How to tell if Office2007 32bit or 64bit?

[JEDI]

I'm running Win7 Pro.

I dont remember if i chose 32bit or 64bit Office 2007 when i installed it.

In Outlook, when I goto Help/About, i dont see if its 32bit or 64bit.

Also, does it matter if it's 32bit or 64bit if i'm doing basic Word and Excel?

 

[gmaster456]

Nope. It doesn't matter at all.

 

[mechBgon]

Also, I believe the first Office version to have a 64-bit installation option is Office 2010. You have to manually find it on the disc, or you'll end up with 32-bit.

Tangentially, if you're on Office 2007, there's a security Fix-It you should apply to address a current security vulnerability, more info here: http://blogs.technet.com/b/srd/archive/2012/07/10/msxml-5-steps-to-stay-protected.aspx

It's also a good idea to add the Office File Validation patch, which helps prevent exploits from maliciously-constructed files: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=2807 (also works on Office 2003)

And it wouldn't hurt to install EMET 3.5, I posted some info about it here: http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2260200

 

[Nothinman]

I'm running Win7 Pro.

I dont remember if i chose 32bit or 64bit Office 2007 when i installed it.

In Outlook, when I goto Help/About, i dont see if its 32bit or 64bit.

Also, does it matter if it's 32bit or 64bit if i'm doing basic Word and Excel?

You can always open taskmgr and see if Winword.exe says *32 or not by it's name. It doesn't matter unless you need 3rd party add-ons because most are still 32-bit and can't be used with 64-bit Office.

 

[Techtip]

According to my Knowledge, There is not need to select 32 bit or 64 bit. I think, Office is equal for both

 

[JEDI]

Also, I believe the first Office version to have a 64-bit installation option is Office 2010. You have to manually find it on the disc, or you'll end up with 32-bit.

Tangentially, if you're on Office 2007, there's a security Fix-It you should apply to address a current security vulnerability, more info here: http://blogs.technet.com/b/srd/archive/2012/07/10/msxml-5-steps-to-stay-protected.aspx

It's also a good idea to add the Office File Validation patch, which helps prevent exploits from maliciously-constructed files: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=2807 (also works on Office 2003)

And it wouldn't hurt to install EMET 3.5, I posted some info about it here: http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2260200

wouldnt Windows Update get me all these security patches?

 

[mechBgon]

wouldnt Windows Update get me all these security patches?

No. There'll eventually be a proper patch to cover the vulnerability that the Fix-It takes care of, but in the meanwhile it's being actively exploited. I'm not 100% sure on OFV, it *might* be on Microsoft Update. EMET is something you definitely have to install and configure yourself.

 

[dinker99]

You look to see if it`s installed in Program Files or (X86).

 

[JEDI]

You look to see if it`s installed in Program Files or (X86).

x86.. thx..
so its 32bit but apparently doesnt matter


mechdgon: d/l the patches now.. THX!

 

[Pardus]

 

[Ratman6161]

The first version of Office where there was a separate 64 bit version was Office 20010. Therefore if you have 2007 you are by definition using 32 bit.

For anyone who has Office 2010 you have the version appropriate to your OS. I.e. if you have 64 bit windows, you have 64 bit Office 2010 too. If you try to install the wrong version for your OS you will get an error message and it won't let you do it (I've tried it using downloaded Technet versions just to see).

Also, if you are on 64 bit windows with 64 bit Office 2010, you will see a Microsoft Office folder in both program files and program files (x86).

As far as Windows update goes, once again you will automatically get the update versions appropriate to what you have installed.

Of course all that only matters for 2010 and later and is not relevant to 2007 which is always 32 bit even when installed on a 64 bit system/windows.

 

[Nothinman]

For anyone who has Office 2010 you have the version appropriate to your OS. I.e. if you have 64 bit windows, you have 64 bit Office 2010 too. If you try to install the wrong version for your OS you will get an error message and it won't let you do it (I've tried it using downloaded Technet versions just to see).

Not true at all, I have 32-bit Office 2010 on multiple 64-bit Win7 machines. You can't install 64-bit Office on 32-bit Windows because 32-bit Windows can't run 64-bit binaries, but that's nothing MS can work around.

 

[ALIVE]

was not excel 64bit files unaccessible from the 32bit office version???
i though even microsoft in their sites recommended using the 32bit version for compatibility issues and the 64bit one if you really needed the new features.

 

[mechBgon]

was not excel 64bit files unaccessible from the 32bit office version???

No, there's no problem with that. I believe Microsoft's party line is to use 64-bit if you plan to work with gi-normous data sets that might call for the added address space, but to expect some add-ons to be incompatible.

The ASLR (address-space layout randomization) mitigation may benefit from 64-bit, since I seem to recall ASLR being limited to only 256 randomization options on 32-bit Windows. I recall Adobe noting the increase in ASLR space when they released their first 64-bit-compatible Flash Player. Anyhow, I've had no issues with 64-bit Office 2010, but the only add-ons I've installed are the Save As PDF/XPS add-on from Microsoft themselves.

 

[ALIVE]

No, there's no problem with that. I believe Microsoft's party line is to use 64-bit if you plan to work with gi-normous data sets that might call for the added address space, but to expect some add-ons to be incompatible.

The ASLR (address-space layout randomization) mitigation may benefit from 64-bit, since I seem to recall ASLR being limited to only 256 randomization options on 32-bit Windows. I recall Adobe noting the increase in ASLR space when they released their first 64-bit-compatible Flash Player. Anyhow, I've had no issues with 64-bit Office 2010, but the only add-ons I've installed are the Save As PDF/XPS add-on from Microsoft themselves.

some features of the excel to accommodate more data
made the file not been able to be opened by a 32bit version

 

[Nothinman]

was not excel 64bit files unaccessible from the 32bit office version???
i though even microsoft in their sites recommended using the 32bit version for compatibility issues and the 64bit one if you really needed the new features.

Maybe if you have a spreadsheet with too many lines for the 32-bit version to handle, but otherwise I don't know of any incompatibilities between the two builds.

 

[LokutusofBorg]

Not true at all, I have 32-bit Office 2010 on multiple 64-bit Win7 machines. You can't install 64-bit Office on 32-bit Windows because 32-bit Windows can't run 64-bit binaries, but that's nothing MS can work around.

This is exactly correct. The only way to install 64 bit Office is to go into the x64 folder on the CD and run setup from there. Someone up-thread mentioned this also. You do *not* get 64 bit Office automatically just because your OS is 64 bit.