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[x2yzh9]

I'm running Win7 64-bit and I need help. I'm trying to run a 32-bit games(Birthlands Gorgons Rights demo to be exact) and it's giving me an error message. Can I temporarily change my computer to 32-bit?

[eerr]

run in compatibility mode may cover it?

[x2yzh9]

I ran it in compatibility mode for windows 98. When I ran it in administrator mode and got an error which said
"Cannot find [path to file]. Make sure you typed the name correctly, and then try again."

[AntiAntiMatter]

A quick google search comes up with this.

[Sean Mirrsen]

You know, telling us the exact errors you're getting might help. For instance, it may have nothing to do with the app being 32-bit, unless that's the exact error message you're getting. If you really ARE getting that message, there's very little you can do save installing a virtual machine with a 32bit OS. That message means that the built-in WoW64 app has failed to adapt the game to your needs, and short of a version that's specifically 64-bit, you're not going to be able to run it natively.

The "Cannot find path to file" error can be the result of an incomplete install, an error in the game's setup (wrong CD drive letter, for instance), or something related, like an unset PATH environment variable. In general, architecture incompatibility doesn't lead to "file not found" errors.

[optimumtact]

Another possible option is that you may be missing some necessary 32 bit libraries.

[TolyK]

Another possible option is that you may be missing some necessary 32 bit libraries.

this happens way too often.

[Akura]

I'm thinking the error he's getting is the one that goes: "The version of this file is not compatible with the version of Windows you're running. Check your computer's system information to see whether you need an x86(32-bit) or x64(64-bit) version of the program, and then contact your software publisher."

Which basically means you're screwed, since compatability mode doesn't work on that. You might be able to run a virtual machine(assuming you can even find one) that emulates a 32-bit system.

[Sean Mirrsen]

I suspected that (as I did say in my previous post), but seeing as he'd got a "cannot find path to file" error with compat mode, I think his case is less hopeless than that.

[TolyK]

I'm thinking the error he's getting is the one that goes: "The version of this file is not compatible with the version of Windows you're running. Check your computer's system information to see whether you need an x86(32-bit) or x64(64-bit) version of the program, and then contact your software publisher."

Which basically means you're screwed, since compatability mode doesn't work on that. You might be able to run a virtual machine(assuming you can even find one) that emulates a 32-bit system.

there's a microsoft prog for Win7 that does that, I remember seeing it on the Dreamspark () website...
...
ah, there it is. it's called Virtual PC.

[Rysith]

There is also VirtualBox (also free, generally good as long as you don't need 3d acceleration, open source if you care about that sort of thing), though you would need to get a copy of the 32-bit OS (likely Windows XP or 2k) to run on it. I've got one running to deal with all the old games that I like that don't play well with modern hardware.

[Moogie]

32-bit applications should work on 64-bit Windows. It was designed to be backwards compatible that way.

16-bit applications, however, will never work on it, and for that you need either a virtual machine (I use Win7's "WinXP Mode", works like a charm) or dual-booting to a different OS.

[Sean Mirrsen]

16-bit applications are basically DOS anyway, so you can use DOSBox for those. And no, not all 32-bit applications can run in 64-bit Windows. I've run into the problem several times, and there's no workaround except finding an x64-compatible version.

[x2yzh9]

I'm thinking the error he's getting is the one that goes: "The version of this file is not compatible with the version of Windows you're running. Check your computer's system information to see whether you need an x86(32-bit) or x64(64-bit) version of the program, and then contact your software publisher."

Which basically means you're screwed, since compatability mode doesn't work on that. You might be able to run a virtual machine(assuming you can even find one) that emulates a 32-bit system.

there's a microsoft prog for Win7 that does that, I remember seeing it on the Dreamspark () website...
...
ah, there it is. it's called Virtual PC.

I have to be a student to download that?

[TolyK]

I'm thinking the error he's getting is the one that goes: "The version of this file is not compatible with the version of Windows you're running. Check your computer's system information to see whether you need an x86(32-bit) or x64(64-bit) version of the program, and then contact your software publisher."

Which basically means you're screwed, since compatability mode doesn't work on that. You might be able to run a virtual machine(assuming you can even find one) that emulates a 32-bit system.

there's a microsoft prog for Win7 that does that, I remember seeing it on the Dreamspark () website...
...
ah, there it is. it's called Virtual PC.

I have to be a student to download that?

no, i just found it there first  and it was easiest to find the name there for me.
just google it, and download.
the main page and the download page
(you need "windows XP mode" mostly to solve this)