How to check Windows for 32-bit OS or 64-bit OS

You can find out whether your system is installed with a 32-bit or 64-bit (Microsoft labels them as x86 or x64) based operating system, which requires specifically built software application.

For computer or PC that has been installed long time ago and user forgets about its version, or has changed owner several times, and user no longer sure whether he or she is running a 32-bit or 64-bit (x32 or x64) version of Windows operating system, use following methods to determine and find out which version actually it’s.


1. Windows Vista

* Method 1
a. Click Start, then click on Run or Start Search.
b. Type msinfo32.exe and then press Enter key.
c. In “System Information”, review the value for the System Type item:
- For 32-bit editions of Windows, the value of the System Type item is x86-based PC.
- For 64-bit editions of Windows, the value of the System Type item is x64-based PC.


* Method 2
a. Click Start, type system in the “Start Search” box, and then click system in the “Programs” list.
b. The operating system appears as follows:
- For a 64-bit version operating system: 64-bit Operating System appears for the “System type” under “System”.
- For a 32-bit version operating system: 32-bit Operating System appears for the “System type” under “System”.


* Method 3
a. Click Start, type system in the “Start Search” box, and then click System Information in the “Programs” list.
b. The operating system appears as follows:
- For a 64-bit version operating system: x64-based PC appears for the “System type” under “Item”.
- For a 32-bit version operating system: x86-based PC appears for the “System type” under “Item”.



2. Microsoft Windows XP Professional

* Method 1
a. Click Start, then click on Run or Start Search.
b. Type msinfo32.exe and then press Enter key.
c. In “System Information”, review the value for the System Type item:
- For 32-bit editions of Windows, the value of the System Type item is x86-based PC.
- For 64-bit editions of Windows, the value of the System Type item is x64-based PC.


* Method 2
a. Click Start, click Run, type sysdm.cpl, and then click OK.
b. Click the General tab. The operating system appears as follows:
- For a 64-bit version operating system: Microsoft Windows XP Professional x64 Edition Version appears under System.
- For a 32-bit version operating system: Microsoft Windows XP Professional Version appears under System.
Note is a placeholder for a year.


* Method 3
a. Click Start, click Run, type winmsd.exe, and then click OK.
b. In the details pane, locate Processor under Item. Note the value.
- If the value that corresponds to Processor starts with x86, the computer is running a 32-bit version of the Windows operating system.
- If the value that corresponds to Processor starts with ia64 or AMD64, the computer is running a 64-bit version of the Windows operating system.


3. Microsoft Windows Server 2003

* Method 1
a. Click Start, click Run, type sysdm.cpl, and then click OK.
b. Click the General tab. The operating system appears as follows:
- For a 64-bit version operating system: Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise x64 Edition appears under System.
- For a 32-bit version operating system: Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition appears under System.


* Method 2
a. Click Start, click Run, type winmsd.exe, and then click OK.
b. In the details pane, locate Processor under Item. Note the value.
- If the value that corresponds to Processor starts with x86, the computer is running a 32-bit version of the Windows operating system.
- If the value that corresponds to Processor starts with EM64T or ia64, the computer is running a 64-bit version of the Windows operating system.

How to enable Private Browsing in Chrome, Firefox, IE and Safari

If Firefox and Internet Explorer 7 have functions effective to purge all traces of your activities on the Net, neither browsers proposed mode for the duration of a session to browse without leaving traces.

Google Chrome and Safari have such a private browsing mode that records no information about your browsing: the history of pages visited, form data, the list of files downloaded ... are not recorded on your hard drive.

Thanks to free extensions, you can have a similar system of private browsing in Firefox 3 and Internet Explorer 7. Now learn how to exploit this incognito in Google Chrome, Firefox, IE 7 and Safari.

1. Google Chrome:

Chrome, Google web browser has a private browsing mode to remain incognito on the internet. Here is how to add private browsing in Chrome:
Launch Google Chrome.
- Click Customize and control Google Chrome.
- In the menu that appears, click the Order New incognito window.
- A new window is open in incognito. Web pages visited in this window are not recorded in the history of navigation.
- When you close the incognito window, all new cookies are deleted.
- Note that you can both browse normally and in incognito mode, using two separate windows.

2. Mozilla Firefox

With the Firefox Distrust extension you can easily add an option for private browsing to Firefox:
- Run Firefox. Click on the Tools menu and then click Add-ons.
- In the search area of the Catalog tab, enter Distrust then click the magnifying glass.
- Then click the Add button to Firefox.
- Click the Install Now button.
- Click Restart Firefox to finish installing the extension. Finally close the window ons.
- When you want to start a private browsing session, go to the Tools menu and select Start Distrust Session.
- You can also click on the icon representing an eye on the bottom right of the window.
- A green cross on the eye tells you that Firefox will not record any trace of browsing.
- To exit the private browsing mode and return to normal mode, go to the Tools menu and select End Session Distrust or click again on the icon of an eye.

3. Internet Explore

There is a very easy way to enable private browsing in Internet Explorer.
- Right click on the shortcut and click on properites.
- In the target box there is the full location of application.
- In the end just type -private and launch the browser.
- Internet Explorer will by default run in private mode.
- Or else for security you can use any proxy server on the web for annoymous surfing. There are number of free proxis.

4. Safari

Like Google Chrome, Safari, Apple's browser has a default function incognito. This function preserves the time of a session, the privacy of your online activities. There is then stored: no cookies, no historic sites and downloads, no forms of information or research.
- Launch Safari.
- Click the Home menu and then click Private Browsing.
- Click the OK button.
- The history of sites visited, cookies, form data, files cached, etc.. are not stored on your hard drive.
- Now you can surf in Private mode on your Safari browser.
But there is something you need to know more. The private browsing feature in Safari when enable still keeps the web track. Those are hidden are not visible directly. I show you the way to remove them completely. For that you will need to run certain commands from Mac Terminal. Go in Terminal and type - dscacheutil -cachedump -entries Host. In that you can see the sites which are still recorded. Then run - dscacheutil -flushcache and done. Your system cache is cleared up.