IE 8 - 32 or 64 bit?

I have recently set my IE browser in the task bar to be the 64 bit version. I must confess I do not know if the original version was 32 or 64!.

When I open IE it obviously opens in 64 bit; when I click on a link to a web page in an email when IE is already open, another tab opens up within the open browser.

However, if I have not already opened my browser but click on a link in an email to a web page, a new IE icon appears in the taskbar and when the browser opens, the "properties" of it indicate that the 32 bit version has opened.

Is this what you would expect, and does it matter anyway?

If i understand you correctly you will need to set which evr browser to default 32 or 64

that what you mean?

see i never use ie i use firefox

It is what to expect. You can manually select IE 64Bit before you browse, and it should remain there. Unfortunately, IE 64Bit cannot, at present, be set as your default browser. This means that any links etc, selected from the 64Bit browser, will revert to the 32 Bit. Crap. Yes, but there is a lot of positive feedback on the Microsoft Beta pages and the team say that they should be making a decision on it soon, so that the 64 Bit can, indeed, be selected as the default.

Yes 32-bit is what we would expect. Things like flash and many other add-ins/toolbars/etc are only available in beta or not at all for 64-bit browsers so 32-bit is still the norm.

I thought maybe if you set the file associations for .htm & .html extensions to the IE in "program files" rather than "program files (x86)" that it might do what you want but I tried it and even then it opens 32-bit.

I don't have a solution for clicking on email links and getting ie8-64 but if you (or others who find this post) use URL shortcuts, like from your desktop, you can tweak the shortcut to make it open in ie8-64...

Right-click on the shortcut and choose properties.
In the target field there will be a .htm/.html listed.
Add double quotes before and after this entry
Then put "C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe" in front of that and separated by a space
(Example: "C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe" "C:\Windows\winsxs\amd64mail\Peacock.htm")

Thanks, davehc and TrainableMan.

I'm glad its what you would expect, though that's not the desirable situation.

I presume it does not matter having two IE sessions on the taskbar at the same time. Are there are any downsides in this?

No downsides. I have read, that you can "cheat" IE into having 64 bit loading on startup (put it in the startup in the "All program" files). I have not tried it, but I have a feeling that it will not get you any further is you want to go to a link/email.

Thanks; I'll wait for an MS solution.

I'll be glad when we all can use the 64 bit IE, or whatever other 64 bit brand that we wish. Hopefully, it'll be coming within 2011. Most likely, the beta of the next Windows will be released in 2012, and having to use a 32 bit browser in an OS that will not even be offered in 32 bit would be outright robbery.

Cat