[RESOLVED] Path to program files not always the same

[isnoend07]

I have noticed that sometimes the path my app installed to program files looks different on some Vista machines: a (x86) is added to the path eg:
C:\Program Files\MyApp
C:\Program Files (x86)\MyApp
This has not caused a problem, but I am sure curious.
First i thought it was Vista with SP 2 only, but have since discovered it happens with SP1 and no service packs. Anybody have a reason for this?

[Siddharth Rout]

32 and 64bit are two different platforms, and the 32bit programs run in a 64bit environment have to be treated differently, hence the two folders.

There are 2 program files folders, one is for the 32 bits programs (x86) and the other (program files) is for the native 64 bits... and hence depending upon the above your app is installed....

[dilettante]

This is where 32-bit applications normally get installed in a 64-bit system.

In addition to the forms of file and registry virtualization people are getting used to in Vista and later, there is also WOW64 virtualization in 64-bit Windows editions. Normally a 32-bit application gets redirected to these locations automagically, without any special programming.

There are even two versions of regsvr32 in a 64-bit system, one that is 32-bit code and registers 32-bit COM, another for 64-bit.

[isnoend07]

32 and 64bit are two different platforms, and the 32bit programs run in a 64bit environment have to be treated differently, hence the two folders.

There are 2 program files folders, one is for the 32 bits programs (x86) and the other (program files) is for the native 64 bits... and hence depending upon the above your app is installed....

Good explanation thanks, now i know

[dilettante]

Remember, there is more to it than that. For example things have changed with System32 as well. This covers a little of it: Running 32-bit Applications.

[isnoend07]

Remember, there is more to it than that. For example things have changed with System32 as well. This covers a little of it: Running 32-bit Applications.

Thanks for the info, reading was not clear, does this mean my vb6 app cannot
use all the windows d'lls if OS is running under 64 ? I have a ton of api calls throughout my app.

[dilettante]

I think in most cases you'll be just fine. Where required API calls will either be redirected to a corresponding 32-bit DLL or intercepted by WOW64 itself and thunked into the 64-bit subsystem.