How to open a WOW64 registry key from a 64-bit .NET application

Question

My .NET application (any-CPU) needs to read a registry value created by a 32-bit program. On 64-bit Windows this goes under the Wow6432Node key in the registry. I have read that you shouldn't hard-code to the Wow6432Node, so what's the right way to access it with .NET?

Answer 1

If you can change the target .Net version to v4, then you can use the new OpenBaseKey function e.g.

RegistryKey registryKey;
if (Environment.Is64BitOperatingSystem == true)
{
    registryKey = RegistryKey.OpenBaseKey(Microsoft.Win32.RegistryHive.LocalMachine, RegistryView.Registry64);
}
else
{
    registryKey = RegistryKey.OpenBaseKey(Microsoft.Win32.RegistryHive.LocalMachine, RegistryView.Registry32);
}