Under WOW64, certain registry keys are redirected. When a 32-bit or 64-bit application makes a registry call for a redirected key, the registry redirector intercepts the call and maps it to the key’s corresponding physical registry location. For more information, see Registry Redirector.
Other registry keys are shared by both 32-bit and 64-bit applications on 64-bit Windows. 32-bit registry calls to shared keys are not redirected. Instead, one physical copy of the key is mapped into each logical view of the registry.
Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP: A subset of redirected registry keys are also reflected to keep the keys and their values synchronized between 32-bit and 64-bit views of the registry. Registry reflection was removed starting with Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2. For more information, see Registry Reflection.
This topic lists registry keys that are redirected, shared, or redirected and reflected under WOW64. It also lists symbolic links that provide compatibility for existing applications that may use hardcoded registry key paths containing Wow6432Node. For more information, see the following:
· Redirected, Shared, and Reflected Keys Under WOW64
Redirected, Shared, and Reflected Keys Under WOW64
The following table lists registry keys that are redirected, shared by both 32-bit and 64-bit applications, or redirected and reflected on 64-bit Windows. Subkeys of the keys in this table inherit the parent key’s behavior unless otherwise specified. If a key has no parent listed in this table, the key is shared.
Key Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE Shared Shared
SOFTWARE Redirected Redirected
Classes Shared Redirected and reflected
Appid Shared Redirected and reflected with one exception: the DllSurrogate and DllSurrogateExecutable registry values are not reflected if their value is an empty string.
CLSID Redirected Redirected and reflected only for CLSIDs that do not specify InprocServer32 or InprocHandler32.
DirectShow Redirected Redirected and reflected
HCP Shared Shared
Interface Redirected Redirected and reflected
Media Type Redirected Redirected and reflected
MediaFoundation Redirected Redirected and reflected
Clients Shared Redirected
MicrosoftCOM3 Shared Redirected and reflected
MicrosoftCryptographyCalaisCurrent Shared Shared
MicrosoftCryptographyCalaisReaders Shared Shared
MicrosoftCryptographyServices Shared Shared
MicrosoftCTFSystemShared Shared Shared
MicrosoftCTFTIP Shared Shared
MicrosoftDFS Shared Shared
MicrosoftDriver Signing Shared Shared
MicrosoftEnterpriseCertificates Shared Shared
MicrosoftEventSystem Shared Redirected and reflected
MicrosoftMSMQ Shared Shared
MicrosoftNon-Driver Signing Shared Shared
MicrosoftNotepadDefaultFonts Shared Redirected
MicrosoftOLE Shared Redirected and reflected
MicrosoftRAS Shared Shared
MicrosoftRPC Shared Redirected and reflected
MicrosoftSOFTWAREMicrosoftShared ToolsMSInfo Shared Shared
MicrosoftSystemCertificates Shared Shared
MicrosoftTermServLicensing Shared Shared
MicrosoftTransactionServer Shared Shared
MicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionApp Paths Shared Redirected
MicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionControl PanelCursorsSchemes Shared Shared
MicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerAutoplayHandlers Shared Redirected
MicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerDriveIcons Shared Redirected
MicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerKindMap Shared Redirected
MicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionGroup Policy Shared Shared
MicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionPolicies Shared Shared
MicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionPreviewHandlers Shared Redirected
MicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionSetup Shared Shared
MicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionTelephonyLocations Shared Shared
MicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionConsole Shared Redirected
MicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionFontDpi Shared Shared
MicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionFontLink Shared Redirected
MicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionFontMapper Shared Shared
MicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionFonts Shared Shared
MicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionFontSubstitutes Shared Shared
MicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionGre_Initialize Shared Redirected
MicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionImage File Execution Options Shared Redirected
MicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionLanguage Pack Shared Redirected
MicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionNetworkCards Shared Shared
MicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionPerflib Shared Shared
MicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionPorts Shared Shared
MicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionPrint Shared Shared
MicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionProfileList Shared Shared
MicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionTime Zones Shared Shared
Policies Shared Shared
RegisteredApplications Shared Shared
Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP: This key was added in Windows Vista.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER Shared Shared
SOFTWARE Shared Shared
Classes Shared Redirected and reflected
Appid Shared Redirected and reflected with one exception: the DllSurrogate and DllSurrogateExecutable registry values are not reflected if their value is an empty string.
CLSID Redirected Redirected and reflected
DirectShow Redirected Redirected and reflected
Interface Redirected Redirected and reflected
Media Type Redirected Redirected and reflected
MediaFoundation Redirected Redirected and reflected
HKEY_CURRENT_USER is a symbolic link to HKEY_USERS* where * indicates a match for all user security IDs (SIDs). HKEY_USERS*SOFTWAREClasses is a symbolic link to HKEY_USERS*_Classes.
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT is a merged view of HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREClasses and HKEY_CURRENT_USERSOFTWAREClasses. Redirected keys in these registry paths are effectively redirected for HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT also. This is also true for reflected keys on systems that support them.
WOW64 Symbolic Links
WOW64 defines the following symbolic links only for compatibility with existing applications that may use hardcoded registry key paths containing Wow6432Node. New applications should avoid using Wow6432Node in registry key paths.
· HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREWow6432NodeClasses is linked to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREClassesWow6432Node
· HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREClassesWow6432NodeAppId is linked to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREClassesAppId
· HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREClassesWow6432NodePROTOCOLS is linked to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREClassesPROTOCOLS
· HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREClassesWow6432NodeTypelib is linked to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREClassesTypelib
Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP/2000: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREWow6432NodeClasses is linked to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREClassesWow6432Node. Other symbolic links were added in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2.
