Running 32 bit on windows 7

WinOutreach2

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Like Hawkeye22 mentioned, if you are trying to run the 32 bit version of Windows 7 and you currently have the 64 bit version installed, you will need to do a clean install from 32 bit installation media.

If you are just trying to run a 32 bit application on 64 bit Windows 7, then the situation is a bit simpler. Most 32 bit applications will work right out of the box in Windows 7 without any need for alteration using the Windows on Windows 64 bit technology (see more about it on MSDN under Running 32-bit Applications). Older 16 bit applications, such as DOS applications, cannot run in 64 bit environments because the emulation is not present. In 32 bit operating systems, such as Windows XP 32 bit, the Windows on Windows emulation technology was present to process 16 bit applications. To run them on a 64 bit Windows 7 system, you would need to use virtualization technologies like Windows Virtual PC and Windows XP Mode for Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate which provides a separate, virtual Windows XP Professional SP1 32 bit environment, complete with Windows on Windows and support for 16 bit applications.

If your application is indeed 32 bit, yet it still will not install or perform correctly in Windows 7 64 bit, there are several steps you can take to resolve the issue. The simplest step is to use the built in compatibility modes. Simply right click the application or the installer for the application and select Properties, then the Compatibility tab. You can select modes which attempt to emulate previous versions of Windows, run the application with administrator privileges, or adjust the display properties. If you find your application still does not behave properly or install, you can take the compatibility technologies further using the Application Compatibility Toolkit (ACT) which provides you with manual control over the shims, or tweaks made to the application, in order to resolve a specific compatibility issue. For example, you could chose a shim which causes the application to access the Program Files (x86) directory each time it attempts to access the Program Files directory, useful for custom written 32 bit applications which are not aware of the new folder.

For more information on the compatibility technologies available from Microsoft to resolve this sort of compatibility issue, check out the Application Compatibility Center on the Springboard Site on TechNet.