Configuring IIS to Run 32-bit or 64 bit Applications on 64-bit Windows (IIS 6.0)

I was trying VMWare Server on a 64 bit Windows Server 2003 machine to see if I can use it to create a 64 bit guest OS.

It did not work. My CPU does not have the magic bits.

So I uninstalled it.

However, my 64 bit Virtual Server stops working. The administration web page simply refuses to load, with the error message "service unavailable".

After some fun investigation, I finally figure out what is going on.

VMWare Server setup changed the IIS configuration to run 32 bit application. After uninstall it, it did not change it back.

After manually change IIS to run 64 bit application, Virtual Server is working happily.

Here is how to switch IIS to run 32 bit or 64 bit applications.

Comments

Anonymous
September 03, 2007
> I was trying VMWare Server on a 64 bit > Windows Server 2003 machine to see if I can > use it to create a 64 bit guest OS. > It did not work. My CPU does not have the > magic bits. How old is your physical machine? If your machine dates from 2005 or later then I'd guess you only need to tell VMware server not to try to depend on certain virtualization features that were added more recently. But I vaguely recall there were a few versions of AMD X2 in 2004 that VMware server wouldn't run on. > VMWare Server setup changed the IIS > configuration to run 32 bit application. I wonder why people have said that they could have both VMware and Virtual Server installed on the same real machine, though of course they couldn't run both at the same time. Maybe I should try it, if I can find time for it. I haven't tried installing both into the same real machine.
Anonymous
September 03, 2007
Vmware's web site has a utility tool to tell if your CPU supports 64 bit guest. Mine did not pass the test. I don't know why I want to have both VMWare and Virtual Server installed on the same machine. But I only have one machine and it works. Yes, you have to stop one before use the other.