Resolved IE11, which version is running?

I'm running Windows 7 Professional x64 and it came with Internet Explorer 8 in two versions. With the exception of Internet Explorer, it has been fully updated with SP1 and all the rest.

One link pointed to C:\Program files (x86)\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe which started the 32-bit version. In the browser, when checking "Help" > "About Internet Explorer" it didn't indicate which version.

iexplore.exe was version 8.00.7601.17514, size 673040 byte

Another link pointed to C:\Program files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe which started the 64-bit version. In the browser, when checking "Help" > "About Internet Explorer" it indicated 64-bit version.

iexplore.exe was version 8.00.7601.17514, size 695096 byte

I have previously tested IE9 and IE10. I have used Norton Ghost to roll back and always ugraded from IE8.

Yesterday, I upgraded from IE8 to IE11 and there is only one link, pointing to C:\Program files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe. That file location suggests that I'm running the 64-bit version but when checking "Help" > "About Internet Explorer" it doesn't indicate which version.

There are two iexplore.exe:

C:\Program files (x86)\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
version 11.00.9600.16428, size 806096 byte

C:\Program files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
version 11.00.9600.16428, size 804560 byte

Now to my question, which version is running, 32-bit or 64-bit?

 

Task Manager should tell you - I'm running 10 32 bit .....

I rather think that the link Neil posted only tells you the version of Windows - 32 or 64 bit.

 

In Task Manager, I have "iexplore.exe" running and one instance of "iexplore.exe *32" for each window or tab.

Right-clicking "iexplore.exe" > display folder (or whatever it says in English) leads to C:\Program files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe

Right-clicking "iexplore.exe *32" > display folder (or whatever it says in English) leads to C:\Program files (x86)\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe

It seems like both are running in parallel but the 32-bit version is being used.

The jury is still out!

 

This link suggests ....

 

Thanks Pete but thats from the days when IE8 was running from two different links in either 32-bit version or 64-bit version.

 

Maybe the first answer here will shed some light.

 

I have gone Google on "Enhanced Protected Mode" and in Internet Options, the Advanced Tab seems to be different in IE11 compared to IE10 but it may also be the tiny issue of English versus Swedish. I found out that "Enhanced Protected Mode" is translated to "utökat kernelläge" in Swedish. I still haven't found out what enabling it does but I don't think that it will bring back two links, one to a 32-bit version of IE11 and another to a 64-bit version of IE11.

 

Hi Christer.

When you start a session of IE on a 64-bit computer, the parent Internet Explorer (iexplore.exe) process is a 64-bit image. However each tab that you open in Internet Explorer is a 32-bit process. Enabling EPM makes IE tabs run as 64-bit processes instead of 32-bit processes which is the default setting.

 

Hi Evan!

That corresponds to my findings in Task Manager:

Further:

I assume that disabling/enabling EPM would correspond to, in the original IE8, clicking on either the "Internet Explorer" link (disable) or the "Internet Explorer 64-bit" link (enable). Tomorrow, I will get empirical.

 

Yes you are partially correct.

EPM does not exist in IE9 or IE8 but running the 64-bit version of Internet Explorer only allows certain ActiveX controls and add-ons to run.

 

Enabling EPM (utökat kernelläge) resulted in the "iexplore.exe *32" process for each window/tab being substituted for a "iexplore.exe" process.

In the Control Panel, Flash Player is labeled 32-bit and I didn't expect it to work but it did. In IE11 > Tools > Manage Add-ons > it was labeled 32-bit and 64-bit. During installation, in the Control Panel it probably gets the "bit-label" corresponding to the actual browser being used.

Most other add-ons were incompatible, including the Adobe PDF-maker.

I think that I have learnt something and will mark the thread as resolved.

Thanks all for your help!

 

Yeah no problem.