Can I run Visual Studio 2008 x86 on Windows Vista x64?

Question

Is it possible to run the 32-bit version of Visual Studio 2008 Professional on a Windows Vista 64-bit system?

• Are there any known caveats that I would need to be aware of?
• Would have to install the x64 version of the .NET Framework?
• Would there be any issues on building software targeted for x86?
• Would there be any (justifiable) arguments for getting the x64 version of VS2008 instead of reusing the current x86 license?

Quite tempted on getting a x64 Vista rig to be able to take advantage of more RAM :)

Humdrum

Been running this for almost a year now with only one minor problem. Having a 32-bit COM reference screws things up if your build platform is "Any CPU" .. there are lots of posts about this online. Other than that, it's been smooth sailing. – Humdrum

Answer 1

There is no x64 version of Visual Studio 2008. I'm running the standard 32-bit version on Vista x64 Ultimate and it works fine. There really are no day-to-day issues that I've run across. You just install it and go.

Chelsae

+1. Keep in mind that compiling your apps with "Any CPU" and x86 dependencies you don't own will introduce pain. – Crimson

That is true. I ran into an issue once where a 32-bit web application and a 64-bit WinForms app couldn't read and write the same registry values on an x64 server. I ended up recompiling the 64-bit WinForms app to 32 to solve the problem. – Chelsae

Good point. Registry operations get a bit more complicated, too. – Crimson

We would be, without exception, be developing code targeted to run on x86 but we'd like to use x64 machines to do so to take advantage of things like increased RAM availability (mm 8GB of RAM, yummy) – Humdrum

Answer 2

I'm using VS2008 on x64 right now. This lets me use my full 4GB of RAM. It works, but there are a few corner cases to be aware of:

• Debugging x64 apps is done with remote debugging from the 32-bit subsystem to the 64-bit subsystem.

• managed (.NET) apps by default are marked "any platform", which means they're run under 64-bit on an x64 OS. That means that managed debugging is remote by default.

• There's no Edit-and-Continue when remote debugging, so there's no E&C for .NET on an x64 OS, unless you mark your app as 32-bit-only. Similarly, if you make a native 64-bit app, you can't E&C it.

• There is no mixed (managed + native) when remote debugging, so you can't debug both managed and native parts of an x64 app.

Selfrighteous

Answer 3

• None I know of. I use both Visual Studio 2008 Professional and Team System, and they both seem to work fine on x64.
• Yes.
• No.
• I don't think there is a 64-bit version of VS 2008.

Overall, it's smooth sailing for me, so I think you can jump right in.

Clastic

Answer 4

Take a look at this..

Is code written in Vista 64 compatible on 32 bit os?

Keith

Candancecandela

Answer 5

It's been my impression that 64bit windows is designed such that 32bit programs that live entirely in UserLand "just work". Programs like device drivers that need kernel mode access will likely need a 64-bit specific port.

I'm not aware of any notable exceptions to this, though I'm sure you could find some if you look hard enough. So with the possible exception of mobile device emulators, visual studio should be okay.

Isolationist

Possible exception is if it still relies on a 16-bit DLL somewhere. – Og

Answer 6

I have the CD of VS 2005 and the SP1 let me do x64 on my vista. Must be the same for VS2008.

To be sure, once install, check the compiler profile to see if you can build in X86 and X64. If yes (like I do on my Vista) you are alright!

Refurbish

Answer 7

As others have said VS is a 32-bit app, so whilst it runs fine on a 64-bit OS it will only see the registry and parts of the filing system through the 'magic' mirroring windows provides.

The only time this has been an issue for us is when we tried to add a reference to a COM dll in a .NET app. The COM dll didn't appear in the references dialog since it was only registered as a 64-bit DLL. We had to register the 32-bit version for this to work.

Rodarte

I know we use a couple of COM dlls in one of our projects (currently being developed on 32bit so the dlls are 32bit) this shouldn't be a problem to reference to create the interop wrapper? – Humdrum

Answer 8

The only downside is if you want to use SQL Express Management Studio on Vista x64. Mine is incredibly slow and I can't find any answers relating to why!

EDIT:

Nevermind, I have my problem while typing this.

Vista has a TCP/IP auto tuning feature. By following this tutorial: http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/72308-auto-tuning-tcp-ip-receive-level.html I disabled it and now everything runs like a dream!

Klemens