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Friday, April 14, 2017

What is the programmatic difference of Powershell x86 vs x64?



There are a number of explanations as to why people think you should use Powershell (PS) x86 vs x64 typically stuff like larger address space, blah de blah, but there is never mention of real programmatic issues.

The #1 reason to use the Powershell x86 vs x64 is to get the access the proper Windows Registry hive either x86 or x64. So if you are have x86 OS, use PS x86 on x64 OS use x64.

Let's take for example getting the Windows Install date from the registry with this path
HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion we are going to get the Installdate value from here.

This is run on Windows x32 failed, install date is wrong.

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Windows Registry Install Date using Powershell (32 bit)
Wednesday, December 31, 1969 7:00:00 PM

This is run on Windows x64 worked

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Windows Registry Install Date using Powershell (64 bit)
Tuesday, February 16, 2010 1:09:20 AM

This is the Powershell for the above, from line 90 and after


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#requires -version 2.0

# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Script: Get-PowershellInfo+Architecture.ps1
# Version: 1.2017.04.13
# Author: Mark Pahulje
# URL   : metadataconsulting.ca
# Date: 13-Apr-2017
# Keywords: Powershell Architecture, PS Info
# Comments:
#
# "Those who forget to script are doomed to repeat their work."
#
#  ****************************************************************
#  * DO NOT USE IN A PRODUCTION ENVIRONMENT UNTIL YOU HAVE TESTED *
#  * THOROUGHLY IN A LAB ENVIRONMENT. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK.  IF   *
#  * YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS SCRIPT DOES OR HOW IT WORKS, *
#  * DO NOT USE IT OUTSIDE OF A SECURE, TEST SETTING.             *
#  ****************************************************************
# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Function Get-PowershellInfo+Architecture {
 
<#
.SYNOPSIS
Write out an improved pseudo psversiontable of PS Version, CLR & Build version, and Architecture (32 or 64 bit)
.DESCRIPTION
Write out an improved pseudo psversiontable of PS Version, CLR & Build version, and Architecture (32 or 64 bit)
.MUNCHIES
 This script also shows a test for Windows Install Date using Registry, to prove that if this runs on (32 or 64 bit) it will 
 fail on unsupport CPU Architecture Types
.EXAMPLE
PS C:\> Get-PowershellInfo+Architecture 
 
Name            : Version
----            : -------
PS Version      : 3.0
PS Architecture : 32 bit
CLR Version     : 4.0.30319.42000
Build Version   : 6.2.9200.16481

Return registry usage information for the local host.

.NOTES
NAME        :  Get-PowershellInfo+Architecture
VERSION     :  1.2017.04.13  
LAST UPDATED:  13-Apr-2017
AUTHOR      :  MDC
.LINK
http://metadataconsulting.blogspot.ca/2017/04/How-to-get-the-most-accurate-Windows-Install-Date-time-zone-adjusted.html
.LINK
Get-WindowsInstallDateTMZAdjusted
.INPUTS
String
.OUTPUTS
A formatted table
#>

#Function Start 
process {

cls
$psinfo = $psversiontable

if ([intPtr]::size -eq 4){
    $xarch = "32 bit"
}  
if ([intPtr]::size -eq 8){
    $xarch = "64 bit"
}

$psinfo | Select-Object -Property @{Name="Name";Expression={"Version"}},
    @{Name="----";Expression={"-------"}},
    @{Name="PS Version";Expression={$_.PSVersion}},
    @{Name="PS Architecture";Expression={$xarch}}, 
    @{Name="CLR Version ";Expression={ $_.CLRVersion }},
    @{Name="Build Version ";Expression={ $_.BuildVersion }}
}        

}

Get-PowershellInfo+Architecture


#What's the diff between running cmds in x86 and x64 Powershell? 

#this will fail on the unsupported processor type
#This script also shows a test for Windows Install Date using Registry, to prove that if this runs on (32 or 64 bit) it will 
#fail on unsupport CPU Architecture Types

$psinfo = $psversiontable

if ([intPtr]::size -eq 4){
    $xarch = "32 bit"
}  
if ([intPtr]::size -eq 8){
    $xarch = "64 bit"
}


$windowsinstalldate = [TimeZone]::CurrentTimeZone.ToLocalTime([DateTime]'1.1.1970').AddSeconds(
    (Get-ItemProperty 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion').InstallDate       )

write-host ""
write-host "Windows Registry Install Date using Powershell ($xarch)"
$windowsinstalldate.DateTime

at

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