Confusing system information issue

Question

I'm using a little piece of Python code to see the system info. When I try this on my system, I got these;

>>> import platform
>>> platform.machine()
'AMD64'
>>> platform.platform()
'Windows-7-6.1.7601-SP1'
>>> 

AMD64 means my system is 64-bit, how ever; when I go to C, there is (x86) next to Program Files. Since x86 means 32-bit, why does x86 is there if my system is 64-bit?

Answer 1

The folder called Program Files (x86) exists only on x64 systems. It is used to install non-x64 programs (which can still run on a x64 system). The actual x64 programs are stored in the Program Files folder, but the name is always translated in your language (if I go to C: I will see it as Programmes because my Windows is in French).

If you press the key combination Windows + Pause/Attn or go to Control Pannel --> System there will be "(32 bits)" next to the name of the OS if your Windows is 32 bits, and there will be nothing if it is 64 bits.