title: Invoking 64-bit console from 32-bit python
body: <p>I'm attempting to write a script that will gather the output of a few basic windows commands into a set of files, and am finding my vssadmin commands frustrating. The command is a relatively simple </p>
  
  <pre><code>os.system('vssadmin list writers&gt;&gt; x:\foo\vss.txt')
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>The problem is that I'm writing in python 32-bit and want to make sure this will function on 64-bit Windows. When executing this, the return is:</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>vssadmin 1.1 - Volume Shadow Copy Service administrative command-line
    tool (C) Copyright 2001-2005 Microsoft Corp.</p>
    
    <p>Error: A Volume Shadow Copy Service component encountered an
    unexpected error. Check the Application event log for more
    information.</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>Can I invoke a 64-bit command line from 32-bit python and decide whether to invoke it with a bit-depth detecting function, or is there another more elegant solution?</p>
  
  <p><strong>Follow-up</strong>: using MBu as a jumping off point I found that the following command does the trick:</p>
  
  <pre><code>os.system('%systemroot%\\sysnative\\cmd.exe /c vssadmin list writers &gt; x:\\foo\\vss.txt')
  </code></pre>