How to find out if an *.exe is 32bit or 64bit without starting it?


  1. Posts : 244
    win7pro 64bit
       #1

    How to find out if an *.exe is 32bit or 64bit without starting it?


    Is there a way to find out if a given *.exe file is 32bit or 64bit executable.
    The program should ...
    - NOT be started (and investigated in TaskManager)
    - NOT be installed and checked if it is installed in C:\Program files (x86) or not
    - NOT be checked at the authors site

    I am searching a tool which takes the *.exe as parameter and investigates the binary code to find out the 32bit or 64bit property

    Peter
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 10,994
    Win 7 Pro 64-bit
       #2

    Please accept my apology in advance. I've never been accused of being the sharpest knife in the drawer so I'm a bit confused. You don't want the *.exe file installed, started, or checked at the author's web site.

    Hypothetically, how was the file obtained? On a CD or DVD, perhaps? A flash drive? Was it a digital download file?

    Wouldn't any "tool" have to be able to open the file to examine it? And wouldn't opening the file be kinda, sorta like starting it?
      My Computer

  3.   My Computer


  4. Posts : 55
    Windows 7 Home Premium x64 SP2
       #4

    For people who are brought here by search engines:

    The answer to the question is to search for "EXE Explorer" by MiTec, a little free tool which reports whether a binary file is for 64-bit architecture or for 32-bit. It also displays many other properties of the binary file.

    I need to, from a large mixture of executables, pick the 32-bit and DOS ones to run on a 32-bit machine. So I found this tool.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 1,346
    Windows 7 Professional x64
       #5

    pstein said:
    Is there a way to find out if a given *.exe file is 32bit or 64bit executable.
    The program should ...
    - NOT be started (and investigated in TaskManager)
    - NOT be installed and checked if it is installed in C:\Program files (x86) or not
    - NOT be checked at the authors site

    I am searching a tool which takes the *.exe as parameter and investigates the binary code to find out the 32bit or 64bit property

    Peter
    The easiest way, without installing another program or running the file, is just to right click on the file, choose Properties, and then go the the Compatibility options tab. If there are no greyed out options and Windows XP and 9x modes are offered, it's 32-bit. If there are greyed out options and Vista is the earliest mode offered, it's 64-bit.

    HTH
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 5,092
    Windows 7 32 bit
       #6

    Sir George said:
    pstein said:
    Is there a way to find out if a given *.exe file is 32bit or 64bit executable.
    The program should ...
    - NOT be started (and investigated in TaskManager)
    - NOT be installed and checked if it is installed in C:\Program files (x86) or not
    - NOT be checked at the authors site

    I am searching a tool which takes the *.exe as parameter and investigates the binary code to find out the 32bit or 64bit property

    Peter
    The easiest way, without installing another program or running the file, is just to right click on the file, choose Properties, and then go the the Compatibility options tab. If there are no greyed out options and Windows XP and 9x modes are offered, it's 32-bit. If there are greyed out options and Vista is the earliest mode offered, it's 64-bit.

    HTH
    That doesn't work for CCleaner portable x64. It does not show as 32 bit in TM but it does have W9x options in compatibility mode. Seems the PE header must have some magic info that those binary utilities are looking at. A hex editor would probably be enough. I don't know the signature though.
      My Computer


 

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