Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:
On 64-bit versions of Windows operating systems (including Windows 7), 32-bit applications are installed by default into the folderC:\Program Files (x86). This separation allows the OS to distinguish between 64-bit and 32-bit applications and apply appropriate system calls and redirection.
C:\Program Filesis reserved for native 64-bit applications.
C:\ProgramDatacontains application data shared across users.
C:\Windowscontains system files, not program installations.
This structure is documented in Microsoft Windows Internals and Windows Forensics guides, including official NIST guidelines on Windows forensic investigations.
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