i've done f'up... I bought a 64 bit Vista Machine

[mattvivslivesou]

Well what turned out to be an excellent deal... has ended up screwing me.

I bought an HP Pavilion over the weekend to replace my old Toshiba laptop. I run a Live Sound and Lighting company and some of the programs I need are “windows” only and won’t run off a Mac OSX.

So I buy this new HP laptop and I installed the programs I needed for the show.

I am able to open up the program, but it won’t process any incoming or outgoing data to the USB ports.

WTF!!!

Come to find out I bought an HP Pavilion DV4-1220US with an AMD Turion X2 Dual-Core Mobile processor and it came with a Windows Vista 64-Bit Operating System. I spent about 2-3 hours on the phone with HP and Windows/Microsoft, and I haven’t had any luck. And come to find out a 64-Bit machine can not run programs that are designed for 32-Bit. HP won’t downgrade the Vista OS to 32-Bit because the driver files are only designed for 64-bit.

I can not return the laptop, since the box is opened and I installed programs on it and since there is nothing is wrong with it they won’t take it back or exchange it out.

So now I am sitting here with a $1200 paper weight, what do I do?

 

[GWguy]

Are there 64-bit version of the sound software available??

 

[sockgirl77]

So now I am sitting here with a $1200 paper weight, what do I do?

Chuck it out the window and buy a new one or buy a program that will work with that $1200 paper weight.

 

[theArtistFormerlyKnownAs]

Are there 64-bit version of the sound software available??

and if not, depending on your personal knowledge/know-how, either you or a friend could install another operating systems on the computer so that you can boot to that for your purposes mentioned here, and to the 64 bit Vista for anything else

 

[BoyGenius]

Try This.

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/4.1 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; ) 400x240 LGE VX10000)

Well what turned out to be an excellent deal... has ended up screwing me.

I bought an HP Pavilion over the weekend to replace my old Toshiba laptop. I run a Live Sound and Lighting company and some of the programs I need are “windows” only and won’t run off a Mac OSX.

So I buy this new HP laptop and I installed the programs I needed for the show.

I am able to open up the program, but it won’t process any incoming or outgoing data to the USB ports.

WTF!!!

Come to find out I bought an HP Pavilion DV4-1220US with an AMD Turion X2 Dual-Core Mobile processor and it came with a Windows Vista 64-Bit Operating System. I spent about 2-3 hours on the phone with HP and Windows/Microsoft, and I haven’t had any luck. And come to find out a 64-Bit machine can not run programs that are designed for 32-Bit. HP won’t downgrade the Vista OS to 32-Bit because the driver files are only designed for 64-bit.

I can not return the laptop, since the box is opened and I installed programs on it and since there is nothing is wrong with it they won’t take it back or exchange it out.

So now I am sitting here with a $1200 paper weight, what do I do?

Here's what I would try. Get ahold of a Windows Vista install disk package such as what they sell in Best Buy that someone has. Inside you'll find both a 32bit and 64 bit DVD disk. The product key from that laptop should unlock and work the 32bit install of whatever version OS that laptop came with. For example, everything from Ultimate to Basic is all contained on that DVD and the keys choose which you can unlock and load. The product key should be on the bottom of the laptop.

Caution, you need to create the backup/rescue disks from the laptop hard drive before you go installing the new OS. If the laptop came with a Vista install disk from MS, try the above with it.

 

[theArtistFormerlyKnownAs]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/4.1 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; ) 400x240 LGE VX10000)



Here's what I would try. Get ahold of a Windows Vista install disk package such as what they sell in Best Buy that someone has. Inside you'll find both a 32bit and 64 bit DVD disk. The product key from that laptop should unlock and work the 32bit install of whatever version OS that laptop came with. For example, everything from Ultimate to Basic is all contained on that DVD and the keys choose which you can unlock and load. The product key should be on the bottom of the laptop.

Caution, you need to create the backup/rescue disks from the laptop hard drive before you go installing the new OS. If the laptop came with a Vista install disk from MS, try the above with it.

Now I'm not saying it *didn't*, but I sure don't recall the disks that came with my HP Pavilion being anything more than what I got. I guess if you started out with 64-bit then they MAY have the 32-bit disks too, but it's not something I'd really count on

 

[GWguy]

If the hardware is 64 bit, I don't think the 32 bit software will work very well, unless there's a BIOS setting to allow 32 bit operation.

 

[theArtistFormerlyKnownAs]

If the hardware is 64 bit, I don't think the 32 bit software will work very well, unless there's a BIOS setting to allow 32 bit operation.

This is a good point, BUT, it turns out that my CPU (and I'm not sure what else) is 64-bit (capable, I guess?)...but my OS is 32-bit Vista :shrug: I'm not sure how everything would work out, but this emphasizes how important it is to check compatibility BEFORE a decision to buy something...but seeing as it's too late for that, I'm sure there is something that can be done to make the programs work.

 

[mattvivslivesou]

Are there 64-bit version of the sound software available??

unfortunally no there is not. Everything out there is under 32Bit.

 

[rockfish]

If the hardware is 64 bit, I don't think the 32 bit software will work very well, unless there's a BIOS setting to allow 32 bit operation.

Bingo!

 

[FastCarsSpeed]

Your laptop came with the option to use 32 or 64 bit. You can possibly revert back to 32 bit by reinstalling vista. You should have a restore CD to do so and if need be call HP and they will walk you through it. There is nothing wrong with the laptop. Most companies are installing the OS but leaving it at the option to choose 32 or 64 bit. Microsoft ships the Vista DVD's with both on them. Also I would recommend you purchase the 99.00 upgrade to Vista Ultimate so you have full functionality over your laptop.

 

[mattvivslivesou]

Now I'm not saying it *didn't*, but I sure don't recall the disks that came with my HP Pavilion being anything more than what I got. I guess if you started out with 64-bit then they MAY have the 32-bit disks too, but it's not something I'd really count on

Mine did not come with a Recovery Disk. There is a partition on the Hard Drive for system recovery/reformatting.

 

[BoyGenius]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/4.1 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; ) 400x240 LGE VX10000)

Bingo!

I don't think you guys know what you're talking about being that the HP support page for this notebook lists both Vista, which would be Vista 32 and Vista 64 drivers for this machine.

As I said before, if he gets ahold of a Vista disk, I'll bet his problem will be solved.

Select your operating system#

And Amazon's description states this:

"And it's designed to handle simultaneous 32- and 64-bit computing with no degradation in performance."

Amazon.com: HP Pavilion DV4-1220US 14.1-Inch Laptop (2.0 GHz AMD Turion X2 RM-72 Processor, 4 GB RAM, 250 GB Hard Drive, DVD Drive, Vista Premium): Computers & PC Hardware

He's got nothing to lose by trying what I told him to do.

 

[BoyGenius]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/4.1 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; ) 400x240 LGE VX10000)

Mine did not come with a Recovery Disk. There is a partition on the Hard Drive for system recovery/reformatting.

Did you read the setup instructions and did they tell you to create rescue DVD's? You really need to make those disks.

 

[GWguy]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/4.1 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; ) 400x240 LGE VX10000)



I don't think you guys know what you're talking about being that the HP support page for this notebook lists both Vista, which would be Vista 32 and Vista 64 drivers for this machine.

As I said before, if he gets ahold of a Vista disk, I'll bet his problem will be solved.

Select your operating system#

And Amazon's description states this:

"And it's designed to handle simultaneous 32- and 64-bit computing with no degradation in performance."

Amazon.com: HP Pavilion DV4-1220US 14.1-Inch Laptop (2.0 GHz AMD Turion X2 RM-72 Processor, 4 GB RAM, 250 GB Hard Drive, DVD Drive, Vista Premium): Computers & PC Hardware

He's got nothing to lose by trying what I told him to do.

I spent about 2-3 hours on the phone with HP and Windows/Microsoft,

So, you don't think EITHER HP or MS would have know that and recommended that from the start?

Sure, nothing to loose. Get a 32 bit OS and load it.

 

[mattvivslivesou]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/4.1 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; ) 400x240 LGE VX10000)



I don't think you guys know what you're talking about being that the HP support page for this notebook lists both Vista, which would be Vista 32 and Vista 64 drivers for this machine.

As I said before, if he gets ahold of a Vista disk, I'll bet his problem will be solved.

Select your operating system#

And Amazon's description states this:

"And it's designed to handle simultaneous 32- and 64-bit computing with no degradation in performance."

Amazon.com: HP Pavilion DV4-1220US 14.1-Inch Laptop (2.0 GHz AMD Turion X2 RM-72 Processor, 4 GB RAM, 250 GB Hard Drive, DVD Drive, Vista Premium): Computers & PC Hardware

He's got nothing to lose by trying what I told him to do.

I talked to HP today and they are telling me that it is not possible to "down grade" to 32-bit. But what you are saying, if I go to and buy the Vista upgrade kit, I can switch it to Vista 32-Bit.

 

[BoyGenius]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/4.1 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; ) 400x240 LGE VX10000)

I talked to HP today and they are telling me that it is not possible to "down grade" to 32-bit. But what you are saying, if I go to and buy the Vista upgrade kit, I can switch it to Vista 32-Bit.

I'm saying borrow a Vista disk from someone. A non branded, real Microsoft Vista disk. Not one from Dell, HP etc, and do the install. I would not buy it. If it works, you can probably copy the disk, so you'll have a copy.

If you can't get one, start a thread on here asking for one of the local techs or techies to loan you one. The product key is what MS cares about, not the disks themselves.

 

[mattvivslivesou]

Your laptop came with the option to use 32 or 64 bit. You can possibly revert back to 32 bit by reinstalling vista. You should have a restore CD to do so and if need be call HP and they will walk you through it. There is nothing wrong with the laptop. Most companies are installing the OS but leaving it at the option to choose 32 or 64 bit. Microsoft ships the Vista DVD's with both on them. Also I would recommend you purchase the 99.00 upgrade to Vista Ultimate so you have full functionality over your laptop.

I currently have Windows Vista Home Premium with SP1 (64-bit version) installed.

I checked the prices, to upgrade it would be to Ultimate and that is $160 at Microsoft.

 

[Crewdawg141]

Do yourself a favor until Windows 7 is available and use a boot disk with XP or a version of Linux (if your software is compatible with it) on it. go to bootdisk.com or Google the term boot disk. It is a fairly simple thing to perform!

 

[clevalley]

I can make you a copy of Vista 32-bit Ultimate - non branded. If you have your key, I can somehow get a copy of the disk to you in a day or so.

Important lesson to be learned, if you have software packages you cannot live without check to see if they are 64-bit compatible or upgradeable... we have had this issue a few times at work.