Information about using Visual Basic 6.0 on 64-bit Windows operating systems (894373)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Visual Basic Professional Edition for Windows 6.0
  • Microsoft Visual Basic Enterprise Edition for Windows 6.0, when used with:
    • Microsoft Windows XP 64-Bit Edition Version 2003
    • Microsoft Windows XP Professional 64-Bit Edition (Itanium) 2003
    • Microsoft Windows XP Professional 64-Bit Edition (Itanium)
    • Microsoft Windows XP Professional x64 Edition
    • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, 64-Bit Enterprise Edition
    • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition for Itanium-based Systems
    • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard x64 Edition
    • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise x64 Edition
Note Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0 has reached the end of assisted support in its life cycle. For more information about the support life cycle, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/gp/lifedevtool

SUMMARY

The Visual Basic 6.0 family of products are designed to run on 32-bit versions of Microsoft Windows operating systems. When you run any of these programs on a 64-bit version of a Windows operating system, the program runs in the 32-bit layer of the Windows operating system known as Windows on Windows (WOW).

MORE INFORMATION

Microsoft developed Visual Basic 6.0 before the availability of the IA-64 and x64 operating systems. Because 32-bit applications run transparently in WOW, the experience should be identical to running on a native 32-bit operating system. Although Visual Basic 6.0 should run without any issues in 64-bit environments, you may experience unexpected behavior in rare instances.

You may experience an issue when you run a program that was created in a Visual Basic 6.0 product on a 64-bit version of Windows. When you obtain support for this issue, you should note whether the issue also occurs when you run the program on the equivalent 32-bit version of the same version of Windows.

Because 32-bit applications run in WOW, you should experience a negligible difference between 32-bit and 64-bit environments.

For more information about how to run 32-bit applications in a 64-bit environment, visit the following Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) Web site:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/en-us/win64/win64/running_32_bit_applications.asp

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:6/29/2006
Keywords:kbinfo KB894373
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