Windows 7: X86 Directory Necessary to install to it?

I am running Win 7 Ultimate. It was a fresh install from a few months ago on all new hardware.

I created 3 partitions on my HD when I installed, one has windows on it, then a partition that is being used for Virtual memory, and then a partition for everything else.



When I install programs, I have always directed them to install in folders I set up on my E Drive. In otherwords, I didn't install programs in the Program Files or Program Files X86 directory.

I am having issues with several programs and was wondering if it could be because they are 32 bit applications and I didn't install them in the X86 directory. Will not using this x86 directory cause issues for Windows?

By default, all 32 bit apps install to the the Program Files(x86) directory in a 64 bit installation.

Normally it shouldn't matter where you custom install to as it's location is added to the registry.

What apps aren't working correctly?

Unreal Tournament 3, Blood Bowl (game is only about a year old) and a few others. The games I have not working are mostly games, some of which are old and it isn't that they do not work, just they crash every so often.

Windows keeps checking for fixes, but never finds any. I was digging around forums and found some forums where they said do not remove the Program Files X86 directory, even if empty, because it will mess up your system and it made me think that maybe there was some weird interaction with programs and Win 7 ran them differently if they were in the x86 file or some such oddness.