Registry Keys Affected by Windows Installations That Include Windows on Windows (WOW) Support For Multiple Processor Architectures
In 64-bit Windows installations beginning with Windows XP and Windows Server 2003, and in 32-bit ARM processor architecture Windows installations beginning with Windows RT (Windows 8) (hereafter referenced as affected Windows installations), certain registry keys are redirected.
On affected Windows installations, when a process with a processor architecture different from the operating system's processor architecture (referred to hereafter as a WOW application) makes a registry call for a redirected key, the registry redirector intercepts the call and maps it to the key's corresponding physical registry location. For example, a 32-bit Intel IA-32 [x86] application running on an AMD64 / Intel x86-x64 Windows installation would be affected by a redirected registry key; when this x86 application calls a redirected key, the registry redirector intercepts the application's call and redirects it to the key's corresponding physical registry location. For more information, see Registry Redirector.
Other registry keys are shared by applications of differing processor architectures on affected Windows installations. WOW application registry calls to shared keys are not redirected. Instead, one physical copy of the key is mapped into each logical view of the registry.
Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP: A subset of redirected registry keys are also reflected to keep the keys and their values synchronized between 32-bit and 64-bit views of the registry. Registry reflection was removed starting with Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2. For more information, see Registry Reflection.
This topic lists registry keys that are redirected, shared, or redirected and reflected under WOW. It also lists symbolic links that provide compatibility for existing applications that may use hardcoded registry key paths containing Wow6432Node, the redirected registry location for x86 processes running on AMD64 Windows installations. For more information, see the following:
Redirected, Shared, and Reflected Keys Under WOW
For WOW applications on affected Windows installations, the following table lists registry keys that are redirected, shared, or redirected and reflected. Subkeys of the keys in this table inherit the parent key's behavior unless otherwise specified. If a key has no parent listed in this table, the key is shared.
| Key | Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows 7, and Newer | Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP |
|---|---|---|
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE | Shared | Shared |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE | Redirected | Redirected |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes | Shared | Redirected and reflected |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Appid | Shared | Redirected and reflected with one exception: the DllSurrogate and DllSurrogateExecutable registry values are not reflected if their value is an empty string. |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID | Redirected | Redirected and reflected only for CLSIDs that do not specify InprocServer32 or InprocHandler32. |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\DirectShow | Redirected | Redirected and reflected |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\HCP | Shared | Shared |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Interface | Redirected | Redirected and reflected |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Media Type | Redirected | Redirected and reflected |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\MediaFoundation | Redirected | Redirected and reflected |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Clients | Shared | Redirected |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\COM3 | Shared | Redirected and reflected |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Cryptography\Calais\Current | Shared | Shared |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Cryptography\Calais\Readers | Shared | Shared |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Cryptography\Services | Shared | Shared |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\CTF\SystemShared | Shared | Shared |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\CTF\TIP | Shared | Shared |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\DFS | Shared | Shared |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Driver Signing | Shared | Shared |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\EnterpriseCertificates | Shared | Shared |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\EventSystem | Shared | Redirected and reflected |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MSMQ | Shared | Shared |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Non-Driver Signing | Shared | Shared |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Notepad\DefaultFonts | Shared | Redirected |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\OLE | Shared | Redirected and reflected |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\RAS | Shared | Shared |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\RPC | Shared | Redirected and reflected |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Shared Tools\MSInfo | Shared | Shared |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\SystemCertificates | Shared | Shared |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\TermServLicensing | Shared | Shared |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\TransactionServer | Shared | Shared |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths | Shared | Redirected |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Control Panel\Cursors\Schemes | Shared | Shared |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\AutoplayHandlers | Shared | Redirected |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\DriveIcons | Shared | Redirected |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\KindMap | Shared | Redirected |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Group Policy | Shared | Shared |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies | Shared | Shared |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\PreviewHandlers | Shared | Redirected |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup | Shared | Shared |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Telephony\Locations | Shared | Shared |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Console | Shared | Redirected |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\FontDpi | Shared | Shared |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\FontLink | Shared | Redirected |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\FontMapper | Shared | Shared |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Fonts | Shared | Shared |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\FontSubstitutes | Shared | Shared |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Gre_Initialize | Shared | Redirected |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options | Shared | Redirected |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Language Pack | Shared | Redirected |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\NetworkCards | Shared | Shared |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Perflib | Shared | Shared |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Ports | Shared | Shared |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Print | Shared | Shared |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList | Shared | Shared |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Time Zones | Shared | Shared |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies | Shared | Shared |
| HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\RegisteredApplications | Shared | Shared; Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP: This key was added in Windows Vista. |
| HKEY_CURRENT_USER | Shared | Shared |
| HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE | Shared | Shared |
| HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Classes | Shared | Redirected and reflected |
| HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Classes\Appid | Shared | Redirected and reflected with one exception: the DllSurrogate and DllSurrogateExecutable registry values are not reflected if their value is an empty string. |
| HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID | Redirected | Redirected and reflected |
| HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Classes\DirectShow | Redirected | Redirected and reflected |
| HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Classes\Interface | Redirected | Redirected and reflected |
| HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Classes\Media Type | Redirected | Redirected and reflected |
| HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Classes\MediaFoundation | Redirected | Redirected and reflected |
HKEY_CURRENT_USER is a symbolic link to HKEY_USERS\[SID] where [SID] indicates a match for the current user's security ID (SID). HKEY_USERS\[SID]\SOFTWARE\Classes is a symbolic link to HKEY_USERS\[SID]_Classes.
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT is a merged view of HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes and HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Classes. Redirected keys in these registry paths are effectively redirected for HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT also. This is also true for reflected keys on systems that support them.
Windows on Windows 64 (WOW64) Symbolic Links
WOW64 defines the following symbolic links only for compatibility with existing applications that may use hardcoded registry key paths containing Wow6432Node. New applications should avoid using Wow6432Node in registry key paths.
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Classes is linked to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Wow6432Node
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Wow6432Node\AppId is linked to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\AppId
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Wow6432Node\PROTOCOLS is linked to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\PROTOCOLS
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Wow6432Node\Typelib is linked to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Typelib
Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Classes is linked to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Wow6432Node. Other symbolic links were added in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2.