32 bit application exe on a 64 bit OS?

[neworldman]

Hello ,
I have a application exe from my work that will only run and install on a 32 bit OS. I would like to use it on my W7 64 bit OS. I have tried right clicking on properties and then going to compatibility tab...then running it in XP or Vista mode none of them worked. I still get this error... this version of this file is not capable of running on a 64 bit OS. Is there anything else I can try? The exe ran fine with XP and Vista 32 bit.

[El Heggunte]

Not all 32-bit applications can function (even if only partially) in a 64-bit environment.
Each case is a case. The old and good Acrobat Reader 5, for example, doesn't work at all in Vista-64, whereas Paint Shop Pro 9 has nearly-zero issues under the same environment.

[jman98]

El Heggunte is right. One idea I have is that if you really cannot live without this program that you could install something like VMware or whatever Microsoft's virtual machine is called and install a 32 bit Windows (Vista or XP) in a virtual machine on your W7 64 bit box. That's kind of ugly to have to run a VM just for one program, but it may be the only way you can get it to work. You could potentially talk with whoever or whatever company wrote the 32 bit program and ask them if they are going to support 64 bit Windows.

[neworldman]

El Heggunte is right. One idea I have is that if you really cannot live without this program that you could install something like VMware or whatever Microsoft's virtual machine is called and install a 32 bit Windows (Vista or XP) in a virtual machine on your W7 64 bit box. That's kind of ugly to have to run a VM just for one program, but it may be the only way you can get it to work. You could potentially talk with whoever or whatever company wrote the 32 bit program and ask them if they are going to support 64 bit Windows.

Great thanks for the info. Have you ran this Virtual Machine software? Is it freeware? Does it slow down the PC? I am running W7 Ultimate right now. Unfortunately the exe program won't be updated to run with 64 bit for a while I was told.

[Noahtuck]

Or you could install XP on the same machine and set it up with a boot menu which will allow you to boot into what OS you want.

I did this a few weeks ago on my secondary machine which has Vista 64bit.

I set up the boot menu to give me a 30 second window to choose between Vista 64bit or XP Pro and if i do not make a selection it automatically boots into Vista, unless i hit the enter key before the 30 seconds is up.
But you can set it to auto select in any amount of time you want.

I also have the VM set up and run XP Pro that way on my W7 Ultimate 64bit machine, but it does not seem as smooth and seem's a little bit quirky.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtual-pc/download.aspx

[jagabo]

I have a application exe from my work that will only run and install on a 32 bit OS. I would like to use it on my W7 64 bit OS. I have tried right clicking on properties and then going to compatibility tab...then running it in XP or Vista mode none of them worked.

It sounds like you used XP or Vista compatibility mode, not "XP Mode". "XP Mode" is Microsoft's virtual 32 bit XP system. Like VMWare or VirtualBox it emulates a 32 bit compute and will run many 32 bit Windows programs that don't work in 64 bit Windows WoW mode. XP Mode requires Windows 7 Ultimate or Professional.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtual-pc/default.aspx

As others have pointed out, if you have a Windows XP license you can install it in a VM under VMWare, VirtualBox, or even Microsofts VirtualPC. Those will run most older 32 bit applications that don't require specific hardware. There are free versions of VMWare, VirtualBox and VirtualPC.