Mutex in 64 bit windows. Windows XP x64: promises and reality

I have a Windows 10 (Home Edition) PC that has 4 GB of RAM and an i5 processor. I need to run an old 32 bit account program. The vendor said that he would not release a 64-bit version (although there is a 64-bit version, it lacks key features from the old version).

The program installs fine, but when I click on the program icon it says the program won't run on a 64 bit system.

What are my options?

I've done quite a bit of research, but it looks like he's scared.

1) WoW64

Apparently this should allow you to run 32bit on 64bit Windows. However, I don't know how to install it. I think it's only for web servers. However, this stack overflow thread says it can work on Windows 7, but doesn't explain how to set it up (or if it will work on Windows 10).

2) XP Mode

32-bit Windows XP emulator. However, it seems to be for Windows 7. Also according to this Stack Overflow thread, you require Windows Professional.

3) Virtual machine

Let's emulate Windows. Seems too much for my purposes. Also, I will need to buy a 32-bit Windows license. I think it will be slow with 4 GB Ram.

4) Partition manager for 32-bit and 64-bit versions. Apparently you can use the free tool EaseUS to split the drive in two and then install the separate 32-bit and 64-bit versions.

Again, seems like overkill and looks like I need to buy a 32 bit Windows 10 license.

Are these my only options?

images

First run (from the error message, I'm assuming it's a 16-bit program)

By clicking on the program

3 Solutions collect form web for “Running 32-bit Applications on Windows 10 64-bit”

Simply put, if you want to use an older 16-bit program, you must be running a 32-bit version of Windows. 64-bit versions of the operating system simply don't support it because they lack a compatibility layer (however, they are compatible with more widely used 32-bit software). There are other limitations of 64-bit Windows, but the key here is that 16-bit programs won't run.

Edit: after revisiting this question some time later, I would like to address your findings in the OP.

WoW64 allows you to run 32-bit programs in a 64-bit Windows environment. It is built into the Windows operating system and does not require additional installation. Similarly, 32-bit Windows installations can run 16-bit programs.
XP mode was a feature of Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate, allowing you to run the more popular Windows XP at the time in a virtual machine.
Virtual Box or any virtual machine software (another example is VMWare) allows you to install an operating system inside and run it inside your main machine. This would be the easiest way to achieve your goal since you could just install the software on a 32-bit virtual OS. If you gave the VM 2GB of memory access, then on a 32-bit install it will work fine. Sluggish, but okay.
Partitioning your drive will allow you to dual boot Windows. This is a more permanent solution and should not be done IMO if you can't start the VM.

It's not 32-bit, it's 16-bit

This will require you to be able to run 16-bit WoW memory space.

WoW16 is Windows for Windows.

WoW launched on Windows 3.0, often referred to as Windows for Workgroups.

Since this 16-bit memory space is no longer available, you can install DOSBox on the system, install Windows 3.1 in DOSBox, and run the application from there.

Another option is to install the 32-bit version of Windows 10 as a virtual machine and run it from there.

Modern computers in most cases come with the Windows 10 64 bit operating system installed. Even budget models already have 3 or more GB of RAM, which allows the system to use the full power of 64-bit data processing.

You can read more about the advantages of 64 bit over 32 bit Windows in our article "".

But, no matter how attractive a 64-bit system is, often the user simply does not have at his disposal a 64-bit program with which he has been working for a long time and which completely suits him, because. the manufacturer simply did not release it. As a rule, such programs are installed in Windows in a separate \Program Files (x86) folder and run in 32-bit mode.

If during the launch process the program gives an error or does not start at all, and in Windows 32 bit it worked without problems, there is a chance to run it in a special mode, which the developers called "Compatibility Mode".

To do this, in Windows 7, right-click on the shortcut of the desired program, and then select "Properties" from the context menu. In the window that opens, go to the "Compatibility" tab and check the box "Run this program in compatibility mode for ..." and in the drop-down list specify the version of the system to run.
Click the "OK" button. Then try running your program.

In addition, in the context menu of Explorer, it also makes sense to try to automatically solve the problem by clicking on the line "Compatibility Fix" - in Windows 7.

In Windows 10, when you set up to run in compatible mode, the Compatibility tab has a separate button called Run the Compatibility Troubleshooter. After that, you will be prompted to either use the recommended parameters, or to diagnose the program.

If after that the program did not start, then it is worth approaching the problem more thoroughly and trying the options indicated on the official Microsoft website.

A more radical method of launching the program is to install it and use it in a virtual machine with Windows 7 32 bit installed. You can read more about how to install and configure a virtual machine in our article "".

Last year, I helped several clients transition from a 32-bit Windows environment to a mixed 32-bit and 64-bit Windows environment. After the migration, some observant users noticed something unusual about their new 64-bit Windows systems running on systems with 64-bit Intel processors. If we look at the PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE environment variable in the Control Panel's System application or the 64-bit Cmd.exe string, we see that its value is AMD64.

Although the value may appear to distinguish the vendor (for example, AMD instead of Intel), it is exactly what it should be. PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE is architecture related, not implementation related. Because Intel64 processors implement the AMD64 architecture, they are members of the AMD64 processor class.

I do not draw your attention to this unusual fact. From a help desk perspective, processor architecture means Windows architecture, and having multiple Windows architectures in an organization means having multiple versions of everything from Windows files to service packs and drivers. Thinking about and understanding processor architectures can help solve some of the problems that often arise in a mixed 32-bit and 64-bit networking environment. We will cover all three current processor architectures - x86, IA64 and AMD64. I will refer to them as Windows architectures. Then I'll show you some more things to keep an eye on as you transition to a mixed 32-bit and 64-bit environment.

The x86 Windows architecture remains the only standalone 32-bit Windows architecture. As expected, it runs on all processors that implement the x86 processor architecture. However, there are a couple of important warnings that I think should be kept in mind.

The first of these is that the AMD64 processor is an extended instruction set of the x86 processors, so the x86 Windows architecture can run on AMD64 processors. The mass of computers that have been on the market for the last five years running x86 Windows actually used 64-bit processors. Although you cannot upgrade these systems to 64-bit Windows, you can perform a clean installation of 64-bit Windows on these processors. While it's impossible to tell if a 32-bit Windows system is running on a 64-bit processor, you can use the built-in Windows Management Instrumentation Command-line (WMIC) command-line utility to check the processor name, after which you can check the processor specifications by manufacturer's website. To check the processor name on the local computer, open Cmd.exe and run the command:

wmic cpu get name

To check the processor name on a remote computer named x51, run the following command:

wmic /node: x51 cpu get name

The second caveat is that the 64-bit Windows platform will also run 32-bit Windows applications in a custom x86 Windows emulator. Although the Windows operating system itself is 64-bit, in the Windows emulator it looks the same as x86 Windows. In particular, the value of the PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE environment variable will be x86. However, you can also find out what the real environment is. The x86 emulator also provides an environment variable called PROCESSOR_ARCHITEW6432 that points to the architecture of Windows itself. If the variable does not exist, then you are running entirely on hardware and Windows x86.

You can also use WMIC to check the real value of PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE. For example, to check the current environment value of the local computer and the x51 remote computer, run the following commands:

wmic environment where

wmic/node:x51 environment where

"name='ProCeSSor_arCHiteCture'" get

These commands are hyphenated here, but they must be entered on a single line each.

Every version of Windows since the advent of Windows NT has supported the x86 architecture, but this is about to change. While Windows 7 supports x86 architectures, Windows Server 2008 R2 is 64-bit only.

AMD was not alone in creating the 64-bit processor architecture. Intel designed a 64-bit processor and named it IA64. The first modern 64-bit release of Windows was designed to run on processors that implement the IA64 architecture. The only kinds of processors that implement IA64 are Itanium and Itanium 2 from Intel. Currently, only Windows Server platforms support IA64. Although Windows XP originally supported the IA64 architecture, problems with supporting legacy applications on IA64 systems meant that IA64-based desktop systems were quite rare. Microsoft stopped supporting XP on IA64 in 2005.

When Intel decided not to support compatibility with x86 processors in the IA64 architecture, AMD began work on a new 64-bit processor design that would extend the x86 capabilities of the old version (in the same way that the original Intel 80386 processors were compatible with the 80286 processors). AMD originally described processors such as x86-64 in the specification, then they were renamed AMD64. Microsoft's 64-bit versions of Windows built to run on this architecture also used the name AMD64. in 2003, XP for AMD64 was released, and every subsequent version of Windows has supported the AMD64 architecture.

VIA Technologies and Intel sell processors that use the AMD64 architecture. For marketing purposes, Intel refers to this technology as Intel 64, hiding the fact that its processors implement the instructions of the AMD64 set. Microsoft also started using the name x64 for this architecture, so that there would be no doubt about the architecture of Windows. Whatever the marketing name, Intel 64 processors use the same Windows builds as other processors that implement the AMD64 architecture. In Windows terminology and supported Windows software, you can use AMD64, Intel 64, x86-64, x64, and the lesser known EM64 T as rough equivalents.

What else do you need to know

The last major platform change that impacted the entire IT world occurred in the 1990s, when desktop computers moved from 16-bit Windows and MS-DOS to 32-bit Windows systems. Moving from 32-bit Windows to 64-bit Windows is much easier. Network management is more centralized than it was in the 90s, and most of the operations are independent of the number of bits in the operating system.

Although the transition from 32-bit Windows to 64-bit will not be as difficult as the previous platform migration, I will give a few tips to help you avoid pitfalls:

Learn software math - 16 is not in 64. Users won't be able to run 16-bit software from a 64-bit Windows operating system, so any 16-bit software that's stuck with you since the 90s should be removed. If the user suddenly needs to run some 16-bit software (for example, an outdated financial software package to gain access to old data), you will need to give the user access to the 32-bit platform. If you have many users who need to run 16-bit software, you can run it on a 32-bit terminal server. Another option is to create a 32-bit virtual machine (VM). Virtualization may be the best alternative because all VMs are easily transportable.
Be careful: IA64 (Itanium) is special. Windows systems that use the IA64 processor architecture can only run on IA64 systems. If you repurpose existing IA64 systems, they naturally fall into server roles. The print server role can cause problems because these systems require IA64 print drivers. A significant limitation for these servers is that there are fewer 64-bit Windows applications available for IA64 than for Windows on AMD64. However, an IA64 system will run 32-bit applications.
Understand that 32-bit and 64-bit software are not compatible. x86 versions of Windows cannot run 64-bit applications. Windows for AMD64 and IA64 will run regular 32-bit software, but only within the same process. Because 64-bit applications cannot use 32-bit binary, 64-bit versions of applications cannot load 32-bit modules or components. If you depend on 32-bit components, you need to enable the 32-bit version of the application. This is one reason why 64-bit Windows systems use 32-bit Internet Explorer (IE) by default; it has a huge installed base of 32-bit controls that vendors haven't ported to the 64-bit platform.
Remember that the transition from 32 bits to 64 is a transition, not an upgrade. If you plan to migrate your existing computers from 32-bit Windows to 64-bit Windows, you can grab settings and files with tools like Windows Easy Transfer, but you can't upgrade. You won't even be able to run the New 64-bit Windows Installer on a 32-bit Windows system.
Check your drivers. You cannot use 32-bit kernel drivers on 64-bit Windows systems. The WOW64 subsystem is only available above the operating system kernel. Therefore, checking drivers before moving from 32 bits to 64 bits is key.
Be prepared to help your users validate their Windows architecture. Windows is identical inside and out for 32-bit and 64-bit computing platforms, so users may not know if they are running a 32-bit or 64-bit operating system. The helpdesk should be prepared to walk users through the Windows Architecture Identification process if questions arise. The Microsoft article "How to tell if a computer is running a 32-bit or 64-bit version of the Windows operating system" (support.microsoft.com/kb/827218) can help support staff, or you can refer users to this article.

Things to Remember

Although the transition from a 32-bit computer platform to a 64-bit one will not be entirely easy (especially when it is complicated by the fact that users do not understand the terminology), it is unlikely to be particularly difficult. The identity of user interfaces across platforms and support for existing 32-bit software make most of the changes quite understandable. The fact that 64-bit versions of Windows use the 32-bit IE browser by default also helps to make changes invisible. The duality of the IA64 and AMD64 architectures is not a serious problem. IA64 is typically used in high-end systems where the lack of support for specific hardware and software can be seen as a feature rather than an insurmountable obstacle.

The most important notes before moving on to 64-bit computing boil down to the following. Before converting your computer to 64-bit Windows, you need to make sure that you have 64-bit drivers and remove (or make all appropriate settings) all 16-bit software. To migrate, you need to do a fresh install: you cannot upgrade an old system. Finally, make sure that the helpdesk is able to help users determine if they are running 32-bit or 64-bit systems if problems arise. While this transition is not trivial, it pales in comparison to the work that has been done to clean corporate computers from Windows 3.11.

A couple of years ago, most home computers ran a 32-bit version of Windows, and the 64-bit version was used exclusively by professionals (for example, for resource-intensive video editing programs). At the same time, processors with a 64-bit architecture have been produced since 2003, and two years later, Windows XP entered the market in a 64-bit version. However, on most new computers, 64-bit versions of Windows began to be installed only after the appearance of Windows 7. gives 64-bit architecture? Is it really faster? What problems will users face? Read more about this.

Benefits of a 64-bit system

Bit depth can be 32 or 64 bits, but both versions of Windows 7 look the same on the screen. The capabilities of the systems are also identical: the same additional programs are included, such as Windows Media Player or Paint. However, "under the hood" there are still significant differences.

Increased operating speed. With a 64-bit version of Windows, a computer can process twice as much data per unit of time as with a 32-bit one. At the same time, it uses the extended capabilities of 64-bit processors, which are capable of processing 64 data bits (8 bytes) in one clock cycle. Therefore, programs optimized for 64-bit operating systems can run faster than their counterparts for processors that process only 32 bits (4 bytes) per cycle.
More RAM. 32-bit versions of Windows can use a maximum of 4 GB of memory, and not all of it is available to programs. For example, 1 GB is occupied by the operating system itself, in addition, up to 1 GB (depending on the PC) is reserved for video memory. So for the programs themselves there is no more than 2 GB. If they are "gluttonous", there may not be enough memory.

There is no such limitation for 64-bit versions of Windows. The maximum working memory in Windows 7 Home Premium has grown to 16 GB; Professional, Ultimate and Enterprise versions can even work with 192 GB. With more memory available, Windows is less likely to have to swap out program sections to a relatively slow hard drive (in swap file), so the computer runs faster.

Computer requirements

CPU. The most important prerequisite for the operation of a 64-bit operating system is a processor with a 64-bit architecture. The processor manufacturer AMD calls this technology AMD64, while its competitor Intel calls it EM64T.
Processors with 64-bit architecture have already become the rule rather than the exception. Since about 2006, most new computers and laptops have been equipped with them, although many still run 32-bit Windows. You can find out which processor is installed on your PC using the CPU-Z program (see the figure below).
RAM. 64-bit Windows only makes sense if the computer has at least 4 GB of RAM.
Otherwise, 64-bit versions of the OS do not impose special requirements on the hardware (for example, on the HDD or video card) compared to 32-bit ones.

If 32-bit programs run in 64-bit Windows, they are marked accordingly in the Task Manager (*32). -Task Manager can be launched by pressing the key combination Ctrl+Shift+Esc<

How to find out the version of the operating system?

It's very simple: click on the "Start" button, then right-click on "Computer" and then select "Properties". In the window that opens, opposite "System Type" you will see the version of the system.

Disadvantages of a 64-bit system

Need new drivers . All devices require appropriate drivers for 64-bit Windows 7 (analogues for 32-bit OS will not work). For modern devices, this is usually not a problem, but for older models, many manufacturers do not develop 64-bit versions of drivers. So before you upgrade to 64-bit Windows, go to the device manufacturer's web page and make sure that a 64-bit version of the driver is available for your hardware.
More memory required. Many data structures in 64-bit programs are 8 bytes (64 bits) in size. Therefore, programs take up 10-20% more hard disk space than the corresponding 32-bit versions with 4-byte structures. The need for RAM for 64-bit software is also increasing - by about 15 percent.

Does Windows 7 work on netbooks?

The first netbook processors, such as the Intel Atom N270, were not 64-bit. Only with the advent of the Pineview family (N450 and higher) did Atom processors support 64-bit operations and, accordingly, 64-bit operating systems. However, most netbooks were equipped with only 1 GB of RAM, so even with an upgrade to 2 GB, they barely met the minimum requirements of 64-bit Windows 7. That is, ordinary netbooks do not fulfill one of the main conditions for the effective use of a 64-bit OS, which is having at least 4 GB of RAM.

Top 5 programs for 64-bit OS

These programs work perfectly in a 64-bit operating system and are in high demand among users.

7-zip An archiver program designed to compress files. It can be useful, for example, when you need to copy many large files to a USB drive.
Nitro PDF Reader A real "Swiss knife" for working with PDF files. This simple program makes it easy to create, view and edit documents of this format.
nHancer The utility provides access to the NVIDIA graphics card settings. Works with all common video card models and even with SLI configurations. You can choose settings profiles for different games.
ProgDVB If you have a digital TV tuner installed on your PC, you can use ProgDVB to watch TV programs and record them to your hard drive. The program works with TV tuners from different manufacturers. In addition to the free version, there is an extended paid version.
Blender Program for working with three-dimensional objects. It includes tools for modeling, animation, rendering, video post-processing, and creating interactive games.

Do 32-bit programs work under 64-bit Windows?

A conversion subsystem called Windows-on-Windows 64-bit (WoW64) enables 32-bit software to work together on a 64-bit operating system (see figure above). With its help, most 32-bit programs work flawlessly, but, unfortunately, there are exceptions. Difficulties usually arise with programs in the following categories.

Backup. Backup programs work directly with Windows system folders. But WoW64 sometimes redirects 32-bit software access to other folders. If the program does not take this into account, the backup may be incomplete or even erroneous.
Windows optimization. Old optimization programs designed for 32-bit Windows cannot be run on 64-bit Windows 7. Sometimes they can do more harm than good.
Antiviruses. If you need reliable protection for your PC, use only 64-bit versions of antiviruses and similar programs in 64-bit Windows. Outdated 32-bit anti-malware software is unable to control all system folders, which means it can miss pests designed specifically to attack 64-bit Windows. Modern antivirus packages from well-known manufacturers, such as Kaspersky Lab, Norton or Symantec, are suitable for both 32-bit and 64-bit Windows.

Advice. If a program under 64-bit Windows is malfunctioning, installing the latest version and all updates from the manufacturer's website often helps get rid of them. In addition, in the "Windows 7 Compatibility Center" you can check whether your devices and programs are compatible with a 64-bit system.

Programs run faster on 64-bit Windows

Some 64-bit programs were just converted ("ported") for use in 64-bit Windows, but in fact remained 32-bit. For example, although they have 64-bit data structures, they still store 32 bits of data in them. Such programs, as a rule, are not able to work faster.

64-bit programs realize their advantages only if they have been developed and optimized for use in 64-bit Windows from the very beginning. In the ComputerBild test, such programs worked on average 13% faster than their 32-bit counterparts.

Old 32-bit software runs even slower on 64-bit Windows than on a 32-bit system; the reason is the conversion by the WoW64 subsystem.

List of 64-bit programs

Finding such programs is not yet as easy as we would like. The table below shows the most important 64-bit programs, many of them are free and can be easily downloaded from the developer's site.

Program	Version	Category	Internet address	Price
7-Zip	9.20	Archiver	www.7-zip.org.ua/ru	for free
AVG Anti-Virus Free	2011	Antivirus program	www.freeavg.com	for free
Blender	2.59	Editing 3D Models	www.blender.org	for free
CCleaner	3.10	Cleaning the system	www.piriform.com	for free
Defraggler	2.06	Defragmenter	www.piriform.com	for free
GIMP	2.7.3	Image processing	www.gimp.org	for free
Image Composite Editor	1.4.4	Creation of panoramas	www.microsoft.ru	for free
Internet Explorer	9	Internet browser	www.microsoft.ru	for free
iTunes	10.4	Music and video playback	www.apple.com/en/itunes	for free
Mathematics	4.0	Math program	www.microsoft.ru	for free
mediacoder	2011R8	Video conversion	www.mediacoderhq.com	for free
Mixxx	1.9.0	DJ program	www.mixxx.org	for free
nHancer	2.5.9	Graphics Card Optimization	www.nhancer.com	for free
Nitro PDF Reader	2.0	Editing PDFs	www.nitroreader.com	for free
office	2010	office suite	www.microsoft.ru	from 3 thousand rubles
Paint.NET	3.5.8	Image processing	www.getpaint.net	for free
Partition Manager	11	Hard disk partition management	www.paragon.ru	590 rub.
PDF Xchange Viewer	2.5.197	View PDF	www.tracker-software.com	for free
ProgDVB	6.70.6	Watching and recording TV programs	www.progdvb.com	for free
SafeErase	5.0	Secure data deletion	www.oo-software.com	1200 rub.
Sandboxie	3.58	Protected environment	www.sandboxie.com	for free
Total Commander	7.56a	File manager	www.wincmd.ru	from 1750 rub.
SyncToy	2.1	Synchronization	www.microsoft.ru	for free
Thunderbird	6.0.1	mail program	www.mozilla.org/en/thunderbird	for free
Vegas Pro	10	Video editing program	www.sonycreativesoftware.com	28 thousand rubles
Virtual Dub	1.9.11	Video conversion	www.virtualdub.org	for free
Virtual PC	6.1	Virtualization program	www.microsoft.ru	for free
WinRAR	4.01	Archiver	www.rarlab.com	850 rub.

Today I propose to discuss the advantages and disadvantages 64-bit OS, which is equipped with most modern computers with the Windows 7 operating system.

Previously, 64-bit systems were the domain of professionals and were used for programs requiring huge resources. Home users made do with the 32-bit version of Windows. And although 64-bit processors appeared on the market already in 2003 (in 2005, 64-bit Windows XP appeared), the 64-bit system began to be installed on new computers only with the release of Windows 7.

So, why is 64-bit architecture good? What benefits do we get and does it work faster? What problems will we, ordinary users, have to face?

On the screen, 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows 7 look exactly the same. The possibilities are identical, the programs are the same, however, the differences are significant!

1. Processing speed data above 2 times. A 64-bit processor is capable of processing 64 bits of data (8 bytes) per cycle, unlike a 32-bit processor that processes only 32 bits (4 bytes) per unit of time, that is, the data processing speed is 2 times higher! Accordingly, programs for 64-bit operating systems work much faster than similar programs running on 32-bit operating systems.

2. More RAM available. The 32-bit version of Windows makes maximum use of only 3.5 GB of memory, and it is not fully available to programs. For example, the operating system takes up 1 GB of memory, plus up to 1 GB can be reserved for video memory, leaving only 1.5 GB for programs. And if the programs are especially "gluttonous", there will not be enough memory.

64-bit versions of Windows do not have these problems. Windows 7 Home Premium uses a maximum of 16 GB of working memory, and thanks to this, Windows uses the page file less often (used by the system to place data that does not fit in RAM), and the computer runs much faster.

64-bit system requirements for the computer

1. Processor. As you may have guessed, one of the necessary conditions for work 64-bit OS is a 64-bit processor architecture. Intel calls this technology EM64T, and one of the largest processor manufacturers, AMD, calls it AMD64.

2. RAM. 64-bit Windows requires at least 4 GB of RAM. And unlike 32-bit operating systems, 64-bit operating systems do not have other special requirements for the computer configuration.

To check the version of your operating system, click “Start” –> right-click on “Computer” and select “Properties” in the drop-down menu –> in the window that opens, on the right side, the version of your operating system is displayed.

Disadvantages of a 64-bit system

1. New drivers required. As you may have guessed, new drivers are required for 64-bit Windows 7 (similar drivers for a 32-bit operating system are not suitable). The latest device models are released with new drivers, but obsolete modules can cause problems, since manufacturers do not develop drivers for the 64-bit version of Windows. Be careful, before switching to 64-bit Windows, go to the websites of device manufacturers and check for 64-bit versions of drivers for your equipment.

2. Need more memory. It must be remembered that most 64-bit programs have a data structure size of 8 bytes (64 bits) and on hard drives they take up about 10–20% more space than 32-bit programs with a 4-byte structure. RAM consumption increases by about 15%

Is it possible to install 64-bit Windows 7 on a netbook?

With the advent of the 64-bit "Pineview" family of processors (N450 and above), netbooks have the ability to run 64-bit software. However, RAM can be a stumbling block. Most netbooks are equipped with 1 GB of memory. And even if you upgrade to 2 GB, it will barely reach the minimum requirements of 64-bit Windows 7. So, Friends, we are not yet talking about the effective use of a 64-bit system on netbooks (at least 4 GB of RAM is required ).

Is it possible to use 32-bit programs for 64-bit OS?

64-bit Windows has a Windows-on-Windows 64-bit (WoW64) conversion subsystem that makes 32-bit software compatible with a 64-bit OS. Most 32-bit programs work flawlessly with WoW64, however, there are some exceptions:

Backup software. When creating backups, programs directly access Windows system folders, and WoW64 in some cases redirects access of 32-bit software to other folders. Those. if you do not reconfigure the backup programs, then the result of their work may turn out to be incomplete and erroneous.
Windows optimization programs. Programs designed to optimize 32-bit Windows should never be used on 64-bit Windows 7; their work will do much more harm than help.
PC security software. If you need excellent computer protection, then for 64-bit Windows, use only 64-bit versions of anti-virus programs. Older 32-bit software is not able to provide reliable protection and will miss virus attacks designed for 64-bit OS.
Work speed. Legacy 32-bit software runs slower on 64-bit Windows than in a native 32-bit environment. The reason for this is the extra time spent on conversions by the WoW64 subsystem.

To see what 32-bit programs are running on a 64-bit system, just launch the Task Manager (press Ctrl+Shift+Esc) and find the program marked with *32.

So, Dear Friends, let's summarize

There are several important factors to consider when moving to 64-bit Windows 7.

1. Requirements for the computer configuration:

64-bit processor architecture;
4 GB of RAM.

2. Software Compatibility:

availability of the necessary new drivers for your devices;
availability of software updates to the latest 64-bit programs.

1. You can check the software compatibility of your devices with a 64-bit OS in the Windows 7 Compatibility Center.

2. When working with failures of a 32-bit program on a 64-bit system, updating the software to a new version, which can usually be found on the manufacturer's website, helps.