Thread:As-salamu-Alaykum/@comment-3547390-20121009215958/@comment-5019053-20121010132434

32-bit Windows advantages:

1. Most compatible (Most popular programs are come in 32-bit binaries)

2. Support for 16-bit programs

3. Can use both signed and unsigned 32-bit drivers

32-bit Windows disadvantages:

1. Limited support of RAM (Can only be access up to 4GB of RAM)

2. Slower than 64-bit successors

3. More prone to security threats due to lack of Kernel Patch Protection (PatchGuard).

64-bit Windows advantages:

1. Nearly unlimited RAM support (Can be accessed up to 16 EB of RAM, exactly 17,179,869,184 GB of RAM. But Windows 7 Professional 64-bit and above can only access up to 192GB of RAM)

2. Faster computing (Data is loaded from the RAM for faster access time.)

3. 32-bit backward compatibility (SysWOW64 is included in Windows folder, called Windows 32-bit on Windows 64-bit.)

4. Kernel Patch Protection (PatchGuard) for better security (PatchGuard is a security layer that prevents malicious software from patching the kernel.)

5. Supports hardware-backed DEP (DEP, aka Data Execution Prevention, DEP can help protect your computer by monitoring your programs to make sure that they use computer memory safely. If DEP notices a program on your computer using memory incorrectly, it closes the program and notifies you.)

64-bit Windows disadvantages:

1. 32-bit device drivers won't work on 64-bit systems

2. 64-bit require all 64-bit device drivers signed by developer

3. No 16-bit program support

4. More memory consumption (64-bit executables may be bigger than 32-bit counterparts.)