SOLVED Converting a 32bit hd to 64bit

[Eliss]

I have a spare ssd drive formatted as a 32bit win10 drive. I will be buying a new computer which will have a win10 64bit os. Will my new computer be able to regonize the spare drive and format it to the 64bit system so I can use it for external storage?

 

[Wolfie]

Hi Eliss,

if you install the old SSD into the PC, it will be seen as an extra drive but you should format it using Windows own tools to make sure it gets handled correctly.

Stacks of vids on YouTube covering the subject!.

 

[Eliss]

Thanks for the info, that’s what I needed to know, that the new os will recognize the 32bit drive so can format it to 64bit. I once connected a (usb) 32bit ssd drive to a 64bit system and it was not recognized.

 

[davehc]

The reference to 32/64bit is not in a sense, correct.
When you intend to format a drive, Windows will offer three different file systems.

FAT32 is an old file system. It is not very efficient, but it has greater compatibility with any other operating systems, which, for example, you may wish to run in a virtual environment.. This is possibly what you have in your old SSD?

The default is NTFS, which is the current and more efficient file system. Windows will, automatically, use NTFS for the main system drive and, also by default, for non-removable drives.

The third is exFAT. It is an up to date replacement for FAT32. It is slowly becoming more used than NTFS.

 

[Eliss]

Thanks for clearing that up. The terminology I used may have been incorrect, but your answers helped me understand what I need to do to plan for my next system setup. Thanks you.

 

[Clintlgm]

One other thing, if you put a 2nd disk with an OS on it you have to insure the correct disk/SSD boots, so open up BIOS and reset the correct one. Or on most computers there will be a F key to hit on boot up that bring up a boot menu then select the correct one to boot.
The best way is to put the old SSD connect it through USB and format it from there before installing it in your computer so as not to confuse your system with two booting OS