title: Why does an x86 WiX installer on Windows Vista x64 not write keys to Wow6432Node in the registry?
body: <p>I have an installer that writes to <code>HKLM\Software\DroidExplorer\InstallPath</code>. On any x86 machine it writes just fine to the expected location, and on Windows&nbsp;XP x64 and Windows&nbsp;7 x64 it also writes to the expected location, which is actually <code>HKLM\Software\Wow6432Node\DroidExplorer\InstallPath</code>.</p>
  
  <p>Later on during the install, my bootstrapper, which is also x86, attempts to read the value. On all x86 Windows machines it is successful, and on Windows XP x64 and Windows 7 x64, but Windows Vista x64 is unable to locate the key. If I look in the registry, it doesn't actually write it to Wow6432Node on Windows&nbsp;Vista; it writes it to <code>Software\DroidExplorer\InstallPath</code>.</p>
  
  <p>If I do not forcefully tell the installer to write to Wow6432Node, it writes the value to <code>Software\DroidExplorer\InstallPath</code>, but the bootstrapper still tries to look in Wow6432Node because of the <a href="https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa384235%28v=vs.85%29.aspx?f=255&amp;MSPPError=-2147217396" rel="nofollow noreferrer">registry reflection</a>. This is on all x64 systems.</p>
  
  <p>Why is Windows&nbsp;Vista x64 the only one I have this issue with? Is there a way around this?</p>
  
  <p><strong>I just want to add an edit that this is still open. None of the suggestions below have yet to solve this issue.</strong></p>