Why TWO "Program Files" Folders?

[kacbambina]

I recently purchased an HP Pavilion TX2000z -- I'm getting used to Vista and have an organizational question:

Here are some of the possibly relevant specs about my computer:

Windows Vista Home Premium with Service Pack 1 (64-bit)

AMD Turion 64 X2 Dual-Core Mobile Technology Gold Edition TL-64 (2.2 GHz)

4GB DDR2 System Memory (2 Dimm)

NVIDIA® GeForce® Go 6150

250GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive

My question may be related to Vista or may be more related to the setup that HP gave me, but I realized that some of my programs are in the folder C:\Program Files and most of the other programs install to and update in C:\Program Files (x86)

There's some duplication between the folders, so I tried to delete some of the the duplicates such as the folders like windows sidebar and windows calender because they had the same creation dates and information in them, but one was in Program Files and the other was in Program Files (x86) -- despite the fact that I'm the only user of this computer, so I have administrator privileges and I said "Allow" Vista would not let me delete these folders.

It just seems like a waste of space to have the same information in both folders. Also, Itunes has some of it's files and applications in Program Files (x86) but when I run it, it also places a few things in Program Files as well... So it seems that Vista uses both folders for some reason.

My main questions are: Does anyone know why is there a Program Files and then a different Program Files (x86) folder?? And is there any way to consolidate these two folders a little bit better?

Thank You!

[oskingen]

because you have a 64bit system. when you have 4g ram or more you have to use x64 system because it is the only one that supports this amount of ram.

Program Files (x86) is for 32bit application. you don't have to worry about it. and you cannot merge them for your question.

Edited May 21, 2008 by hannubys

[oskingen]

Take a look here http://www.msfn.org/board/64bit-vs-32bit-t117557.html

[kacbambina]

Thanks hannubys!

[oskingen]

Thanks hannubys!

You're welcome

[Niwashi]

(I don't have Vista yet, so I'm just trying to get an idea of how it works while my frame of reference comes from the XP Pro that I'm currently using.)

If Vista has to split installs between its two different "Program Files" folders, that sounds like it isn't supporting any ability to choose where you want to install applications. What if I want to install something somewhere else entirely, without using Windows' Program Files folder(s) at all? I'm planning on getting two hard drives, using the first one for the OS and basic utility applications and the second one for productivity software, games, and my own files and documents. Is Vista going to insist that every application on the computer must be installed under "C:\Program Files\" even if I want it installed under "D:\Games\" ? It just seems a bit too odd that a modern OS wouldn't support more than one hard drive.

[oskingen]

(I don't have Vista yet, so I'm just trying to get an idea of how it works while my frame of reference comes from the XP Pro that I'm currently using.)

If Vista has to split installs between its two different "Program Files" folders, that sounds like it isn't supporting any ability to choose where you want to install applications. What if I want to install something somewhere else entirely, without using Windows' Program Files folder(s) at all? I'm planning on getting two hard drives, using the first one for the OS and basic utility applications and the second one for productivity software, games, and my own files and documents. Is Vista going to insist that every application on the computer must be installed under "C:\Program Files\" even if I want it installed under "D:\Games\" ? It just seems a bit too odd that a modern OS wouldn't support more than one hard drive.

Here we were talking about x64 system and Of course you can choose where you want to install your softwares.

Edited May 24, 2008 by hannubys

[TranceEnergy]

I recently purchased an HP Pavilion TX2000z -- I'm getting used to Vista and have an organizational question:

Here are some of the possibly relevant specs about my computer:

Windows Vista Home Premium with Service Pack 1 (64-bit)

AMD Turion 64 X2 Dual-Core Mobile Technology Gold Edition TL-64 (2.2 GHz)

4GB DDR2 System Memory (2 Dimm)

NVIDIA® GeForce® Go 6150

250GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive

My question may be related to Vista or may be more related to the setup that HP gave me, but I realized that some of my programs are in the folder C:\Program Files and most of the other programs install to and update in C:\Program Files (x86)

There's some duplication between the folders, so I tried to delete some of the the duplicates such as the folders like windows sidebar and windows calender because they had the same creation dates and information in them, but one was in Program Files and the other was in Program Files (x86) -- despite the fact that I'm the only user of this computer, so I have administrator privileges and I said "Allow" Vista would not let me delete these folders.

It just seems like a waste of space to have the same information in both folders. Also, Itunes has some of it's files and applications in Program Files (x86) but when I run it, it also places a few things in Program Files as well... So it seems that Vista uses both folders for some reason.

My main questions are: Does anyone know why is there a Program Files and then a different Program Files (x86) folder?? And is there any way to consolidate these two folders a little bit better?

Thank You!

ACTUALLY since you will be using IGP, integrated graphics, am i correct u will be?

Check this out, if thats the case, XP can adress its maximum 3.2GB memory, however, in BIOS u can set your graphics adapter to us f.ex 512MB RAM,

check your bios.!!

So 3.2GB for XP, and 512mb for GFX onboard, so u get about 3.7GB utilized. IF u can use 768mb or 1GB for IGP

you will get 3GB f.example, to full use for windows xp, while 1GB is for video graphics onboard.

Tried and tested. Works perfect. Not that i am saying 64bit is not the way to go, but as in this case if you will only have/need 4GB..

Hope this helps.

Much profit! Happy weekend and cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeerzr.z.rz.rz

[Niwashi]

Here we were talking about x64 system and Of course you can choose where you want to install your softwares.

But it's dividing the install of the same program into two different places. Do you get to choose each of them? Will every installer know to ask both where do you want the 32bit copy of the program to go and also where do you want the 64bit copy of the program to go? Because I'm going to want to set both of those up into my own file structure and not use either "Program Files" or "Program Files (x86)".

[oskingen]

Here we were talking about x64 system and Of course you can choose where you want to install your softwares.

But it's dividing the install of the same program into two different places. Do you get to choose each of them? Will every installer know to ask both where do you want the 32bit copy of the program to go and also where do you want the 64bit copy of the program to go? Because I'm going to want to set both of those up into my own file structure and not use either "Program Files" or "Program Files (x86)".

Yes you can install your software on another drive if you want... you have the choice.

[S.SubZero]

If Vista has to split installs between its two different "Program Files" folders, that sounds like it isn't supporting any ability to choose where you want to install applications. What if I want to install something somewhere else entirely, without using Windows' Program Files folder(s) at all?

Nothing is preventing custom installs anywhere you want. The two Program Files directories are more for MS than for you. XP64 ships with 32-bit and 64-bit Internet Explorer. Vista x64 has two versions of Media Player. There are 32-bit and 64-bit pieces that are conveniently separated.