Running 32-bit Windows Explorer under 64-bit Windows

[John Hall]

I saw a reference in a post on the Windows 10 newsgroup to running
32-bit File Explorer (by which I assume they meant Windows Explorer)
under 64-bit Windows. If it was possible to do that under 64-bit Windows
10 and hopefully under Windows 11 as well, it sounds like it might be a
much easier way to keep Turnpike running than to install a 32-bit VM.
Does anyone know how practical that would be? I suppose one risk might
be that at some point in the future Microsoft might make it no longer
possible to run 32-bit programs under 64-bit Windows.
--
John Hall
"Acting is merely the art of keeping a large group of people
from coughing."
Sir Ralph Richardson (1902-83)

[SilverE]

At 10:09:29 on Sun, 26 Nov 2023, John Hall wrote in
<$zvwyNCZlxYlFwbG@jhall_nospamxx.co.uk>

>I saw a reference in a post on the Windows 10 newsgroup to running
>32-bit File Explorer (by which I assume they meant Windows Explorer)
>under 64-bit Windows. If it was possible to do that under 64-bit
>Windows 10 and hopefully under Windows 11 as well, it sounds like it
>might be a much easier way to keep Turnpike running than to install a
>32-bit VM. Does anyone know how practical that would be? I suppose one
>risk might be that at some point in the future Microsoft might make it
>no longer possible to run 32-bit programs under 64-bit Windows.

I'm sure we'd have heard - not least from Turnpike Towers - if this was
possible. It was in the early 64bit windows versions (going back to XP)
but at some point it changed so that any attempt to run 32bit Explorer
simply ran the 64bit version. I recall that Richard C still runs TPv5 as
it's not dependant on Explorer so is quite happy under 64bit.

What was posted in the Win10 NG?
--
SilverE

[Andy]

In message <$zvwyNCZlxYlFwbG@jhall_nospamxx.co.uk>, John Hall
<john_...@jhall.co.uk> wrote

>I saw a reference in a post on the Windows 10 newsgroup to running
>32-bit File Explorer (by which I assume they meant Windows Explorer)
>under 64-bit Windows. If it was possible to do that under 64-bit
>Windows 10 and hopefully under Windows 11 as well, it sounds like it
>might be a much easier way to keep Turnpike running than to install a
>32-bit VM. Does anyone know how practical that would be? I suppose one
>risk might be that at some point in the future Microsoft might make it
>no longer possible to run 32-bit programs under 64-bit Windows.

I vaguely recall that while some 32-bit programs can run, their
installers couldn't. I think it was something to do with the 16-bit
libraries, or rather the lack of.

(Typing in 32-bit VM under 64-bit W7...)
--
Andy Taylor FRPSL
President, Treasurer & Editor of the Austrian Philatelic Society.

[John Hall]

In message <LgjoMXBR...@intrins1c1.plus.com>, SilverE
<w...@localhost.invalid> writes

It was in this message:

From: micky <NONONO...@fmguy.com>
Newsgroups: alt.comp.software.firefox,alt.comp.os.windows-10
Subject: Can't find directory, but Everything says it's there
Message-ID: <rvg5mi5ktd4o3n3u1...@4ax.com>

In the course of describing a problem he was having, the poster said:

"So I thought, maybe I'm using a 32-bit file manager. I know from
experience they will not show every file. (Specifically the HOSTS file
does not show.) so I went to the file manager included in 64-bit
Windows10 and I also dl'd Explorer++'s 64 bit version. Neither showed
the extensions subdirectory."

In a follow-up, someone said:

"explorer.exe 32-bit versus 64-bit, is a NON-ISSUE.

"32-bit matters if some 32-bit DLLs were missing, or a visual studio
runtime 32 bit version was missing, or a .NET 32-bit thing was missing.
But for 64-bit file pointers, 32-bit runtimes have had 64-bit pointers
for eons.

"The 32-bit and 64-bit programs would be functionally equivalent."

[SilverE]

At 17:09:39 on Sun, 26 Nov 2023, John Hall wrote in
<14Cdb1BTv3YlFw7W@jhall_nospamxx.co.uk>

I think this is a Confused Person, not necessarily talking about
explorer.exe but something called "Everything", and remembering very old
history from the early days of x64 when there might have been an issue.

>
>In a follow-up, someone said:
>
>"explorer.exe 32-bit versus 64-bit, is a NON-ISSUE.
>
>"32-bit matters if some 32-bit DLLs were missing, or a visual studio
>runtime 32 bit version was missing, or a .NET 32-bit thing was missing.
>But for 64-bit file pointers, 32-bit runtimes have had 64-bit pointers
>for eons.
>
>"The 32-bit and 64-bit programs would be functionally equivalent."

If you try to run the 32bit explorer.exe in SysWOW64 you still get the
64bit version in C:\Windows - as shown by Task Manager. Someone well
connected with Microsoft pushed them (on our behalf - many posts here)
to keep the 32bit version functional but to no effect.

--
SilverE

[John Hall]

In message <V05I2lD4...@inspace.screaming.net>, SilverE
<w...@localhost.invalid> writes

>If you try to run the 32bit explorer.exe in SysWOW64 you still get the
>64bit version in C:\Windows - as shown by Task Manager

Thanks.

>. Someone well connected with Microsoft pushed them (on our behalf -
>many posts here) to keep the 32bit version functional but to no effect.

Yes, I remember it well. IIRC the 64-bit version would have been
compatible with TP until Microsoft changed it at the very last minute.
If only the then owners of Demon had kept supporting TP for another year
or so and the team hadn't dispersed, then they would probably still have
been around to update TP when MS did that and all would have been well.

[Andy]

In message <V05I2lD4...@inspace.screaming.net>, SilverE

<w...@localhost.invalid> wrote
[]

>If you try to run the 32bit explorer.exe in SysWOW64 you still get the
>64bit version in C:\Windows - as shown by Task Manager. Someone well
>connected with Microsoft pushed them (on our behalf - many posts here)
>to keep the 32bit version functional but to no effect.
>

What would happen if you deleted (or renamed) the 64-bit version?

[brian]

In message <V05I2lD4...@inspace.screaming.net>, SilverE

There's an article here suggesting how to do it.

Https://www.morovia.com/kb/Howto-Launch-32bit-Windows-Explorer-64bit-Wind
ows-10610.pdf . It mentions an undocumented switch .

I've not tried it. Maybe later today when I've time.

If it was possible to do it, it would have already been done I suppose,

Brian
--
Brian Howie

[J. P. Gilliver]

In message <urfqYYW6...@b-howie.co.uk> at Thu, 30 Nov 2023
12:09:30, brian <nos...@b-howie.co.uk> writes
[]

>There's an article here suggesting how to do it.
>
>Https://www.morovia.com/kb/Howto-Launch-32bit-Windows-Explorer-64bit-Wind
>ows-10610.pdf . It mentions an undocumented switch .
>
>I've not tried it. Maybe later today when I've time.
>
>If it was possible to do it, it would have already been done I suppose,
>
>Brian

The relevant bit seems to be:
If you're running 64:
1. Right click on Desktop and select New ? Shortcut.
2. In Type the location of this item: edit box, type the following:
%Systemroot%\SysWOW64\explorer.exe /separate /e,
{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}
3. In Type a name for this shortcut, Name it as “32 bit Explorer”,
or anything desired.
4. Click on Finish.

How you then run something _in_ it (the tip is for a prog. that has a
"shell extension" same as Turnpike does) isn't explained; I'll be
interested to hear your (Brian) experiences if you _do_ try it.
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

Madness takes its toll. Please have exact change
[via Penny Mayes (ma...@pmail.net)]

[SilverE]

At 13:06:10 on Thu, 30 Nov 2023, J. P. Gilliver wrote in
<ZSIujEyC...@255soft.uk>

>In message <urfqYYW6...@b-howie.co.uk> at Thu, 30 Nov 2023
>12:09:30, brian <nos...@b-howie.co.uk> writes
>[]
>>There's an article here suggesting how to do it.
>>
>>Https://www.morovia.com/kb/Howto-Launch-32bit-Windows-Explorer-64bit-Wind
>>ows-10610.pdf . It mentions an undocumented switch .

The screenshot looks like it's of XP vintage, solving a particular issue
for a particular program. As we know, in XP(x64) the 32bit explorer did
work.

>>
>>I've not tried it. Maybe later today when I've time.

Copy/paste the command into WinKey-R - a few seconds

>>
>>If it was possible to do it, it would have already been done I suppose,

I suppose so too.

>>
>>Brian
>
>The relevant bit seems to be:
>If you're running 64:
>1. Right click on Desktop and select New ? Shortcut.
>2. In Type the location of this item: edit box, type the following:
>%Systemroot%\SysWOW64\explorer.exe /separate /e,
>{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}
>3. In Type a name for this shortcut, Name it as “32 bit Explorer”,
>or anything desired.
>4. Click on Finish.
>
>How you then run something _in_ it (the tip is for a prog. that has a
>"shell extension" same as Turnpike does) isn't explained; I'll be
>interested to hear your (Brian) experiences if you _do_ try it.

This is still trying to run SysWOW64\explorer.exe which simply initiates
the 64bit version in Windows 10 x64.
--
SilverE

[brian]

In message <ZSIujEyC...@255soft.uk>, J. P. Gilliver
<G6...@255soft.uk> writes

>In message <urfqYYW6...@b-howie.co.uk> at Thu, 30 Nov 2023
>12:09:30, brian <nos...@b-howie.co.uk> writes
>[]
>>There's an article here suggesting how to do it.
>>
>>Https://www.morovia.com/kb/Howto-Launch-32bit-Windows-Explorer-64bit-Wind
>>ows-10610.pdf . It mentions an undocumented switch .
>>
>>I've not tried it. Maybe later today when I've time.
>>
>>If it was possible to do it, it would have already been done I suppose,
>>
>>Brian
>
>The relevant bit seems to be:
>If you're running 64:
>1. Right click on Desktop and select New ? Shortcut.
>2. In Type the location of this item: edit box, type the following:
>%Systemroot%\SysWOW64\explorer.exe /separate /e,
>{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}
>3. In Type a name for this shortcut, Name it as “32 bit Explorer”,
>or anything desired.
>4. Click on Finish.
>
>How you then run something _in_ it (the tip is for a prog. that has a
>"shell extension" same as Turnpike does) isn't explained; I'll be
>interested to hear your (Brian) experiences if you _do_ try it.

Yes it doesn't work. You have to attach, as you say the extenson DLLs
which contain the code. You can open the DLLs in Visual Studio and see
the icons, dialog boxes menus code . I've no idea how to reconstruct it
using the modified explorer,

One of the DLLs mentions Creative Development Ltd

Brian


--
Brian Howie