hi shane, if the installer detects that there is still a firefox installation on the system, it will simply update/overwrite it in the existing folder.

i think the best way to go about this is to uninstall the 32bit version through the windows control panel first (your personal settings, bookmarks & customization will remain) and to install firefox 64bit afterwards.

I removed the 32-bit version. The Mozilla Maintenance Service was also partially removed.

I started the installation for the 64-bit version. It selected the correct folder this time. I ticked the option to have the Mozilla Maintenance Service installed, and it was installed as a 32-bit service.

There's no indication anywhere that I'm running a 64-bit version, other than if I look at the desktop shortcut target, and see that the folder is "c:\Program Files\".

Thanks, Shane.

hi shane, you can take a look on your useragent string on a site like http://browserspy.dk/useragent.php - if it contains Win64; x64; it means you are running the 64bit version, WOW64 would mean you're running a 32bit version on 64bit windows....

Shane said

I've downloaded the 64-bit version. However, when I go to install it, it wants to install in this folder: C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox\ Why is a 64-bit installer trying to install in a 32-bit folder? Do I simply change the folder to fix this? Thanks, Shane.

I am running Win Pro7 64 bit and yes I know I could update, however I see no point in win 10 and I *hate* many of the post 'win 7' changes).

Anyway an answer would be good. I want the 64 bit browser, but I will not install it under these circumstances. The x86 directory is not the correct install location for 64 bit programs.

It may want to install (x86)\ directory because you already have 32-bit version installed.

Uninstall 32-bit first then install 64-bit (Win64) version.

philipp said

hi shane, you can take a look on your useragent string on a site like http://browserspy.dk/useragent.php - if it contains Win64; x64; it means you are running the 64bit version, WOW64 would mean you're running a 32bit version on 64bit windows....

It says:

Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; Win64; x64; rv:43.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/43.0

I don't know what the 32-bit version may have said.

Thanks, Shane.

I have to say I think the FF 64 bit install needs a bit more work in terms of advising the user what's going on (and bearing in mind many users won't be interested in, and some not capable, of knowing the difference). The practical issues are the main thing. Not running Java is a big thing in my view (until such tiem as Java is dead and buried), and I have a feeling when FF did an auto-update a while back it auto-installed 64 bit in place of my 32 bit, then of course things didn't really work as needed, and took me a while to find out what was going on. So I rolled back.

You can run 32 and 64 bit in parallel, but again the icons don't differentiate, and they keep arguign as to which is the default browser AND they share the same profile as this is under ../Users/.. not programs

Owing to other issues in the older ESR version we run, I tried to update again and have now gone to 45.1 ESR 32 bit but the install files are not named clearly, you have to change the file name yourself to be clear what's what.

My 6d/5c

Oracle plans to depreciate the Java Plugin so no point of Mozilla white listing the Java Plugin in Win64 Firefox Releases now. https://blogs.oracle.com/java-platform-group/entry/moving_to_a_plugin_free

A 32-bit Firefox Release on Windows will not update to a Win64 Firefox Release. Also Win64 Firefox will only run on 64-bit Win7, 8 (8.1), 10 as it will not run on 64-bit WinXP, Vista and servers.