This article needs additional citations for. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: – ( May 2013) () In on platforms, SysWoW64 ( Windows 32-bit on Windows 64-bit) is a subsystem of the capable of running applications that is included in all versions of Windows—including, and versions of, as well as 64-bit versions of,,,,,. In, it is an optional component, but not in.

SysWoW64 aims to take care of many of the differences between 32-bit Windows and 64-bit Windows, particularly involving structural changes to Windows itself. Contents • • • • • • • • Translation libraries [ ] The WoW64 comprises a lightweight that has similar interfaces on all 64-bit versions of Windows. It aims to create a 32-bit environment that provides the interfaces required to run unmodified 32-bit Windows applications on a 64-bit system. WOW64 is implemented using several DLLs, some of which include: • Wow64.dll, the core interface to the that between 32-bit and 64-bit calls, including and manipulations • Wow64win.dll, which provides the appropriate entry-points for 32-bit applications • Wow64cpu.dll, which takes care of switching the processor from 32-bit to 64-bit mode. This is used in implementations of Windows only. Other DLLs and binaries are included for and architectures to provide emulation to or for 32-bit entry points if the architecture has a native 32-bit operating mode. Architectures [ ] Despite its outwardly similar appearance on all versions of 64-bit Windows, WoW64's implementation varies depending on the target.

WOW64 is the x86 emulator that allows 32-bit Windows-based applications to run seamlessly on 64-bit Windows. This allows for 32-bit (x86) Windows applications to run seamlessly in 64-bit (x64) Windows, as well as for 32-bit (x86) and 32-bit (ARM) Windows applications. Wow64 Software - Free Download wow64 - Top 4 Download - Top4Download.com offers free software downloads for Windows, Mac, iOS and Android computers and mobile devices. Visit for free, full and secured software’s.

For example, the version of 64-bit Windows developed for the processor (known as the architecture) uses Wow64win.dll to set up the emulation of instructions within the Itanium 2's unique. This emulation is a much more computationally expensive task than the Wow64win.dll's functions on the architecture, which switches the processor hardware from its 64-bit mode to compatibility mode when it becomes necessary to execute a 32-bit, and then handles the switch back to 64-bit mode. Registry and file system [ ] The WoW64 subsystem also handles other key aspects of running 32-bit applications. It is involved in managing the interaction of 32-bit applications with the Windows components such as the, which has distinct keys for 64-bit and 32-bit applications. For example, HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE Software Wow6432Node is the 32-bit equivalent of HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE Software (although 32-bit applications are not aware of this redirection).

Some Registry keys are mapped from 64-bit to their 32-bit equivalents, while others have their contents mirrored, depending on the edition of Windows. The operating system uses the system32 directory for its 64-bit library and executable files. This is done for backward compatibility reasons, as many legacy applications are to use that path. When executing 32-bit applications, WoW64 transparently redirects 32-bit DLLs to%SystemRoot% SysWoW64, which contains 32-bit libraries and executables. Exceptions from these redirects are%SystemRoot% system32 catroot%SystemRoot% system32 catroot2%SystemRoot% system32 driverstore%SystemRoot% system32 drivers etc%SystemRoot% system32 logfiles%SystemRoot% system32 spool%SystemRoot% system32 driverstore (only for Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP) 32-bit applications are generally not aware that they are running on a 64-bit operating system.

32-bit applications can access%SystemRoot% System32 through the pseudo directory%SystemRoot% sysnative. There are two directories each visible to both 32-bit and 64-bit applications. The directory that stores the 32 bit files is called Program Files (x86) to differentiate between the two, while the 64 bit maintains the traditional Program Files name without any additional qualifier. Application compatibility [ ] 32-bit applications that include only 32-bit kernel-mode, or that plug into the process space of components that are implemented purely as 64-bit processes (e.g.

Windows Explorer) cannot be executed on a 64-bit platform. 32-bit service applications are supported. The SysWOW64 folder located in the Windows folder on the OS drive contains several applications to support 32-bit applications (e.g. Iskovoe zayavlenie ob izmenenii vida razreshennogo ispoljzovaniya zemeljnogo uc.

Cmd.exe, odbcad32.exe, to register connections for 32-bit applications). 16-bit for MS-DOS and early versions of Windows are usually incompatible with 64-bit versions of Windows Vista, 7, 8, and 10, but can be run on a 16-bit or 32-bit Windows OS via.