I installed Windows 7 64 bit on my gateway netbook Lt40 but I am unable to install the Intel vga. The error message I get when trying to install says that “my computer doesn’t meet the minimum requirements to support installing this software.” I originally had windows 7 starter 32 bit, upgraded to win 7 ultimate 32 and then a clean install to Win ultimate 64. I originally visited the Intel support site and was referred to gateway because of manufacturing modifications gateway might have done to components. When I contacted gateway I was connected to their India office, then I went to the acer website, and was referred to Intel again because installing a 64 bix OS was an unsupported customization. I’ve also read that I may have to instal applications for both 32 and 64 bit systems because the netbook was a 32bit system on a 64bit based pc. If anyone has any ideas to get me going again I’m open to ideas… I really miss my aero
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As eluded to above, the real reason for going with a 64bit OS is to be able to use greater than 4GB of memory. If your system does not physically support 4GB or more of memory, you will actually loose power/speed since the 64bit Windows 7 USES 1GB MORE memory than the 32bit version of the same OS. This means that you will be left with LESS usable memory than you started out with. Subtract 1GB extra for Windows and probably 500MB for your shared graphics, and you are left with a measly 500MB for your own use and Windows may steal some of that at any time it needs it.
I am oversimplifying it to make a point, but on your system, going back to your 32bit OS is the best choice for you. In fact, Starter was specifically designed for smaller netbooks due to the limited amount of memory so it was cut back on some features to accommodate this lack (32bit Home Premium runs best on 3GB or more RAM and 64bit runs best on 4GB or more RAM).
Sorry that this is not what you wanted to hear.