Steam Client x86, and x64 bit apps.

[Spanky]

I had looked into some games I play, here's one that I need some help with. Euro Fishing Do I need to ask why the x86 steam client has x64 bit apps?

[Brujeira]

Erm, basically because it can. There’s no technical reason why a 32 bit program like Steam can’t tell your PC to start a 64 bit game.

[Tev]

Because Steam client itself doesn't have to be 64-bit to launch 64-bit apps.

Your OS has to be 64-bit to be able to run them however.

[Spanky]

Originally posted by Brujeira:

Erm, basically because it can. There’s no technical reason why a 32 bit program like Steam can’t tell your PC to start a 64 bit game.

Originally posted by Teutep:

Because Steam client itself doesn't have to be 64-bit to launch 64-bit apps.

Your OS has to be 64-bit to be able to run them however.

If I may ask, why have location on disk for both x64, and x86 seperately made by Windows at OS install at all? I believe the program running (Steam client x86) needs it, or anything that it launches. Why did the Steam Client need to be in x86 location of a Windows NTFS system for programs files on a drive if the game is going to install it there, and run code for x64? I feel like I am back to the basics of learning this stuff all over again.

[Tev]

Well, in principle it's meant to make it easier for the end user to know which programs are 32-bit and which are 64-bit.

I personally use Steam under C:\Games\

So, in practice it doesn't really matter where Steam and its games are installed.

[Spanky]

In relation to games, and it's client launcher. It kind of does matter since the location of it's files relate to the FIle System it's under, and how it operates. I'm really not sure here, but the fact that I can install x86 programs that have x64 code in x86 locations, and it will not run because of the OS. I seem to feel that the x86 location is useless to the file system of the OS if running code for x64 in a x86 location. Seems like a waste to put it all in x86, and run it on a x64 OS. No?

[Tev]

You shouldn't be able to install 64-bit games with Steam if you're on a 32-bit OS though.

At most it should only install the redistributable files (DirectX, Visual C++ and co.)

If you're on 64-bit OS, the folder location doesn't really matter.
https://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch001266.htm

So, why are 64-bit and 32-bit programs kept in separate folders?
Several reasons:
Convenience: it's an easy way to tell them apart.
It reduces the chances of a conflict if, for example, you install both a 32-bit and 64-bit version of the same program on one system.
It increases the chance that older programs will work properly, reducing the chance that they will interact with 64-bit software accidentally.

If I manually move programs from one folder to the other, will they still work?
In theory, there's no reason why a 32-bit program won't work if you manually install it to your Program Files folder, and vice versa — 64-bit programs should work fine if you install them to the Program Files (x86) folder. It's a better idea to leave them right where Windows wants them, however.