32 to 64 bit transition

[It_Dept]

So ...

New customer with old equipment and software has asked me to modify their existing 'server' to support more memory.

Windows 7 Ultimate machine, being used as a 'server'. Maxed at 4GB of RAM because Win7 is 32 bit. Can not install fresh, because of a custom LOB application that has no documentation, no support and an unhappy, allegedly unpaid developer.

Has anyone heard of ANY methods to positively update a 32 bit system to a 64 bit system? I know it's a long shot, but, I must at least ask, to meet the request of my customer.

Thanks!

 

[Moltuae]

Depending on the software, it may be possible to just identify all the files and registry entries it requires and copy everything over to a new 64 bit system. You will probably need to copy existing DLLs to the SysWOW64 folder and any registry entries will probably need to be placed inside the Wow6432Node key. I've successfully done the same a few times. I would start by copying over the obvious files and try running it. If you're lucky the error messages will tell you what files it's missing.

If you're successful you could make a batch file 'installer' that automates the process of copying the relevant files and registry keys for future installations/re-installations.

 

[It_Dept]

Depending on the software, it may be possible to just identify all the files and registry entries it requires and copy everything over to a new 64 bit system. You will probably need to copy existing DLLs to the SysWOW64 folder and any registry entries will probably need to be placed inside the Wow6432Node key. I've successfully done the same a few times. I would start by copying over the obvious files and try running it. If you're lucky the error messages will tell you what files it's missing.

I may give that a try, over the weekend. With luck, someone may have a less manual suggestion.

 

[Altster]

I've never heard of such a way to do so without replacement of the O/S (fresh install with 64-bit version of the O/S.)

Personally I would advise the customer that they need to go to a dedicated server-type of system (I know of some right here in in Indy that might help with your situation - for "very good" pricing) and leave the older unit to run "just the software" that it has on it. PM me with your contact number and I'll get you in touch with that source.

 

[It_Dept]

I suggested similar. They are ... dragging their feet on this.

"The machine is working just fine. Just upgrade it like you did my workstation a few months ago."

Grrrr!

 

[AML]

You can obviously use the upgrade feature in windows 7 however You would need to back up everything before as it wipes your data as suggested by Moltuae. Is speed the problem ? How big is the Hard drives... SSD ?

 

[fencepost]

Is RAM actually the problem? Is the system being used for something else (e.g. as a desktop) as well as in its role as a "server?" I'd step back and make sure you're actually addressing the problem and appropriate causes.

Unless that one package or parts surrounding it are loading everything into RAM for speed, it's unlikely that it's running out of memory. With the exception of database or Exchange servers I don't think I've ever seen a non-TS really starved for memory.

My biggest concern is that trying to migrate an installed application from a 32-bit system to a 64-bit system without actually doing an install sounds like a recipe for a giant sinkhole of blame for anything that doesn't quite work right.... forever. Having no vendor/developer support available at all just makes it uglier.

 

[fencepost]

As a follow-up if you do end up going this path, prepare your customer for it to be expensive in terms of time. Find an equivalent in their industry, and point out that they're asking you to do something more significant than replacing the engine in a car with a different type of engine, with no documentation and 100x as many connections and moving parts.

Then look into the Sysinternals tools, most notably Procmon which will let you log what that program (or those programs, there are probably 5-20 assorted .EXEs installed by it) is doing. You're going to end up with a huge amount of data on file accesses, registry accesses, loaded DLLs, etc. so you're going to need to do some filtering. You'll filter a lot in Procmon to get down to just the information for the LOB software, but then you're going to need to filter down a lot of redundant junk to get a tighter list. You may be able to do a lot of it in Excel, but if you can program in something good for data modeling that'll probably help as well.

Ideally you're also going to need to have that monitoring running during many of the different operations they do including any end of week, month and year processing.

 

[It_Dept]

The issue with this particular 'server' it that it runs 'StockTrak'. An auto repair shop management tool. Because of how the app is written, we have ThinStuff on this machine so there can be multiple simultaneous users. The client drags the entire db across the network causing major speed and lock issues. Now add in that Mitchel 1 is being installed, at the same time. A client/server application with an SQL backend. With only 4GB of ram in the machine, even on an SSD, the application performance has cratered.

My Solution has been accepted. Mitchell 1 is being removed from the machine. We have ordered a new machine that will be an actual server. With a 64bit server OS. Mitchel will then be able to export/import the old system's data. Ad will give us a clean cut-over date.

 

[Porthos]

I hate auto shops and their software. It is expensive and I have run into some bootlegs.

 

[It_Dept]

This guy is not running any bootlegs. When he first contracted with me, we did a software audit. Anything that was needed and could not be shown as legit was purchased within 30 days. Everything else was removed. He had read of another business who terminated an employee and within 2 months was under investigation for software piracy.