How to compile a 64-bit application using Visual C++ 2010 Express?

Solution 1:

Here are step by step instructions:

1. Download and install the Windows Software Development Kit version 7.1. Visual C++ 2010 Express does not include a 64 bit compiler, but the SDK does. A link to the SDK: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsserver/bb980924.aspx
2. Change your project configuration. Go to Properties of your project. On the top of the dialog box there will be a "Configuration" drop-down menu. Make sure that selects "All Configurations." There will also be a "Platform" drop-down that will read "Win32." Finally on the right there is a "Configuration Manager" button - press it. In the dialog that comes up, find your project, hit the Platform drop-down, select New, then select x64. Now change the "Active solution platform" drop-down menu to "x64." When you return to the Properties dialog box, the "Platform" drop-down should now read "x64."
3. Finally, change your toolset. In the Properties menu of your project, under Configuration Properties | General, change Platform Toolset from "v100" to "Windows7.1SDK".

These steps have worked for me, anyway. Some more details on step 2 can be found in a reference from Microsoft that a previous poster mentioned: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/9yb4317s.aspx.

Solution 2:

64-bit tools are not available on Visual C++ Express by default. To enable 64-bit tools on Visual C++ Express, install the Windows Software Development Kit (SDK) in addition to Visual C++ Express. Otherwise, an error occurs when you attempt to configure a project to target a 64-bit platform using Visual C++ Express.

How to: Configure Visual C++ Projects to Target 64-Bit Platforms

Ref: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/9yb4317s.aspx

Solution 3:

And make sure you download the Windows7.1 SDK, not just the Windows 7 one. That caused me a lot of head pounding.

Solution 4:

I found an important step to add to this - after you've installed the SDK, go to your project properties and change Configuration Properties->General->Platform Toolset from v100 or whatever it is to Windows7.1SDK. This changes $(WindowsSdkDir) to the proper place and seemed to solve some other difficulties I was encountering as well.

Solution 5:

Note that Visual C++ compilers are removed when you upgrade Visual Studio 2010 Professional or Visual Studio 2010 Express to Visual Studio 2010 SP1 if Windows SDK v7.1 is installed.

For instructions on resolving this, see KB2519277 on the Microsoft Support site.