Versions

PC Guard software protection system is available in 4 different versions:

32bit editions

1. PC Guard for .NET (supports 32bit Windows applications, .NET Framework x86/AnyCpu applications, .NET Core x86/AnyCpu Windows applications)
2. PC Guard for Win32 (supports 32bit Windows applications)

64bit editions

1. PC Guard for .NET64 (supports 64bit Windows applications, .NET Framework x64 64bit applications, .NET Core x64 Windows applications)
2. PC Guard for Win64 (supports 64bit Windows applications)

If you are developing Microsoft .NET framework or .NET Core applications by using VB.NET, C#, J# or any other .NET programming language you will need PC Guard for .NET or/and PC Guard for .NET64 depending on the targeted platforms (x86/AnyCpu/x64).

Both PC Guard for .NET and PC Guard for .NET64 also support appropriate (32bit/64bit) Windows applications so if you decide to go with .NET versions you will also cover protection of Windows applications as presented in above table.

If you are developing only standard Windows applications by using C++, VB, Delphi or any other Windows programming language PC Guard for Win32 or/and PC Guard for Win64 is the right choice for you.

Standalone executable applications are often not created by programming development tools. If you are using such tools you are probably not aware if your application is 32bit/64bit Windows or .NET application.

More about 32bit and 64bit Windows, .NET Framework and .NET Core applications

32bit Windows applications share the same PE (portable executable) file structure and are supposed to run properly under any 32bit/64bit Windows operating system, from Windows 2000 to Windows 10.

64bit Windows application have PE32+ file structure and they require 64bit Windows operating system.

Popular programming languages capable of producing Windows 32/64 bit Windows applications are C++, VB and Delphi.

.NET Framework applications have different file structure and require Microsoft .NET Framework to run. NET Framework applications are developed in .NET compatible languages such as VB.NET, C# or J# and contain IL (intermediate language) code. Microsoft .NET framework is available for Windows 98 and later operating systems.

.NET Framework applications can be compiled as x86, AnyCpy and x64 applications and thus target different Windows platforms.

x86/AnyCpu .NET applications have PE file structure and can be run on any 32/64 bit Windows operating system with support for .NET framework.

x64 .NET applications have PE32+ file structure and can be run on 64bit Windows operating systems with .NET framework only.

The main difference between native Windows and .NET applications is the fact that Windows applications contain compiled (unmanaged) code whilst .NET applications contain IL code which is complied to native CPU code by CLR (common language runtime). This is also why .NET application can be easily decompiled if not protected and encrypted.

Supported target .NET Core frameworks:

- .NET Core 2.x
- .NET Core 3.x

Supported output type: 

- Windows application
- Windows console application
- Windows class library

Supported platform target:

- AnyCpu, x86 (PC Guard for .NET)
- x64 (PC Guard for .NET64)

Supported target runtime: 

- win-x86 (PC Guard for .NET)
- win-x64 (PC Guard for .NET64)

Supported deployment mode: Self-contained

PC Guard for .NET was the first available software copy protection wrapper for .NET applications. It was successfully tested on variety of different .NET executable applications running under all .NET framework versions (1.x, 2.x, 3.x and 4.x) and under all .NET compatible Windows operating systems (Windows 98 and later).

PC Guard for .NET64 is intended for 64bit .NET applications and it also supports all versions of .NET Framework and 64bit Windows operating systems.