64-bit install

Some may say this is subjective, but MicroStation is currently a 32-bit application*, and the Program Files (x86) folder is there for programs like that. The Program Files folder is intended for 64-bit applications.

* MicroStation DOES take advantage of 64-bit hardware and OS... see the MicroStation Memory Management wiki article for more information regarding that.

Sadly with the wonky implementation of Win64 it wants to place all 32 bit apps in "Program Files (x86)" by default. Experience has shown that the OS expects all applications in the "Program Files" folder to be 64bit.
Installing 32 bit apps into "Program Files" WILL give you problems at some point.
Since the "(x86)" decoration on the 32bit folder is against MicroSoft's own legacy rules, many applications will fail to work in one way or another if installed in this location.

Our answer is to create another root level folder, i.e. Win32Apps (to wax back to the days when upgrading from 16bit to 32bit), or simply C:\Apps\, and then install all 32bit apps (that give you an option) into that folder. There will of course be things such as shared components, etc. that will end up in "Program Files (x86)" but the core application will be in the other location.

Experience has shown that this works very well and is now our standard practice for all 32bit apps and has eliminated almost all unexplainable 32bit on 64bit issues.

If darned MicroSoft had simply decided to place 64 bit apps into "Program Files (x64)" instead of dinking with the 32bit apps folder, I suspect the transition would have been MUCH smoother.

Either way, anything you have hard coded to "Program Files" will most likely need to change to something else.

-G-

The way I resolved this problem (not only a USTN problem) was to create a system config variable on the 32 bit machines PROGRAMFILES(x86) = "c:\program files". I them use the variables %PROGRAMFILES(x86)% in windows paths and ${ProgramFiles(x86)} in USTN paths.

this is from the thread Workspace setting for x86 and 64 bit OS.

Hello

Thanks for raising this issue ............. not something I would have thought of ..... and I'll soon be getting a new machine with either Vista or Windows 7 (still on XP Pro 32 bit for now)

Normally, I DON'T install MS in the root folder, I have a completely separate partition E:\ PC Apps (or something like that) where I install MS and various other apps (away from the C drive)

Would this give me problems then with Vista/Windows 7?

Regards

Danny Cooley

Freelance CAD technician