JSI Tip 5189. How do I identify 16-bit programs?

In many cases, it is not obvious that a program is 16-bit, which runs in emulation mode on 32-bit Windows NT basedcomputers (Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, and Windows XP).

Most 16-bit programs run without problems, but if a program is causing problems, it may be important to identifywhether it is 16-bit or 32-bit.

To troubleshoot 16-bit programs, see tip 5099.

To identify whether any program is 16-bit or 32-bit:

1. Use Windows Explorer to navigate to the folder that contains the executable (.exe) file.

2. Right-click the .exe file and press Properties.

3. The program is probably 16-bit if there is no Version tab. To be sure, create a shortcut from the .exe file. If the shortcut Properties has a Run in separate memory space check box, it is 16-bit.

To identify whether a running program is 16-bit or 32-bit:

1. Right-click a blank area of the taskbar and press Task Manager.

2. Select the Processes tab.

3. Locate the program in the Image Name column.

4. 16-bit programs run under the virtual DOS machine. The program is indented under Ntvdm.exe. Additionally, a 16-bit Windows program has wowexec.exe indented with it. This is the Windows On Windows (WOW) emulator.