Any CPU assemblies, Framework64, and Process Explorer

[Mark]

Hi...

We're building our assemblies Any CPU and just now trying to throw them up
on an x64 box. I was using Process Explorer to look at something else, and I
noticed something peculiar. All of our assemblies were in the Framework64
temporary assembly cache for the running process but Process Explorer had
flagged them all as being 32-bit code.

Is this a quirk of Process Explorer not having a mind-meld of the .Net
framework and understanding how the code is being executed, or is Process
Explorer right and it's running in 32-bit mode, despite where it's running
from?

Thanks
Mark

 

[Family Tree Mike]

Hi...

We're building our assemblies Any CPU and just now trying to throw them up
on an x64 box. I was using Process Explorer to look at something else, and I
noticed something peculiar. All of our assemblies were in the Framework64
temporary assembly cache for the running process but Process Explorer had
flagged them all as being 32-bit code.

Is this a quirk of Process Explorer not having a mind-meld of the .Net
framework and understanding how the code is being executed, or is Process
Explorer right and it's running in 32-bit mode, despite where it's running
from?

Thanks
Mark

If the process calling a dll is 32 bit, the entire process will be 32 bit.
We have just gone with building all dlls as x86 unless we 1) need the 64 bit
architecture and b) know we control the launching process. Fortunately our
customers aren't clammoring for 64 bit versions.

 

[Jeffrey Tan[MSFT]]

Hi Mark,

Do you mean the bitness of your dll in the Process Explorer DLL panel? Have
you tried to use dumpbin to examine your .Net assembly bitness? Please
follow the steps below:
1. Open "Visual Studio 2005 Command Prompt "(or 2008 version) under Visual
Studio 2005 Tools in Start Menu
2. Type "dumpbin /headers c:\windows\notepad.exe"(replace the notepad file
path with your assembly path).

It will emit the bitness of the assembly under "FILE HEADER VALUES", like
this:
FILE HEADER VALUES
14C machine (x86)
.....

As I know, MSIL by default has no "bitness". And the .Net compiler will
generate a 32bit assembly for compatibility reaso in the "Any CPU" case
(default) . Although you would have a 32 PE header, the x64 CLR will host
the code. So I assume this is not a problem of Process Explorer.

Hope this helps.

Best regards,
Jeffrey Tan
Microsoft Online Community Support

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