Member Avatar for Nickair

Hi i am running Windows Vista Home Premium on my HP laptop, and i noticed that i have two program file folder one normal one and one with (x86) after it. I have a theory that it might be because i have a 64 bit processor but i am not 100% sure. can anyone clarify this? also both folders share similar programs but also have different ones, and some do not show up in the start menu. Thanks for the help!

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by Suspishio

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Short answer: was on the right track. Below are practical clarifications and fixes that weren’t mentioned yet — focused on why you see duplicates, why some apps don’t show in Start, and what to do without breaking anything.

Installers and helpers

  • Some installers lay down multiple components (a native helper, a compatibility helper, plugins, etc.) and place them in different Program Files trees. That makes it look like the same app exists twice.
  • Vendors sometimes ship both a 32-bit and a 64-bit installer and your system may have both installed for different features (browser plugins, shell extensions, tray tools). That explains similar but not identical contents.

Why shortcuts don’t appear in Start

  • Shortcuts are stored in either the per-user folder (C:\Users\<you>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs) or the all-users folder (C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs). An installer that created shortcuts only for the installing account won’t show the app under another user’s Start menu.
  • To restore a missing entry: find the program EXE, right‑click → Create shortcut (or Send To → Desktop), then move that shortcut into the appropriate Start Menu folder above.

How to check which build you’re running and which an app uses

  • While an app is running, Task Manager on modern Windows marks many 32‑bit processes with a *32 suffix; Sysinternals Process Explorer gives a definitive bitness per process. Many apps also show architecture in their About dialog.

Safe fixes and cautions

  • Do not move program folders manually — installers register files and write registry entries; moving breaks those links. Use Programs and Features to uninstall and then reinstall the correct build, or reinstall choosing “All users” if you want shared Start menu shortcuts.
  • Advanced: if you must redirect paths, use proper junctions (mklink /J) and understand it’s a last resort.

If the system is an HP with factory software, some duplicated entries may be from vendor installers placing both versions intentionally.

Member Avatar for Suspishio

Yes - your theory is correct. 64 bit programs reside in Program Files and 32 bit programs in Program Files(X86).

This structure supports the virtual machine mode used by 32 bit programs.

Hope that answers your question adequately.

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