Maximum PC

Can you still write 32-bit apps with Visual Studio 2005 and/or 2008 running on a 64-bit Windows OS?

I am looking to upgrade from XP to Windows 7 64-bit (or at the very least, Vista Business 64-bit) and will continue to use Visual Studio 2008, but tend to write only 32-bit apps. Am I going to have any problems writing these 32-bit programs on a 64-bit OS?

I only write smaller database-type programs, and nothing extensive, like multithreaded apps or apps that require 64-bit.

I'm currently using XP Pro 32-bit, but want to move to a 64-bit OS for future-proof purposes.

Yes. Been doing it for well over a year now.

You won't have issues writing or working on 32 and 64 bit machines. I have Vista 64 Ultimate at home and XP 32 bit @ work.

this is what I figured, seeing that both AMD's quad and dual core CPUs and Intel's quad and dual core CPUs still have the older x86 instruction set embedded in them.

Now, can you compile a program (link) on a 64-bit OS, and will that compiled program still work on a 32-bit system?? (Like compiling a Visual Basic.net program on a Vista 64-bit machine and then running the compiled program on an XP 32-bit machine).

The beauty of .NET is that it handles this for you. You can "target" 64 bit in C# and VB, but you don't have to worry about your apps not working on a 32 bit machine. Just use the "Any CPU" default build configuration and you'll be fine.