New PC, 64 BIT, Windows 7, installed alot of 32 bit Programs, they all work, Long story short, 32 bit programs choose when they want to work. They work, but sometimes the 32 bit programs just stop functioning but still appear in the process list, the only fix is to restart the pc. Is this a PC problem or an OS problem/compatibility issues?

I'm seconds away from just returning the PC to the store, but if that's the case on ALL 64 bit PC's then theres no point. If this is a common issue on 64 BIT PC's then Ill just acquire more 64 bit software, that's all. I searched this on Google, people think its corrupted files or viruses, but that's not the case, not at all.

All I can say is most 32-bit program will run fine on a 64-bit machine. There are however, some older programs that don't. Some older 32-bit programs designed for XP will not run on Windows 7. Some versions of Windows 7 can run Windows XP Mode and if yours does, you might try that.

But understand, 32-bit is going away and 64-bit will be the standard for many years to come. So if your old 32-bit software does not run on Windows 7, if me, I would upgrade the software. If that company no longer supports that product, well, it might be time to look for an alternative anyway.

Also, note that most hardware has supported 64-bit for many, many years. Only recently has 64-bit software started to catch up. 64-bit software development sat on the back burner for years simply because 32-bit versions do typically run great on 64-bit hardware and it costs a lot more to fund development and support for 2 versions of the same product.

Excellent, thanks for answering.

Have a look at the 'compatability mode' process which is well (and visually) explained here:

Using Windows 7 or Vista Compatibility Mode - How-To Geek


I can't think of any serious software losses or incompatibilities with the above configuration steps (when needed).

As an example, my wife needs to have access to tax program versions going back to 1997 if the tax department makes inquiries or requires adjustments/clarifications. Many of those older archive version 32 bit programs (98/XP in particular) would not install or run properly in W7 without the above intervention. We needed to move on and have now done so without regret.

I keep forgetting about that feature because the only program I needed it for, still didn't work - Calendar Creator 4 for Win95/98. I knew it was a stretch, but worth a try. Although it worked fine on my XP machine, it still would not on my 64-bit Win7 system, even in Windows XP Mode. My version was so old, the latest would not even import its datafile format. Oh well. Thanks for the reminder of Compatibility Mode.