Running/registering a 32-bit plugin on a 64-bit host - Q&A
Yes, in most cases you can. Moreover, if you are using a 32-bit audio host application on 64-bit Windows computer the plug-ins will run just like they are running on 32-bit Windows computer.
When using a 64-bit audio host application, a bridging plug-in is always necessary in order to be able to load 32-bit plug-ins. For example, Cakewalk Sonar and Steinberg Cubase offer a built-in bridging plug-in for running 32-bit plug-ins. Alternatively, you can use the jBridge bridging plug-in.
jBridge can be obtained here: https://jstuff.wordpress.com/jbridge/
This happens because the plug-in you are loading cannot access Windows registry from within the audio host application environment due to restrictions applied to the plug-in by that application.
To overcome this access rights problem, please run the "Register" shortcuts with the administrator rights - this can be done by right-clicking on these shortcuts.
Alternatively, you may run your 32-bit plug-ins via the bridging plug-in called jBridge. jBridge working as a separate operating system process gives the registry access right to the plug-ins it loads. https://jstuff.wordpress.com/jbridge/
This is a generally known problem. In some cases the bridging plug-in that comes with the audio host application works incorrectly, in other cases the crashing may be due to availability of more than 2GB of memory to the plug-in (if you have more than 2GB of physical memory installed in your computer): some older 32-bit Voxengo plug-ins may work unstably in such environment.
The first case can be resolved by using an alternative bridging plug-in like jBridge.
The second case is a more complex one to handle. You will have to use jBridge and force running its "auxhost.exe" module in the Windows98 compatibility mode - this can be done by right-clicking on the "auxhost.exe" file which is usually located in the "Program Files\JBridge" folder.
When running a 32-bit audio host application on 64-bit Windows computer with more than 2GB of memory available, using jBridge as "32-bit to 32-bit" bridge in Windows98 mode may solve crashing.