This browser is no longer supported.
Upgrade to Microsoft Edge to take advantage of the latest features, security updates, and technical support.
![](data:image/svg+xml, %3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' height='64' class='font-weight-bold' style='font: 600 30.11764705882353px "SegoeUI", Arial' width='64'%3E%3Ccircle fill='hsl(128, 8%, 22%)' cx='32' cy='32' r='32' /%3E%3Ctext x='50%25' y='55%25' dominant-baseline='middle' text-anchor='middle' fill='%23FFF' %3EA%3C/text%3E%3C/svg%3E)
I have a surface. But it pre-installed windows 8 Pro 64-bit. I don't want to use 64-bit software, so I wanna install a new 32-bit Windows 8 on my surface Pro. But when I boot from my installing media, I find that surface can't get in to installing screen... I feel bad about it, who can tell me how to install Windows 8 32-bit in my surface?
Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.
Answer accepted by question author
Sorry, but I think you're SOL. My understanding of it is that UEFI has to have the same architecture as the OS you're trying to run. The Surface Pro UEFI is 64-bit, and so you can only run a 64-bit OS on there.
Unfortunately, the Surface also does not have the "Legacy Boot" option to emulate a BIOS like many other PCs have.
Answer accepted by question author
I said this once but I'll say it again: you can install x86/32 bit software on a 64 bit version of Windows. Just download and install the 32 bit version of Office. Your key will work for both versions...
Also 64 bit Office works with tons of other applications just fine. The better option is to contact those software vendors to see if they have an update to provide Office 64 bit support. I suggest you do that if Office is the issue.
You will not solve this issue by installing 32 bit Windows. If you want a quick solution, install 32 bit Office.
Your statement regarding memory/RAM for the Surface Pro is a little absurd as well. 4GB is not "too short." You're going way off topic here. 4GB is perfectly capable of running Windows 64 bit. Heck, you can only use 3GB max with a 32 bit OS.
Microsoft does not consider this a problem because it is a fact that 32 bit OSes are on the way out. Anyone still using 32 bit is doing so because of a third party vendor requiring it for some ridiculous reason or that vendor's unwillingness to provide updates for 64 bit support.
For your initial question, it seems you are actually wanting to use x86/32 bit Office. This is the solution: install the 32 bit Office and your "other applications" will work fine.
Please mark as answered.
You have not provided a sufficient reasoning for running 32 bit Windows 8 on your Surface Pro. Also, taking into consideration your system was designed to run Windows 8 Pro 64 bit, I would leave it as is. It comes with 4 GBs of RAM which would not be fully recognized by Windows 8 Pro 32 bit in addition to the possibility of drivers not being available for 32 bit.
I just dislike 64 bit Windows. My office 365 provide 2 versions for two platforms, but I feel puzzled about these editions. And all of my software are 32 bit. Downloading 64 bit software can waste my time and use more displace.
Core graphics cards will use some RAM (about 256MB), so 32 bit Windows can be more suitable.
You have not provided a sufficient reasoning for running 32 bit Windows 8 on your Surface Pro. Also, taking into consideration your system was designed to run Windows 8 Pro 64 bit, I would leave it as is. It comes with 4 GBs of RAM which would not be fully recognized by Windows 8 Pro 32 bit in addition to the possibility of drivers not being available for 32 bit.
zhang61go
You do realize that 64bit also runs 32bit so why do you want to change anyway?
