Background

One of the great technical leaps in IT Technology in the last 20 years or so, is the co-existence of 32 and 64-bit computing on the same machine.

Linux

If you are curious as to whether a binary file is 32 or 64-bit and you are on a Linux machine, please use the file command.

 

File Command

Syntax

file <file-name>

Sample

32-bit file

Command

file bin/x32/helloWorld_x32.exe

 

Output

Output – Text

bin/x32/helloWorld_x32.exe: PE32 executable (console) Intel 80386, for MS Windows

Output – Image

64-bit file

Command

file bin/x64/helloWorld_x64.exe

 

Output

Output – Text

bin/x64/helloWorld_x64.exe: PE32+ executable (console) x86-64, for MS Windows

Output – Image

 

Summary

If 32-bit, the file command will return:-

1. PE Flag:- PE32
2. Console/GUI:- console
3. Processor:- Intel 80386
4. OS:- MS Windows

On the other hand, If the fie is compiled for 64-bit, the file command will return:-

1. PE Flag:- PE32+
2. Console/GUI:- console
3. Processor:- x86-64
4. OS:- MS Windows

 

Disclaimer

So you are on a MS Windows machine and you compiled your application using Visual Studio.

The executable runs well on a Windows machine.

Take same application to a MS Windows and try to run as is.

But, not so quick.

Make file runnable

chmod +x bin/x64/helloWorld_x64.exe

Run Command

bin/x64/helloWorld_x64.exe

Output

Textual

-bash: bin/x64/helloWorld_x64.exe: cannot execute binary file: Exec format error

Image