Understanding hardware and software for 64-bit Windows
If you're trying to decide between a PC running a 32-bit version of Windows 7 or one with
drivers and programs and 64-bit drivers and programs.
There's no need to worry. Simply put, a computer running a 64-bit version of Windows 7
needs 64-bit drivers for all your hardware and devices. A driver is software that allows your
computer to communicate with hardware devices. Without drivers, the devices you connect
to your computer or install inside your computer won't work properly. In most cases,
Windows can automatically find and install those 64-bit drivers for you by searching a huge
database of drivers included in Windows and using Windows Update.
Unlike drivers, most programs designed for 32-bit versions of Windows work just fine on
computers running a 64-bit version of Windows. (Notable exceptions are antivirus programs
and so-called utility programs, where you might need a 64-bit version.)
If you have a choice of whether to install a 32-bit or 64-bit version of a program, always
choose the 64-bit version if you're running a 64-bit version of Windows. Even though the
32-bit version should work with a 64-bit version of Windows, chances are the 64-bit version
will perform better, since it was designed for a 64-bit version of Windows.