Will an old laptop run both 32bit and 64bit programs?
Q
I still run Windows XP because I need to use some old 16bit programs, as well as a few programs I wrote in Visual Basic, which I assume are 32bit. I have an Asus T100TA tablet (which is 64bit) with Windows 8.1, which can run these programs. I also have a Windows 10 tablet that won’t run them unless I install an XP virtual machine on it.
However, I can’t use later software such as Word and Excel without exiting one system and using the other. If I bought a second-hand laptop running Windows 8.1, could I guarantee that it would run my old programs and newer ones, even if it’s 64bit? Or does it need to be 32bit? Bob Taylor
A
To some extent, you’re confusing the computer’s bit-width with that of the operating system (OS) and the software running on it. Almost all PCS sold since the mid-2000s are 64bit machines capable of running 64bit software. You can install either a 32bit or 64bit OS on a 64bit PC. A 64bit Windows 10 installation supports both 32bit and 64bit programs, while a 32bit installation supports only 32bit and 16bit software.
From the details you’ve provided, it seems likely that your Asus tablet is running a 32bit version of Windows 8.1, which is why it can run your 16bit software (you can check this by pressing Windows key+i to open Settings, then clicking System, About - see screenshot). However, your Windows 10 tablet won’t run the 16bit programs because it has the 64bit version of the OS
The only way you can run 16bit software on your tablet is to create a virtual machine and install a 32bit OS on it. This needn’t be Windows XP – you already know your apps are compatible with Windows 8.1, so there’s a good chance they’ll work on a 32bit installation of Windows 10. Remember that you need a separate licence for any OS you install on a virtual machine.
If you’re running the 32bit version of Windows 10, there’s another compatibility problem that’s unrelated to the bit-depth of your software. You could try to get around it by finding the executable file of the app you’re having trouble with: long press it, select ‘Troubleshoot compatibility’, then use the Program Compatibility Troubleshooter to find a solution.