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- Installing 32 bit app under 64 bit Program Files
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‎Sep 13, 2011
09:40 AM
Installing 32 bit app under 64 bit Program Files
I have a Basic MSI project that is a 32-bit installation. I noticed on 64-bit systems, if the user changes the default install location from Program Files (x86) to Program Files, the installation still ends up under the 32-bit program files. Even when I look in the registry under the Microsoft Uninstall key, the install location is Program Files (x86). I know the WoW64 thing does this automatically. Is this considered good practice though?
Is there a way to override this for the entire installation? Or would it be considered best practices to have it relocate the install to x86 as it currently does?
Is there a way to override this for the entire installation? Or would it be considered best practices to have it relocate the install to x86 as it currently does?
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‎Sep 13, 2011
03:50 PM
You could try using [ProgramFiles64Folder] instead of [ProgramFilesFolder] for the Destination property of your component(s). But I think that you would get a compile error (or at least a stern warning) if you did this without also changing the Template Summary (under General Information) to say x64; 1033 instead of Intel; 1033.
But if it is a true 32-bit build, the recommended practice is to install to "Program Files (x86)" and not "Program Files". "Program Files" is the recommended install location for true 64-bit (native 64-bit) builds.
But if it is a true 32-bit build, the recommended practice is to install to "Program Files (x86)" and not "Program Files". "Program Files" is the recommended install location for true 64-bit (native 64-bit) builds.
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‎Sep 14, 2011
12:23 PM
Right. If your package is 32-bit, Windows Installer will rewrite the 64-bit program files folder to the 32-bit path. But if your package is 64-bit, you cannot install it on a 32-bit system. The suite projects in IS2012 help you address this in a single distributable file, but the underlying bit issues still apply to each .msi file.
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‎Sep 14, 2011
12:31 PM
Okay, thanks. So it would be incorrect, or at least ill-advised, to try to force a 32-bit app to install under the 64-bit Program Files? I just want to be sure so I can explain in case I get back a defect stating the app can't install under Program Files on 64-bit systems...
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‎Sep 14, 2011
12:35 PM
From our perspective it is a limitation rather than a defect, as it is controlled intentionally this way by Microsoft's Windows Installer. So not technically a bug, but agreed that it's not quite the behavior you were expecting.
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