Installing Steam on Windows 10 64-bit laptop, setup wants to put it in x86 Program Files folder.

[404linda]

Is that correct? Does that mean Steam is 32-bit?

[Lathrim]

It is. As of today, there is no such thing as a 64-bit Steam application. Unfortunately.

[Raiden]

You can always put it in normal Program Files if you can't stand it being in x86 one.

[Seven7]

avoid standard path, install in c:\steam

[ReBoot]

Originally posted by 404linda:

Is that correct? Does that mean Steam is 32-bit?

That is correct.

Originally posted by Seven7:

avoid standard path, install in c:\steam

That isn't. While it doesn't hurt, theres no use in doing that either.

[Seven7]

There no reason wait until it hurt

I prefer simple to prevent occurrence of possible problems, rather than spending time on their removal

[ReBoot]

Originally posted by Seven7:

There no reason wait until it hurt :summersun:

I prefer simple to prevent occurrence of possible problems, rather than spending time on their removal

Except that it won't hurt either. What you do here, reminds me on that sketch. Two comedians
-Why do you stomp your foot all the time?
-To scare away alligators
-There are no alligators here
-See? It works!
That's what you're doing. Pro tip: If you don't stomp the foot all the time, there'll be no alligators anyway (at least in the middle of NY where the sketch was). If you install Steam at the default location,there won't be trouble anyway.

[Cathulhu]

Currently, there is no advantage for having a 64Bit Steam client. The main advantage of 64Bit apps is that they can utilize more than 2GB RAM. Yes, 32Bit apps can use up to 4GB with the LAA flag, but that's the absolute limit.
But let's be honest. If Steam needs more than 2GB RAM something is going horribly wrong.

The downside is, Valve would have to manage two seperate builds, one 32Bit build and one 64Bit build. There are still way too many using a 32Bit OS and they'd loose too much revenue by distributing a 64Bit only build.
That means they'd have to squash more bugs, invest more work into the development of the Steam client and so on.
From a cost factor, it's unattractive.

There may be a point in the future where they'll switch, but don't expect it soon.

[ReBoot]

Actually,the more and wider registers allow for faster function calls and mandatory SSE2 can make matters better too. The address space isn't everything.
Its true though that those two upsides are absolutely eclipsed by the downsides.

[Darren]

Eventually it'll be 64bit as they'll stop supporting the 32bit OSs they've already removed everything before Windows 7, a few more years and they'll only have 64 bit versions left. Don't expect it before then however.

[Washell]

Originally posted by ReBoot:

Originally posted by Seven7:

avoid standard path, install in c:\steam

That isn't. While it doesn't hurt, theres no use in doing that either.

There are some (anecdotal) reports that older games, or games from less accomplished devs, have trouble dealing with the strict rules newer versions of Windows impose on the program files folders and that installing them elsewhere fixes that. You may never run into a problem, but then again, it doesn't hurt to install elsewhere just to be on the safe side.

[ReBoot]

Originally posted by Washell:

Originally posted by ReBoot:

That isn't. While it doesn't hurt, theres no use in doing that either.

There are some (anecdotal) reports that older games, or games from less accomplished devs, have trouble dealing with the strict rules newer versions of Windows impose on the program files folders and that installing them elsewhere fixes that. You may never run into a problem, but then again, it doesn't hurt to install elsewhere just to be on the safe side.

Those stories are dead old. Since years ago, access rights in the Steam directory and it's subdirectories are managed by Steam (and the Steam service) in a way that it works. And should you say "But C:\Program Files(x86)\Steam inherits the rights from C:\Program Files(x86)", C:\Steam inherits everything from C: including draconian restrictions.

[Cathulhu]

Who installs Steam on C: anyway? I prefer a separate partition so in case i need to wipe my windows installation, i can easily keep my Steam games and all that other stuff.

[ReBoot]

Originally posted by Cathulhu:

Who installs Steam on C: anyway? I prefer a separate partition so in case i need to wipe my windows installation, i can easily keep my Steam games and all that other stuff.

I do, at least a part of it. Not all of us wipe their PC every now and then.

[Cathulhu]

Has been a while for me as well, but i like to have my stuff sorted out, just in case. Makes preparations later a lot easier when you do it proper from the very beginning.

[Satoru]

Originally posted by Washell:

Originally posted by ReBoot:

That isn't. While it doesn't hurt, theres no use in doing that either.

There are some (anecdotal) reports that older games, or games from less accomplished devs, have trouble dealing with the strict rules newer versions of Windows impose on the program files folders and that installing them elsewhere fixes that. You may never run into a problem, but then again, it doesn't hurt to install elsewhere just to be on the safe side.

There's no real issue with modern games installing in the program files direcrtory

Some older games have some problems if they are not installed in program files due to some hard coded nonsense. But those games are extremely rare.

The steam client itself benefits very little from being on SSD plus pre-loads are stage on the main program install directory as well.