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I am on Windows 7, 64-bit. I checked to see which version of IE8 is installed and it turns out that the default version is 32-bit. I am assuming, it's because of the plugin issues (e.g. Flash, etc...)???

So my question is whether to install IE9 64 bit or 32 bit?

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    Both IE 8 32-bit and 64-bit are installed.
    – Sathyajith Bhat
    Mar 15, 2011 at 16:16

4 Answers 4

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From How to Install 32-bit Version of IE9 on 64-bit Version of Windows 7 :

Actually when you install 64-bit version, 32-bit version will also be installed in your Computer automatically. All you need to do is find the path of IE9 32-bit executable and create a shortcut to it and start using it.

So you don't really have a choice - both are installed, except that the Start menu will point you towards the 64-bit version.

And this is also interesting :

32bit IE9 contains JIT (Just In Time) compiler which converts script into machine code before running it. 64-bit IE9 doesn’t contains JIT compiler that’s why 32bit version runs 4 times faster than 64-bit IE.

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You still want to use the 32-bit version, and for exactly the reason you suspect: there is no good 64bit flash plugin for any 64bit browser.

See this page for reference:
http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/000/6b3af6c9.html

Reading through that page, you will be able to get a 64bit preview version of flash, but this version is not yet fully supported and Adobe seems to be in no rush to complete it.

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If you're on a 64-bit version of Windows, both the 32-bit and 64-bit versions of IE8 are updated to IE9 with the 64-bit IE9 installer.

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The installation you use is determined by the Operating System. If you have Windows 7 x64 you install the IE9 Windows 7 x64 installaion.

The x64 install will install the 32 and 64bit version automatically. Even on a x64 machine you still will default (unless you've changed this on a per user setting) to the 32bit version of IE.

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