64-bit games are not install-able in 32-bit OS

[AranKien]

I don't really know why this is the case for steam, as there's quite a lot of problems with this, some game like "Papers, Please" has a legacy version on 32-bit in the beta section of the game, it runs just fine if I pirate an older version (which is exactly what the legacy version is). So I have no way of playing the game on my (yet to be updated) 32-bit OS legitimately even though it has a 32-bit legacy version of the game in the "betas" section. This also poses another problem because I'm also trying to pre-install the games to my drive so that when I get a new drive and install a 64-bit OS so i can play the game immediately without waiting for it to download.

And I read that Project Zomboid is apparently playable in 32-bit even though it has a 64-bit requirement (which blocks the download from 32-bit OS), any way to combat this block? Maybe a work around to download through steam using some kind of app or access through a website or something, thanks!

Edit: I got a new SSD with a 64-bit OS installed now so it's all good

[Nx Machina]

Simple answer:

Will 32 bit games work on a 64 bit OS? Yes

Will 64 bit games on a 32 bit OS? No due to been incompatible with the OS.

[Cathulhu]

There hasn't been a solid reason to use a 32Bit OS for way over a decade now. Why do people insist on doing that nonsense?

[AranKien]

Cathulhu eredeti hozzászólása:

There hasn't been a solid reason to use a 32Bit OS for way over a decade now. Why do people insist on doing that nonsense?

I'm using it since I cannot just format my current drive and I am still saving for a good SSD to upgrade to a 64-bit OS

[Cathulhu]

Why can you not?

[AranKien]

Cathulhu eredeti hozzászólása:

Why can you not?

There are important documents and applications that is not mine, I can't just format a whole drive full of photos from 7 years ago and other important documents

[Cathulhu]

Don't you have a USB drive? If those are so important, don't you have a backup?
What if the drive fails, everything would be gone anyway.

If the data is so important, having it on only one location is reckless.

[AranKien]

UberFiend eredeti hozzászólása:

AsmodyTap eredeti hozzászólása:

I'm using it since I cannot just format my current drive and I am still saving for a good SSD to upgrade to a 64-bit OS

If $ is so tight, why would you waste it on an SSD?

You have a good point, either way, an hdd or an ssd is not purchasable as of now, and possibly for the next few months.
My question is, is there any legal way to just download a 64-bit game on my outdated OS? I don't need to play it, I just need to download it

[AranKien]

Cathulhu eredeti hozzászólása:

Don't you have a USB drive? If those are so important, don't you have a backup?
What if the drive fails, everything would be gone anyway.

If the data is so important, having it on only one location is reckless.

True, but the data in the drive is too big to be contained in a USB drive and I'd have to get a rescue HDD which is out of my current budget

[Cathulhu]

If you have a valid non-OEM product key for your Windows, you can simply download it from the homepage of Microsoft. Any non-OEM product key since Windows Vista is valid for both 32 and 64Bit.

[Lithurge]

AsmodyTap eredeti hozzászólása:

My question is, is there any legal way to just download a 64-bit game on my outdated OS? I don't need to play it, I just need to download it

No, Steam installs the game as it downloads (in most cases) as it's incompatible it can't install the game, hence the blocked download.

[IFIYGD]

Cathulhu eredeti hozzászólása:

If you have a valid non-OEM product key for your Windows, you can simply download it from the homepage of Microsoft. Any non-OEM product key since Windows Vista is valid for both 32 and 64Bit.

If their CPU is 64 bit compatible. The OP hasn't given any info on their system specs to let anyone know if they actually have a 64 bit processor. If they are on an old machine with a 32 bit processor, they will not be able to install a 64 bit version of their OS.

[Washell]

You're looking for this: https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/SteamCMD

That said:

1: If a friend came to me to borrow a drive temporarily, I could free one up and lend it. Try asking around your friends and family circle.
2: free online storage can already cover quite a lot of backed up photos. Paid online storage doesn't have to cost all that much and will certainly cover all you need to back up.,
3: Depending on the amount of space free on your drive, you may be able to make a second partition to store everything that needs to be stored, leaving the windows partition free to be reformatted.

IFIYGD eredeti hozzászólása:

If they are on an old machine with a 32 bit processor, they will not be able to install a 64 bit version of their OS.

The last 32bit only processors are 20 years old at this point. It's not a concern you need to pay attention to these days.

[IFIYGD]

Washell eredeti hozzászólása:

The last 32bit only processors are 20 years old at this point. It's not a concern you need to pay attention to these days.

And believe it or not, there are a number of places in the world where people are still running 20 year old machines, because they cannot afford a modern machine. I still have an old Dell with a Pentium 4, that runs fine and chugs away at rendering fractals, cannot run a 64 bit OS, but will play old boxed 32 bit games from disc just fine.
The first question that needs to be answered is if the OP has a 64 bit processor or not.

[AranKien]

IFIYGD eredeti hozzászólása:

Cathulhu eredeti hozzászólása:

If you have a valid non-OEM product key for your Windows, you can simply download it from the homepage of Microsoft. Any non-OEM product key since Windows Vista is valid for both 32 and 64Bit.

If their CPU is 64 bit compatible. The OP hasn't given any info on their system specs to let anyone know if they actually have a 64 bit processor. If they are on an old machine with a 32 bit processor, they will not be able to install a 64 bit version of their OS.

I do have a 64-bit compatible CPU, it's an old cpu however, an Intel Quad Core 2 Q8400. However the problem here other than the drive being pack full of important stuff is that I don't think my current GPU is able to handle anything above 32-bit, that's why my budget is too tight at the moment, it's an old GPU, a GPU that even upon release was very bad, a GeForce 210. However since I didn't originally own this computer, I don't have any product key activation for windows on me

[IFIYGD]

Have you thought about burning your photos and documents onto CD-Rs or DVD-Rs for safekeeping? They're cheaper than USB drives, or you may have some blanks sitting around already? (I still back-up to CD-Rs, since they can't be overwritten and data accidentally lost that way.)
Then when you can afford to upgrade to a newer machine- external USB CD or DVD drives are fairly low-priced and would allow you to transfer those files to the new machine.

Still won't help you with trying to dl a 64 bit program onto a 32 bit machine, but it will allow you to back-up your photos and documents safely for future retrieval.