Two program folders file. Program Files x86: what is it and how to remove it? How to remove x86 program files from an old system

Remember, not so long ago I wrote an article - “Do you still save documents and programs on the system drive?” Well, this particular note will be a continuation of the first! So let's begin.
You can read the first note (if you haven’t read it) several times below on my blog to keep up to date with events. There I told you that you do not need to install programs on the system drive in the Program Files folder. The system drive is where the operating system is installed. However, there are programs that are installed only on the system drive, and it is impossible to reassign their installation path manually. What to do then? And everything is very simple, we will use the system registry of the operating system. To put it simply, the system registry is a kind of database that stores the parameters of the entire computer, operating system and installed programs. For example, even when we change the screensaver on the desktop, all changes to the change of this screensaver occur in the system registry. It’s just that the operating system provides us with a convenient graphical interface for its convenient and fine-tuning.
Here is the system registry itself. It has a tree structure, with each heading expanding.

So, let's move on to reassigning the program installation folder. All this works in both Windows XP and Windows Vista.

Attention, strictly follow the instructions described below! Do not change any other registry settings. This can lead to the operating system crashing.

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By default, the Windows operating system installs all programs in the “Program Files” folder located on the system drive (where the system is located). If you want programs to be installed in a different folder, for example the “Programs” folder located on a nearby drive where there is no operating system. So, three steps.

Step 1. Open the registry editor (“Start” – “Run” – “regedit”). That is, sequentially - first Start, then click Run and enter “regedit” in a special field and OK.

P.S If the “Run” command is not displayed, then right-click on the “Start” button, go to properties and on the “Start Menu” tab, click the “Customize” button.

Then check the box next to “Run Command”

All settings are identical to both Windows XP and Windows Vista.

Step 2. Go to the branch - HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE then SOFTWARE then Microsoft then Windows then CurrentVersion

Step 3. Open the “ProgramFileDir” key (double click), in the “Value” field there will be an entry “your drive:\Program Files” (for example, your drive H:\ is the system one. Enter in this field the address of the desired folder for installing programs, for example – “D :\Programs". Click “Ok” and restart the computer. It is better to give the name of the folder for the programs in English.

Now all programs will be installed in a new folder by default! All of the above settings work in Windows XP and Windows Vista.

Strong knowledge to you with respect Artyom Yushchenko!

You've probably seen the "C:\Program Files" and "C:\Program Files (x86)" folders on your computer. And you probably noticed that programs are installed both in one package and in another. Let's figure out why this is so.

32-bit and 64-bit Windows

Initially, Windows was only available in 32-bit versions. In these versions we only see the “C:\Program Files” folder, which is the recommended location for installed programs.

On 64-bit versions of Windows, 64-bit applications are installed in the Program Files folder. However, 64-bit versions of Windows also support 32-bit programs, and Microsoft doesn't want 32-bit and 64-bit software mixed in the same place. So, 32-bit programs are installed to the "C:\Program Files (x86)" folder by default.

Windows runs 32-bit applications on 64-bit versions of Windows using WOW64. When you run a 32-bit program on a 64-bit version of Windows, the WOW64 emulation layer seamlessly redirects file access from "C:\Program Files" to "C:\Program Files (x86)".

What's in each folder?

So on 32-bit Windows, you only have a "C:\Program Files" folder that contains all the installed 32-bit programs.
On 64-bit Windows, 64-bit programs are stored in the "C:\Program Files" folder, and 32-bit programs are stored in the "C:\Program Files (x86)" folder.

This is why different programs are installed in different folders.

Why are they separated?

A compatibility feature designed for older 32-bit programs that may not know that 64-bit Windows even exists, so Windows prevents them from talking to 64-bit code directly.

32-bit programs cannot load 64-bit libraries (DLL files) and may crash if they try to load a particular DLL file and encounter a 64-bit version instead of a 32-bit one. The same goes for 64-bit programs. Having independent program files for different processor architectures prevents such errors.

For example, let's say Windows would simply use a single Program Files folder. The 32-bit application will look for the Microsoft Office DLL file found in C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office and try to load it. However, if you have a 64-bit version of Microsoft Office installed, the application will crash and will not work properly because... it won't be able to find the DLL at all because the 64-bit version of Microsoft Office will be located at C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office, and the 32-bit application will look at C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office.

It also helps when a developer creates both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of an application, especially if they need to be installed at once in some situations. The 32-bit version is automatically installed in C:\Program Files (x86), and the 64-bit version is automatically installed in C:\Program Files. If Windows used one folder, the application developer would have to set the 64-bit folder to another folder to separate them. And there probably wouldn't be a real standard where developers set different versions.

Why is the 32-bit folder called (x86)?

You won't always see "32-bit" and "64-bit". Instead, you sometimes see "x86" and "x64" to refer to these two different architectures. This is because early computers used the Intel 8086 chip. The original chips were 16-bit, but newer versions have become 32-bit. "X86" now refers to all "versions" up to 64-bit architecture - be it 16-bit or 32-bit. The new 64-bit architecture is also called “x64”.

The "Program Files (x86)" folder is a folder for programs using the old x86 processor architecture. Note, however, that 64-bit versions of Windows cannot run 16-bit code.

It usually doesn't matter

It usually doesn't matter whether program files are stored in Program Files or Program Files (x86). Windows automatically installs programs in the correct folder, so you don't have to think about it. Programs appear in the Start menu and function normally no matter where they are installed. Both 32-bit and 64-bit programs should store your data in folders like AppData and ProgramData and not in any Program Files folder. Just let your programs automatically decide which Program Files folder to use.

Sometimes you need to know where a program is stored. Let's say you want to go into your Steam directory to backup some files. You'll find it in C:\Program Files (x86) since Steam is a 32-bit program.

If you do not know which version of the program you have installed, 32 or 64 bit, then you can look in the Windows task manager.

On 64-bit versions of Windows, 32-bit programs are marked with additional "(32-bit)" text, giving you a hint that you'll find them in C:\Program Files (x86).

Every PC user has explored their computer at least once, studying folders and programs, most often with the goal of freeing up space on the hard drive and deleting unnecessary files. As a rule, the largest folders include Program Files (x86) and Program Files for owners of 64-bit operating systems. They are located in the root of the OS disk at the address: C:\Program Files (x86) and C:\Program Files.

Introduction

Attention!!! Dear readers, before you begin any actions with the “Program files” folder, I ask you to think several times, because it is a system one. I want to warn you right away that any erroneous intervention can break the operation of the operating system and you will simply lose some of your data, programs, or you will not be able to turn on the computer at all. This article is written for those who have an understanding of what they are doing and for what specific purpose. I don't recommend You even think about possibly deleting the folder.

64-bit programs are installed in the Program Files folder, and 32-bit ones are installed in the Program Files (x86) folder. Some of them may be absolutely necessary for the stable operation of your computer. For example, if you installed a clean operating system without drivers, then when installing the audio driver, the default path to one of these folders may be selected. If you delete a folder in this case, you will no longer have sound.

Microsoft made sure that you do not delete the entire folder in a couple of clicks, therefore, when you try to remove it, Explorer will give you messages stating that the programs being removed are now running and will not allow you to complete the job. Of course, you can get around this by going to the Task Manager and disabling processes belonging to programs, but this is not recommended. This method can be useful when removing small viruses or utilities.

Is it possible to delete the program files x86 folder?

We can say with confidence that you should not delete the entire folder, but if you still need to free up space on your hard drive, you can remove unnecessary programs, but not manually (by deleting folders), but through the Control Panel. This method is also much better in that you cannot make a mistake when choosing an unnecessary application. It often happens that when installing a program, it is placed in a folder with the name of the company that created it, for example: Microsoft, Adobe, etc. In the Control Panel you will see the names of programs and their icons, which will help you navigate more easily. Below is a list of folders and programs that should not be deleted.

Folders:
- 7-Zip;
- Common Files;
— Internet Explorer;
— Microsoft Games;
— Microsoft Office;
- MSBuild;
— NVIDIA Corporation;
— Realtek (sound card driver) – yours may be different;
— Reference Assemblies;
— All Windows folders;
- WinRAR;
— Folder with antivirus (Avast, Kaspersky, Dr. Web, and so on).

Programs:
— Antivirus;
— Drivers (Intel, NVIDIA, ADM, Realtek, etc.);
— All Microsoft programs;
- Windows drivers.

To completely remove programs, use the Control Panel. Follow these steps.

Open the Start panel
Select "Control Panel"
Click on "Programs and Features"
In the list above, double-click on the required program to remove it, excluding those written above.

It is also worth considering that if the hard drive is divided into several, not all programs will be located on drive C, for example, you installed games on drive D, so be careful when choosing programs and applications.

How to delete program files x86 of old system?

There are also more unusual circumstances when it is necessary to delete components of the program files x86 or program files folder. This situation may arise if your disk is divided into several parts. For example, if your OS was on drive C and you installed another one on drive D and use it, then everything will remain on C. This is where the questions arise: how to delete the Windows and Program files folders?

The easiest way is to download the useful LockHunter utility. When you try to delete these folders, you will receive a message stating that you do not have enough rights. The utility allows you to turn a blind eye to this and delete absolutely any files on your computer. After installation, right-click on the required folders and select LockHunter. In the window that appears, click “DeleteIt!” and the folders will be deleted. Despite the ease of use and unlimited possibilities, you should use this utility with caution, and in normal cases use the familiar “Control Panel”

Happy using!