Are Windows apps in 32-bit and 64-bit folders the same

Question

I need to Install and Manage IIS on my 64-bit Windows 2008 server through the command prompt.

To install IIS & configure the required packages for IIS, I need to use PKGMGR.EXE

and to manage my website, create App pools, I need to use APPCMD.exe

Now, both PKGMGR.EXE and APPCMD.EXE are avaialble in both c:/windows/system32/ and c:/windows/syswow64 folders.

1) Are both these applications in both these folders exactly same or is there any difference?

2) Will there be any problems if I install use both these Apps from System32 bit folder on my 64 bit OS?

Answer 1

There are not the same, any programs under syswow64 are 32bit binaries, anything under system32 are 64bit binaries.

They usually have the exact same functionality but may affect either 32bit or 64bit parts of the OS.

The programs in syswow64 are usually for backwards compatibility. A 32bit version of IIS will be installed here to run 32bit worker processes.

For installation and configuration you should always use the system32 64bit versions.

In case of appcmd.exe it shouldn't make a difference anyways, but I'm not sure about a 32bit PKGMGR.EXE having access to system32

Always use the programs in c:/windows/system32/