Solved Windows 7 32/64bit question

[support4u]

1: first why does it say 86x if it is a 32bit?


then


2: Can i install programms 32bit, on a 64bit machine? or do i need the specific 64bit version to run it on a 64bit machine?

offcourse this are question u get trown dead with, sure i googled it.. but i seem not to get a right to the point awnser anywhere.

for drivers its obvious u need the exact version 64bit on 64bit. this i found out myself.


Thanks in advance

 

[Night Hawk]

1)"x86" not ""86x" is represents the Intel 8086 note the "86" there for instruction sets on the real old "boat anchor" pcs and eventually progressed to the I286, I396, I486, I586, etc. there. The x86 tetm itself became a standard for the 32bit OS following the 80386.

First the 16bit OS was the xx86-16 followed by the x86-32 in order to tell them apart. Later the x86-64 was shortened to x64.

2)A great deal of 32bit programs will run on the 64bit Windows due to what is called "32bit emulation" or simliar to backward compatibility. Some programs or updates will come in two versions one being for each "flavor"(32, 64bit) of Windows.

 

[mckillwashere]

x86 is 32 bit.
There is a reason behind it, but I do not know why.

Yes you can run 32 bit programs in 64 bit mode .

The system emulates 32 bit programs, but you will only get it as if you were running on a 32 bit machine.