Alternate Media

[Jayce]

Okay just let me get this straight.

My laptop came with Win Vista 32 bit with xxxx product key, so MS KNOWS which one is registered to me.

By ordering this alternate media CD, it's essentially going to enable me to have my original 32 bit Vista disc on hand as well as my 64 bit Vista disc on hand.

Is the alternate media disc like... the third disc to the 32 bit installation to form it into 64 bit? Or is the alternate media for a 64 bit OS the full installation of the OS? Like if I were to order it and install it would I need to install 32 first then 64? Or is the 64 a full edition JUST for my laptop?

I wonder how much it costs... I exceeded the amount of failed times to log in using my product key on my laptop to see what the price was. I'm positive I was typing the information in perfectly, too. Grrrrr.

[Mak213]

No it isnt a 3rd disc. It is its own FULL DVD. It is Vista 64 Bit. Sorry to say but you can not upgrade from 32 Bit to 64 Bit like you were upgrading a applicaiton. That just isnt possible.

No the disc wouldnt be JUST for your laptop. If that was the case then how could anyone else order a DVD thru this? If it was JUST for any specific machine no one could order the DVD. It is Just VISTA. Jsut like the Vista DVD's used to isntall Vista on any other machine. But this version is 64 BIt.

Let me ask this why are you so hard up to get 64 Bit??? If you already ahve 32 Bit why go for 64 BIt?? Sorry to be rude here but it is plainfully obvious that you dont really understand the difference between 32 Bit and 64Bit since you are asking if you have to upgrade from 32 Bit to 64 Bit.

So why are you so hard up to get it? There wont be any difference. It isnt like getting 64 Bit will make your machine any faster. It wont make you boot times go down. You will lose ALL you stuff on the laptop to re-install Vista.

Then you run into driver issues with 64 Bit. Are you sure you have 64 Bit drivers to dupport your system?? Are you sure that all teh applications that you use work on Vista 64 Bit???

[Jayce]

Mostly because I'd like to utilize a total of 4gb of RAM. What's so bad about that?

You're not getting what my point is, here... I'm a PC Technician, so let's not talk slow to me. K?

The reason I was asking as to whether or not it would be for my specific computer is due to the fact it was asking for my product key... Now let's connect the dots. My laptop comes with a Toshiba branded installation disc for Windows Vista 32 bit. In the past (at least with Dell branded XP discs) you've been unable to install them on any other computer besides that exact Dell that it was packaged with. I was curious to know if, with me having to put my product key in, they would look up and realize it's a Toshiba laptop and therefore send me an alternate media installation dvd of windows vista 64 bit that is Toshiba branded. I figured that way they would be sending out packages of Vista 64 bit that were branded just for the machines that people are requesting them for to eliminate people ordering a truck load of Vista installation discs at a cheap price instead of buying it on the shelf at Staples.

k? thx.

[forrestcupp]

I hear what you're saying, and it's not a stupid question. But the Vista disks that are Toshiba or Dell "branded" are from Toshiba or Dell. This is straight from Microsoft. All it requires is a proper COA license number. If you don't provide one to them, they won't send you the disk.

But anyway, I personally know someone who bought a laptop right before Vista came out. The laptop came with a free Vista Home Premium upgrade (which turned out to be a full install only). The upgrade was HP/Compaq "branded" and came with another disk for the laptop's drivers. This person used that upgrade on their desktop and it worked without any issues.

The only thing they really care about is that it is only installed on one computer and that license stays with the one computer.

edit:
But the 64-bit disk they send you will use the same license number you already have, so you won't be able to have your 32-bit OS on one computer and get away with having the 64-bit Vista on a different computer.