Windows 10: Shortcuts confusion - x64/x32

I'd like to create a few shortcuts for a dock I'll be trying out on Windows 10 64-bit for:

Notepad
Task Manager

On my old 32-bit Windows 7 PC, it was simple - just create a shortcut to the exe in the system32 folder. But with 64-bit, I have a system32 and a syswow64 folder. Both folders have a notepad.exe and a taskmgr.exe, along with cmd.exe. So which folder should I link the shortcuts to? Logic would tell me the syswow64 folder, but if I type in notepad or task manager in the search box and run it from the result, it runs the version in the 32-bit folder, so I'm confused - I thought it would have run the syswow64 versions. Is there a reason why it runs the 32-bit versions? I want to make sure I link to the correct versions.

:)

 

When Windows 10 rolls around is there someway I can upgrade from Windows 8.1 x32 to Windows 10 x64?

Original title: Windows 8 to Windows 10 x32/x64

If i'm running Windows 8.1 x32, when the windows 10 updates comes around, will it be windows 10 x32? Im asking this because i'd like to change my system from running on x32 to x64 but I can't unless i find my x64 download disc (Which is not very probable)
or purchase Windows 8 again (dont want to do). So the question is, when windows 10 rolls around is there someway I can upgrade from Windows 8.1 x32 to Windows 10 x64?

 

Downloading DVD software

And the for the file option, x32 or x64? Does it matter?

 

The 'Program Files (x86)' and 'SysWOW64' folders explained / Windows 64-bit (Technical Article)

 

Okay thanks, but that doesn't answer my specific question.

Which should I use?

Notepad 64 or notepad 32? Task manager 64 or task manager 32? Why does the system use the 32-bit versions by default?

 

Wait, hold on - I just read this in the link posted above:

• the SysWOW64 folder is intended for 32-bit files only
• the System32 folder is intended for 64-bit files only

This is the exact opposite that I was thinking. No wonder I was confused. So when I see that notepad and task manager are running from the system32 folder, they are indeed the 32bit versions that are running? I was thinking anything in the system32 folder was for 32-bit versions, and Syswow64 was for 64-bit versions, but I guess I had it backwards. Thanks for linking to that article.

 

They kept all the files that you want to run in the System32 folder regardless of whether your OS installed is 32-bit or 64-bit for compatibility with all the 3rd party programs that are going to only look in System32 for them. It is also System32 that is included in your path environment variable. That means when you press Win + R to open the run dialog, type notepad to open the notepad application, it is going to go to System32 to run it.

 

Ah, that makes perfect sense when it's explained like that. Thanks again!