Task manager says 32 bit ver. Should it be 64 bit.

Hi rpmcq57
 
Welcome to the Community Forums.
 
No, you have done nothing wrong. As WSA covers both 32bit & 64bit systems but with only one installer it runs in 32bit mode. The reason for this is that 64-bit versions of Windows can run 32-bit software, but 32-bit versions of Windows can’t run 64-bit software.
 
For information, 64-bit Intel and AMD processors are backward compatible and can natively execute 32-bit software. The 32-bit WSA executable will run about the same as it would on a 32-bit version of Windows, so there’s no downside to running this on a 64- bit operating system.
 
Hope that helps?
 
Regards, Baldrick

Hey Baldrick, thanks for the answer, but I would like to go a bit further. Perhaps someone from Webroot could assist in answering if these questions are more than the community can answer?

Are there real-world technical limitations of a 32bit Webroot? It will have access to fewer registers, and some sort of memory limitations, but will any of that affect Webroot's ability to do its job properly?

The Microsoft standard for installing applications is to put 64bit code in "?:Program Files" and 32bit applications in "?:Program Files (x86)". Do we have any idea why Webroot did not follow this standard? There are similar standards for registry entries, but I did not look at the Webroot registry entries...

Reference (for certification, and I assume Webroot did not get the "Certified" stamp):
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/mt674655(v=vs.85).aspx

Hi jgranto
 
Welcome to the Community Forums.
 
1. Are there real-world technical limitations of a 32bit Webroot?
 
    Not as far as I know, have heard, etc., and also I do not believe that Webroot would provide a 32bit 
    solution if it was any less secure than a 64bit one.
 
2. It will have access to fewer registers, and some sort of memory limitations, but will any of that affect
    Webroot's ability to do its job properly?
 
    Same reply as above...they would not produce a 32bit version if 64bit was better.
 
3. The Microsoft standard for installing applications...?
 
     Good question...and that one I do not know the answer to other than to say...it does not really matter,
     and there are many other app authors who do the same and/or allow the user to install where they wish
     to, etc.
 
4. Reference (for certification,...?
 
    I suspect not but then again most of the major players either do not have this or if they do they chose
    not to make a big deal of it or even acknowledge it...so in my book it is fairly irrelevant. If the company is
    reputable and produces a good product that works well then this is somewhat irrelevant.
 
    Plus I suspect (but do not know) that MS may charge for the privilege certification...so another reason
    for not bothering with this if that is indeed true.
 
But as you say for an official answer "Perhaps someone from Webroot could assist in answering if these questions"...so I will ping our Community Manager @ and see if he can advise on this from his internal contacts.
 
Regards, Baldrick

poke

@ wrote:
poke

Poke at what? WSA is a fully 64bit but runs as a 32bit proccess.
 

 
 

@, please check the thread from the beginning. Webroot is a 32bit app that puts itself in the 64bit folder, which is wrong according to Microsoft standards. You can verify the 32bit status via multiple checks.
 
For example, you can use filever.exe to check the file properties, and you will see this:
--a-- W32i   APP ENU       9.0.19.43 shp  1,252,856 01-31-2018 wrsa.exe
 
You can also use Task Manager, enable the Platform column, and see it there: 

 
 
32bit apps will run fine on 64bit Windows, but there are advantages to going 64bit. There are still unanswered questions as to when WebRoot will go 64bit, and why it installs in the wrong folder (it should install into "Program Files (x86)".
 
I would really like to see the app go 64bit and stay installed into the 64bit folder structure. If that is not possible for some reason, I think they should comply with Microsoft standards and install into the 32bit folder structure.