%programfiles% environment variable : Native Mode and WOW Mode

[Guest santhosh.kulandaiyan]

Hello,

 

 

In a 64 bit windows registry, there are 2 nodes that expand the

%programfiles% environment variable.

 

hkey_local_machine\software\Microsoft\windows\currentversion

programfilespath = %programfiles%

programfilesdir = c:\program files

 

hkey_local_machine\software\wow6432node\microsoft\windows

\currentversion

programfilespath = %programfiles%

programfilesdir = c:\program files (x86)

 

So when a 32 bit process reads the %programfiles% it reads it as c:

\program files (x86)

and when a 64 bit process reads the %programfiles% it reads it as c:

\program files

---------------------------------------------

 

My question is, is it possible to define another environment variable

in the registry that will take different values based on whether the

process that is reading the environment variable is a 32 bit or a 64

bit process..?

 

In other words, is is possible to create a new environment variable

which will be accessed by "Registry Redirection" mehcanism when a 32

bit process tries to read that value ?

 

--------------------------------------------

 

I tried creating new variables called

XYZPath and XYZDir in both the registry nodes specified above but the

variable doesn't get reflected at all when i use the 'set' command.

 

Also i suppose creating a new environment variable in the registry

directory :

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager

\Environment

would not come under the context of registry redirection...

 

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Thanks

Santhosh