New install question

[The Seabat]

Just installed Win 7 64-bit. I have two (2) Program Files folders. One
has a (x86) after it. Is this normal? Does this have to do with
running 32-bit apps or is this for legacy mode stuff? Just wonderin'!

 

[Gordon]

Just installed Win 7 64-bit. I have two (2) Program Files folders. One
has a (x86) after it. Is this normal?
Yes


Does this have to do with
running 32-bit apps

Yes.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Just installed Win 7 64-bit. I have two (2) Program Files folders. One
has a (x86) after it. Is this normal?

Yes.


Does this have to do with
running 32-bit apps or is this for legacy mode stuff? Just wonderin'!

Program Files is for 64-bit programs.

Program Files (x86) is for 32-bit programs.

 

[Jeff Layman]

Program Files is for 64-bit programs.

Program Files (x86) is for 32-bit programs.

Related (somewhat confusing!) info at
http://searchenterprisedesktop.techtarget.com/tip/0,289483,sid192_gci1204121,00.html:

"Logically, Microsoft should have created a folder named \Windows\System64
and used it for 64-bit DLL files. Instead, Microsoft created a new folder
named SysWOW64 for storing the 32-bit DLLs. At first glace, this makes sense
when you consider that WOW64 is the name of the emulator that runs 32-bit
applications. But keep in mind that 32-bit applications are designed to
place their DLL files in the \Windows\System32 folder.

The \Windows\System32 folder still exists in the x64 version of Windows. But
Microsoft uses this folder as a repository for 64-bit DLLs, not 32-bit DLLs.
I don't understand Microsoft's reasoning for using the \Windows\System32
folder for 64-bit DLLs, but I've heard it has to do with backward
compatibility."

 

[R. C. White]

Hi, Seabat.

Just to confirm what the others said, and to add that this Program Files
(x86) folder is not new in Win7 x64; it first appeared in Windows XP x64
about 5 years ago and continued in Vista x64. That (x86) folder does not
appear in 32-bit editions of WinXP, Vista or Win7. (And I agree that the
naming of the (x86) folder was an unfortunate choice by Microsoft.)

In Win7 x64, you'll find TWO versions of Internet Explorer 8:
32-bit version: C:\Program Files (x86)\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
64-bit version: C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe

You can run either (or both) version just by clicking on it, as with any
other application. By default, Win7 x64 is set to run 32-bit IE8; I suppose
this is because Adobe's Flash Player and some other applications will run in
32-bit IE8 on Win7 x64, but not in a 64-bit browser.

As usual, to see which version of IE8 is running, just click Help | About
Internet Explorer. If it doesn't say "64-bit Edition", then you are running
the 32-bit edition.

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
(e-mail address removed)
Microsoft Windows MVP
Windows Live Mail 2009 (14.0.8089.0726) in Win7 Ultimate x64