Windows 8: This 64-bit application couldn't load because your PC doesn't have a 64-bit processor


Are you trying to install Windows 8 64-bit on your virtual machine and stuck with this error: This 64-bit application couldn't load because your PC doesn't? Read more about my Windows 8 64 bit installation experience and the problems I encountered.

Are you getting this error when installing Windows 8 64-bit: This 64-bit application couldn't load because your PC doesn't have a 64-bit processor? I had the exact same problem and found an alternate way to install Windows 8. The step by step instructions to install Windows 8 is mentioned in another post.

Continue reading if you are interested to know the problem I experienced with 4-bit Windows 8 installation...

As soon as Microsoft announced Windows 8 for public download, I started downloading the installer. At first I tried to download the 4.8GB, 64-bit edition of Windows 8 with developer tools. However, after about an hour, the download failed and I could not resume the download. I gave up on that and then downloaded the 64-bit edition of plain Windows 8 without the developer tools.

Since Microsoft does not support un-installation of Windows 8 and I did not want to take any risk with my work laptop, I decided to install Windows 8 64-bit developer preview build on a Windows Virtual PC. The ISO file downloaded from Microsoft website was about 3.8 GB. I mounted the ISO image to the virtual PC as a DVD drive. You can mount the ISO image to a virtual PC by going to the settings on the virtual PC screen.



How to mount Windows 8 ISO image as a DVD drive on the virtual PC


Start your virtual PC. Then click on the "Tools" menu and then on the "Settings". Choose the option "DVD Drive" from the settings options on the leftside. On the right side, you will see the option to choose the ISO image from the host computer. Click on the Browse button and choose your Windows 8 iso image from your host computer.

Mount Windows 8 ISO Image as DVD drive on virtual PC

64-bit Windows 8 installation error


I mounted the Windows 8 ISO image as a DVD drive and rebooted the virtual PC to boot from the Windows 8 DVD. Unfortunately, it came with the following error:

This 64-bit application couldn't load because your PC doesn't have a 64-bit processor

This is not true. My host laptop is a brand new, super power, Lenovo laptop with 64 bit. One of the reasons this error can happen is, even if you have 64-bit processor, the hardware virtualization may be disabled at BIOS level. So, I rebooted by host computer and went to the BIOS settings to make sure the hardware virtualization is enabled. In fact, it was already enabled.

Windows 8 installation error

As of now, I have no clue why I am getting the error "This 64-bit application couldn't load because your PC doesn't have a 64-bit processor". I will continue my research and post here as soon as I get any additional information to solve this problem.


Article by Tony John
Tony John is a professional blogger from India, who started his first Weblog in 1998 at Tripod.com. Tony switched to blogging as a passion blended business in the year 2000 and currently operates several popular web properties including IndiaStudyChannel.com, Techulator.com, dotnetspider.com and many more.

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Comments

Author: Tom14 Sep 2011 Member Level: Bronze   Points : 1

Had the same problem as Tony and the same thought as Tim, however after downloading the 32-bit iso, I still get an error message in VM. Is it possible that - in this development version at least - the H/W elmulation in the VM is not compatible with Win 8 Kernal?

Guest Author: Ji.CAze08 Dec 2013

Just choose "Windows 2008 (64bits) instead of "Windows 8" while creating the virtual machine, and everything will work fine!



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