How to detect Windows 64-bit platform with .NET?

Question

In a .NET 2.0 C# application I use the following code to detect the operating system platform:

string os_platform = System.Environment.OSVersion.Platform.ToS         


        

Answer 1

Given that the accepted answer is very complex. There are simpler ways. Mine is a variation of alexandrudicu's anaswer. Given that 64-bit windows install 32-bit applications in Program Files (x86) you can check if that folder exists, using environment variables (to make up for different localizations)

e.g.

private bool Is64BitSystem
{
   get
   {
      return Directory.Exists(Environment.ExpandEnvironmentVariables(@"%PROGRAMFILES(X86)%"));
   }
}

This for me is faster and simpler. Given that I also wish to access a specific path under that folder based on OS version.