A daft question perhaps...

[nasher168]

I have a 32-bit version of Windows. Will a 64-bit version of Java work on it?

If yes, how do I go about acquiring a 64-bit version?

Specifically, I'm trying to play Minecraft in 64-bit Java to get around an annoying crash.

 

[Snufkin]

I don't think you can.
64 bit software is made to work with 64 bit architecture, a 32 bit OS wouldn't understand the instructions.

You might be able to install VirtualBox or some other virtualization software that allows emulation of a 64 bit OS (if you don't have a 64bit windows CD you'd need to download a 64 bit linux distro to install on it).

 

[Master_Ghost_Knight]

Short answer, No!
If your Java system isn't working right then reinstall a proper version, if it is only minecraft that it is not working right then go complain to the developers of minecraft. I have no idea where did you get the idea that installing a 64bit version would help, it just doesn't.

 

[nasher168]

Fair enough, then. It's not too big a deal, TBH.

I have no idea where did you get the idea that installing a 64bit version would help, it just doesn't.

From the game itself, as it happens. Putting it on to certain, higher settings makes red writing pop up recommending I only do that with a 64-bit version. I can still do it, but I suspect some crashes are linked to it.

 

[KittenKoder]

No.

Java coder here.

It will not, simple method, you can only use lower bit counts than the OS. So a 64 bit OS could run a 32 bit program, but, and here's why it's better to get the same bit count, it will not run nearly as well.

As for Java, there has been a bit of a rush by Oracle to streamline and improve Java lately, so there is a chance you got an update in Java that would make older programs not work, depending on how well the programs were written. This is why versioning of an application is really important. The Java VM cannot know which opcodes go where without the application's preferred version being in a reasonable range, so it has to guess, which will lead to crashes.

So yeah, tell the Minecraft dev team they need to fix their code. If you can open the Java console during play, see what it outputs when it crashes, that can help a lot. I don't remember how to open that in Windows though as I have not even bothered touching it in more than a decade.

Oh, almost forgot, also make sure you have the official Java installed, a while ago Windows kept installing a MS knock off over the official Java libraries and that was causing a LOT of serious crashes.

 

[scalyblue]

The way minecraft is built, any sufficiently sized world can overflow 32 bit registers on even simple values. Minecraft was built around 64 bit and using it on 32 is admittedly a kludge.

 

[Prolescum]

Ah, Java. Saying it's nice because it works on all OSes is like saying anal sex is nice because it works on all genders.

 

[WarK]

The way minecraft is built, any sufficiently sized world can overflow 32 bit registers on even simple values. Minecraft was built around 64 bit and using it on 32 is admittedly a kludge.

Could you elaborate on this? For Java it does't matter which OS you're using, 32 or 64 bit, types have the same size on both.

@Prole, you and your anal jokes

 

[malicious_bloke]

Fair enough, then. It's not too big a deal, TBH.

I have no idea where did you get the idea that installing a 64bit version would help, it just doesn't.

From the game itself, as it happens. Putting it on to certain, higher settings makes red writing pop up recommending I only do that with a 64-bit version. I can still do it, but I suspect some crashes are linked to it.

Yeah I get that when I try and set the render distance to Far. The easiest solution is just to leave it on normal, this sucks if you want to make screenshots of your epic creations but otherwise it's fine as a workaround.

Or I could update my OS, but I really can't be bothered.

 

[CEbbesen]

Why would you run 32 bit anyways?