Is there a way to run an EXE as 32-bit while on 64-bit Multicommander?

[total_annihilation00]

I have this old app that's meant to be run as 32-bit (QREAD 95) —when run within MC it runs as 64-bit & gets redirected into not opening the proper files. I need to be able to emulate a 32-bit running environment when I open it from MC. Like in 32-bit via my Taskbar it opens all known files for me, but in 64-bit it opens a separate workspace (due to WOW64 redirect.) I tried some methods to run a file as 32-bit using command-line paramters but they didn't work. Any solution ?

[Mathias (Author)]

MC do not have any control over that.. that is handled by Windows.

WOW64 is what allows 32bit apps to run on 64bit system.
Or is it a .NET application that are build as ANYCPU ? so it runs as 64bit on 64bit system and 32bit on 32bit system ?
If it is .NET application you can force it to run in 32bit with

CorFlags.exe App.exe /32Bit+

and with you can then remove that flag again with
CorFlags.exe App.exe /32Bit-

[total_annihilation00]

Oh I see. No it is not .NET app, it's a very old 90's Text Editor app that runs on 32bit by default.

[Mathias (Author)]

Not sure what issue you have, I have not seen any issue running 32bit apps. Run lots of them.
Yes Windows will virtualize some system folders for them. But that is needed else it would not run. part of the emulation. Eg System dlls must be loaded from Windows\SySWOW64  and not System32\ folder,  (That it is called 32 is just for combability reason. for 64bit version it contain 64bit version of dlls)

[total_annihilation00]

It runs a separate blank session (from a 64bit process) than when I run it from Taskbar or Explorer or some 32bit process. I guess the Registry for that must be virtualized or something. According to Gemini AI you'd need to use Process Injection to load a DLL into Multicommander & then run it as 32bit ! 😅 But it's O.K. it runs all my tabs fine from the Taskbar icon.

Process Injection (Advanced and Risky):
Theory: This involves injecting a 32-bit DLL into the 64-bit File Manager process, then using that DLL to launch QREAD in the desired environment.

It's alright though, there's no way around it. I even tried loading WinFile (Github the original File Manager from Win 3.11) & also /w Total Commander 32bit through Multicommander, but it doesn't load it correctly. There were some advanced COMSPEC .BAT files or something I read about long time back but those didn't work either. It's fine ! 👍 I also tried getting the 32bit version by running it through Otya128's WineVDM (Github) but it gives an error (I think it only emulates 16-bit apps.)