Windows desktop application -- version of this file is not compatible with the version of Windows you're running

Question

I am developing on 64-bit Windows7 Enterprise using VisualStudio 2013.  I created a new Windows desktop VB.net application and just created a release build of the default solution/project targeting "Any CPU".  I provided the EXE to a
colleague who is also running 64-bit Windows7 Enterprise but receives the following error...
"The version of this file is not compatible with the version of Windows you're running.  Check your computer's system information to see
whether you need an x86 (32-bit) or x64 (64-bit) version of the program, and then contact the software publisher."
I changed the build configuration to create a "x86" build but my colleague received the same error.  Any ideas why this would be happening (I checked and my colleague has .Net4 Framework installed as well)?  Thank you for your time and
response!
Sunish Abraham
"The version of this file is not compatible with the version of Windows you're running. 
Check your computer's system information to see whether you need an x86 (32-bit) or x64 (64-bit) version of the program, and then contact the software publisher."

Answer 1

Hi sunisha,
According to your description, you'd like to run the application in your colleague's computer.
I provided the EXE to a colleague who is also running 64-bit Windows7 Enterprise but receives the following error...
If you want to test the application, you could provide the whole Debug folder to colleague instead of the single exe.
"The version of this file is not compatible with the version of Windows you're running. Check your computer's system information to see whether you need an x86 (32-bit) or x64 (64-bit) version of the program, and then contact the software publisher."
Check if the collegue's computer is running 64-bit windows:
Enter Control Panel, click on System and Security.
Under this, you can view the system type. This will describe whether you have 32-bit or 64-bit.
You can also try compatiblity mode.
If the program is not compatible, then you may try to install and run the program in compatibility mode.
Use the following steps:
1)   Right click on the Program
2)   Click on Properties
3)   Click on Compatibility tab
4)   Select Run this program in compatibility mode and select Windows Vista or whatever operating system the program was running successfully.
And if you still have questions, I suggest you deploy the application to the Local Network with clickOnce, then your collegue can install the application from the network.
#ClickOnce deployment
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/t71a733d(VS.80).aspx
And also, you could recreate a new small application in your computer in Any CPU, then check if this small new application can work well in your colleague's computer. This can judge if the problem is caused by your application.
If you have any other concern regarding this issue, please feel free to let me know.
Best regards,
Youjun Tang
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