AMD64 ? ia64

This Win8.1 thing shows: "x64-based processor.... Intel."

Some software that I want to install reads:
If your PC has a 64-bit AMD or Intel processor, you will
most likely need the "amd64" images (though "i386" is also fine),
the "ia64" images will not work.

Originally the thing was able to install a "386 DVD".
Then the vendor changed/reinstalled something to be compatible with
the 3G-dongle, and the DVD was no longer installable; giving a
"doesn't support Windows 6.2.9200SP0" error.

Ideally, I'd like to be able to boot from a USBstik, to 'get to'
the "386 DVD"; but perhaps I've got an "ia64" sysytem?

What is especially confusing, is that I've been able to run an
OLD *lynxW32* which I just unzipped to a USBstik.

What are the 'rules' to know if/what 32-bit software will work
with this thing?

== TIA.

wrote:
This Win8.1 thing shows: "x64-based processor.... Intel."

Some software that I want to install reads:
If your PC has a 64-bit AMD or Intel processor, you will
most likely need the "amd64" images (though "i386" is also fine),
the "ia64" images will not work.

Originally the thing was able to install a "386 DVD".
Then the vendor changed/reinstalled something to be compatible with
the 3G-dongle, and the DVD was no longer installable; giving a
"doesn't support Windows 6.2.9200SP0" error.

Ideally, I'd like to be able to boot from a USBstik, to 'get to'
the "386 DVD"; but perhaps I've got an "ia64" sysytem?

What is especially confusing, is that I've been able to run an
OLD *lynxW32* which I just unzipped to a USBstik.

What are the 'rules' to know if/what 32-bit software will work
with this thing?

== TIA.


IA64 is Itanium. I don't think I've ever run
into anyone with a used Itanium for kicks. And it's
too expensive to buy one brand new.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Itanium

Try running "winver" to see what OS is installed.

Or the System control panel usually says something.
The System control panel will say "x64" if the OS
is the 64-bit version.

Generally, if your system is still 32 bit, then there
should not be a 32 bit identifier in the result.
If it is 64 bit, it'll say something like "x64".

x64 can run 64 bit and 32 bit programs.
x32 can run 32 bit and 16 bit programs.

The "doesn't support Windows 6.2.9200SP0" means the
software is intended to install a driver on something
other than vanilla Windows 8. If you run vanilla
Windows 8, don't expect even Windows Update to deliver
regular security patches. Security patches are
only available for 8.1 .

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ver_(command)

Windows Vista 6.0.6000
Windows Vista SP1 6.0.6001
Windows Vista SP2 6.0.6002

Windows 7 6.1.7600
Windows 7 SP1 6.1.7601

Windows 8 6.2.9200 --- "not really supported today"
Windows 8.1 6.3.9200 --- supported until 2023
Windows 8.1 Update 1 6.3.9600

Windows 10 Threshold 1 10.0.10240
Windows 10 Threshold 2 10.0.10586
Windows 10 Redstone 1 10.0.14393 --- release version today

If you got a driver disc for something today, it
really should not support Windows 8. It should
support 8.1, and the machine can receive an update
to 8.1 for free. I have two copies of Windows 8
I upgraded to 8.1 here. You can use an install-only
key if doing a clean install with an 8.1 disc, then
plug in the 8.0 key later with SLUI or similar.

These *cannot* be activated. They are used to
fill the license key box during an install.
They support either x32 or x64 installs (license
applies to both at install time). If a Win8.1 installer
DVD asks for a key, you give it one of the latter two.
Core is the same as "Home". Core is also sometimes listed
with no moniker at all, so if it says "Windows 8.1" without
elaboration, it is the Home version. If you own a
Win 8.0 real installer key, you use the fake 8.1 key,
then present the 8.0 key later after the install is
finished. The installer doesn't like the 8.0 real key,
but the OS when installed will honor it.

Windows 8.0 Pro: XKY4K-2NRWR-8F6P2-448RF-CRYQH
Windows 8.0 Co FB4WR-32NVD-4RW79-XQFWH-CYQG3

Windows 8.1 Pro: XHQ8N-C3MCJ-RQXB6-WCHYG-C9WKB
Windows 8.1 Co 334NH-RXG76-64THK-C7CKG-D3VPT

You will have to analyze the INF file in the 3G
installer, to understand what they're getting at.

Usually the INF has references to "WinNT version",
and a resolution of 6.1, 6.2, 6.3 is good enough
from a driver architecture viewpoint.

I don't know if I have any 3G dongle software here
for reference, so I can't even take one apart and
see what is common in one.

A program like 7-ZIP, can "burrow into" a lot of
stuff. And that's how I have a look around. It
doesn't open InstallShield CAB files, and there are
a couple of separate tools for InstallShield cabs.
Those kind of cabs are a pain in the ass. If I need
something protected with Installshield to reveal
some secrets, I use a Linux VM and a copy of WINE to
get the installer to run and unpack a bit. Sometimes
I get enough info that way, to figure something out.
Obviously, hardware driver packages will go probing
for hardware right away, and if well written, they
won't "reveal any secrets" unless you have the
actual hardware present. There are no guarantees
when analyzing drivers, but on many of them, you
can get hints from an INF.

http://7-zip.org/ --- Open installer file or
associated files, look for
an INF file, extract it
to your disk and an empty
folder. INF files open in
Notepad.

The INF file contains PNP (Plug and Play) identifiers,
as well as sections of the INF applicable to 6.1, 6.2, 6.3.

*******

What are the rules ?

I'm not really sure :-)

Using a copy of file.exe, I can tell them apart.
The first one here, would not run on a 64 bit OS.
As it's likely to be a 16 bit one.

https://s13.postimg.org/o6gueuulj/fi...ity_output.gif

"MS-DOS executable" = 16-bit (won't work on x64 OS)
"PE32 executable" = 32-bit program
"PE32+ executable" = 64-bit program (won't work on x32 OS)

The file utility can be obtained here.

http://gnuwin32.sourceforge.net/packages/file.htm

The file utility is a particular pain, because the
folder structure it needs must be present. When the
file.exe program wants to access the datastore
with all the filetype info, it uses ..\share\misc
as a path reference. So this is one of the few
gnuwin32 programs, that you cannot just chuck
all the dependencies into the one folder you're working
in. But this is the utility I use for identifying
executables. You would need to import a Linux "magic"
file to get the latest identifications. Who knows, maybe
some day Win10 identifiers will be added, for whatever
flavors of EXE exist. The GNUWIN32 packages are
frozen in time, so will never be updated. Mine dates
from 2009.

file
| |
bin share
| |
file.exe misc
|
magic.mgc

I went over to a x64 machine, to run those three samples.
For the "MS-DOS" one, it said

"Unsupported 16-Bit Application"

So it knows.

*******

Network drivers, at least some of them, use NDIS.
One of the reasons for an installer to be that interested
in the OS version, is if it needs to select a flavor of
NDIS to install. On NICs, the NDIS version supports
different options/entries in Device Manager, in the
Properties section. You can see in the table, Microsoft
neatly botched the numbering.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NDIS

HTH,
Paul

dog wrote:

This Win8.1 thing shows: "x64-based processor.... Intel."

Not interested in playing with your thingie. You know at what you're
pointing but you didn't tell *us*.

Some software that I want to install reads:
If your PC has a 64-bit AMD or Intel processor, you will
most likely need the "amd64" images (though "i386" is also fine),
the "ia64" images will not work.

32-bit apps runs on 32- or 64-bit computers.
64-bit apps require a 64-bit computer.
I'm presuming this is software for x86 or x[86-]64 platforms, not
targeting other 64-bit platforms.

You'll have to figure out what hardware your computer has. You didn't
tell *us*. You didn't even hint at a brand and model number. Sorry, it
will take 6 weeks for delivery of a new battery for my crystal ball.

Originally the thing was able to install a "386 DVD".
Then the vendor changed/reinstalled something to be compatible with
the 3G-dongle, and the DVD was no longer installable; giving a
"doesn't support Windows 6.2.9200SP0" error.

Again you're talking to yourself. You give *us* no details as to whose
software you are installing. If it is software that locks itself to a
dongle (hardware licensing) then it is very likely that the dongle that
used to work with the 32-bit software won't work with the 64-bit
software. Sometimes you need to get a new dongle with a new major
version. Contact the unidentified vendor or owner of the software to
find out what are your upgrade options.

Ideally, I'd like to be able to boot from a USBstik, to 'get to'
the "386 DVD"; but perhaps I've got an "ia64" sysytem?

I really doubt you have an Itanium processor. Very few enthusiasts had
those and they saw limited deployment as enterprise-grade servers in
companies.

What is especially confusing, is that I've been able to run an
OLD *lynxW32* which I just unzipped to a USBstik.

See above about 32-bit software on 64-bit platforms.

What are the 'rules' to know if/what 32-bit software will work
with this thing?

x86, i386, 32-bit = All the same meaning 32-bit Intel architecture.
Read: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X86

x64, x86-64, AMD64, 64-bit = 64-bit extensions of the classic x86
architecture. Most of the x86 stays the same: same instruction set with
a few 64-bit specific additions, same addressing modes with a few more
addressing modes (e.g., RIP), registers got wider (rax, rbx, rcx are the
64-bit extensions of eax, ebx, ecx - but the lower half of the wider
registers are still usable by 32-bit instructions), a couple extra
registers were added (r8 to r16). AMD first came out with their X64
extensions. Intel was forced to assimilate the x64 extensions to remain
competitive (back then AMD was leading in development), first labelling
them as IA-32e (because Intel had hoped IA-64 would supplant x86), then
EM64T, and finally Intel 64 which everyone just calls x86-64 or x64 for
a vendor-independent specification. Although the 64-bit extensions for
Intel and AMD are not exactly the same, they're close enough for most
64-bit software. 32-bit software runs on x86 or x64 but 64-bit software
requires x64 due to the hardware requirements. "64-bit architecture" is
sometimes used to describe this platform except there are others, like
AArch64 (aka ARM; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ARM_architecture), ppc64
(aka PowerPC; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ppc64), and IA-64 (see
below), which have little in common between them.
Read: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X86-64

IA64 = Itanium Architecture. Provides for a Very Long Instrution Word
(VLIW) instruction set (code within the processor). Prevalently used by
corporations in enterprise-grade server deployments. Unrelated to the
x86-64 architecture. Had little success to supplant x86 as a subsequent
64-bit platform: users still needed to use their old software, few
developed or converted to IA-64 instructions. Programs would need some
recoding and definitely re-compiling. x86 is a dynamic processor that
just schedules instructions without concern about any dependencies
between them (which can cause rescheduling). With VLIW, the compiler
resolved inter-dependencies between instructions and schedules them
accordingly which allows greater parallelism than with dynamic
processors. The Poulson line (c 2012) was the last and then it was
discontinued (see last two wiki articles below).
Read: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IA-64
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Itanium
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...icroprocessors
http://semiaccurate.com/2013/02/11/h...l-off-itanium/