Using CryptoSys API and CryptoSys PKI on a 64-bit system

Our cryptographic products CryptoSys API and CryptoSys PKI have been designed and built on a 32-bit system. The distribution now includes core DLL executables and test programs compiled for 64-bit (X64) platforms (look in the X64 folder).

2009-12-21: The latest releases of CryptoSys API and CryptoSys PKI now include a proper installation for 64-bit machines.

Latest Installation

The latest build includes an alternative core DLL compiled for 64-bit machines. The setup program should install both the 32-bit and 64-bit core DLLs in the correct Windows system folders and make the required entries in the correct 32-bit and 64-bit views of the registry. Windows Wow64 will automatically select the correct DLL for the platform of the application you are running, provided it can find it.

Only the core DLL in each product is affected by the platform: namely, diCryptoSys.dll or diCrPKI.dll. Two versions of the core DLL are provided - the normal one compiled for Win32 (x86) platforms and a separate one compiled for Win64 (X64) platforms. To check which DLL file is which, right-click on the file in Windows Explorer and select Properties > Version. You should see "32-bit" or "64-bit" in the description.

The DLL for the .NET class library - diCrSysAPINet.dll or diCrSysPKINet.dll - is compiled for all platforms and so will work on both Win32 and Win64 platforms.

Note that the free 32-bit ActiveX (COM) DLL diCryptOCX.dll is only for Win32 platforms and is not supported by 64-bit Microsoft Office.

How to check which version is being used

See Detecting Win32 or X64 platform (API) or Detecting Win32 or X64 platform (PKI)

Wow64: Background

WoW64 (Windows-on-Windows 64-bit) manages 64-bit and 32-bit applications transparently on a Windows 64-bit operating system.

In 64-bit Windows, there are two %ProgramFiles% directories:

C:\Program Files is the installation location for 64-bit applications;
C:\Program Files (x86) is the installation location for 32-bit applications.

There are two directories for library and executable files:

%SystemRoot%\System32 for 64-bit library and executable files;
%SystemRoot%\SysWOW64 for 32-bit library and executable files.

where %SystemRoot% is usually C:\Windows.

Yes, it's the opposite of the way you'd expect it to be. The native 64-bit libraries are in the System32 directory, but the 32-bit libraries are in SysWOW64. When executing 32-bit applications, WoW64 redirects requests for DLLs automatically to %SystemRoot%\SysWOW64.

Similarly, there are two registry keys to which WoW64 will automatically redirect requests depending on the application:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\<appname> for 64-bit applications;
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\<appname> for 32-bit applications.

Acknowledgements and References

Thanks to Terry Wallace and other 64-bit users for their help and to the contributors at NSIS for helping us get the setup program working properly.

Disclaimer

Please download the Trial Edition and make whatever checks you need to on your system before purchase.

Contact

For more information, please Email Us. To comment on this page, see below.

This page last updated 10 August 2010