Windows Portable Executable 32 bit
Writableother · also known as Common Object File Format, COFF, EXE
A Windows Portable Executable (PE) 32-bit is synonymous with a program or application that can be run on Microsoft Windows. An executable is a file-format object that is compiled from source code files written in languages such as C, C++, Golang, or Rust among others. A PE is native to Windows and like other executables or programs, provided a means of distributing applications that performed a certain task or tasks for a specific operating system. Executables are compiled to a certain register width, e.g. 8-bit, 16-bit, 32-bit or 64-bit; which impacts the size of variables in memory, and may impact compatibilty on older or newer versions of an operating system, respectively. A PE 32-bit is compiled to a 32-bit architecture and so will not run on 16-bit architectures, and may require the existence of compatibility middleware on a 64-bit system to run there. Executables might require external libraries or configuration to function and so the technical environment needed to run an executable should be documented and understood in order to preserve functionality over time, and to protect future potential users of these files. The Windows Portable Executable format is used for the 'executable' component of a program, as well as external libraries such as dynamic link libraries (DLLs) other potential extensions are listed as '.acm, .ax, .cpl, .dll, .drv, .efi, .exe, .mui, .ocx, .scr, .sys, .tsp, .mun') (https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Portable_Executable&oldid=1182679182). Despite the name, PE files will not run on other operating systems such as MacOS and Linux. Application programs must be compiled to a specific operating system architecture to run on different environments.
Identify it
| Extensions | .exe.dll.sys |
|---|---|
| MIME types | application/vnd.microsoft.portable-executable |
| Signatures | 4d5a at byte 0 (Windows Portable Executable 32 bit) |
| PRONOM | fmt/899 |
| Wikidata | Q47455466 |
| Apple UTI | com.microsoft.windows-executable |
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Open it
- Kreative Structured Format LibraryOpen source
- CourgetteOpen source
- flat assemblerOpen source
- Apache TikaOpen source
- DLL2DEFOpen source
- ExifToolOpen source
- FFmpegOpen source
Convert it
| To | With | Fidelity | Command and losses |
|---|---|---|---|
| FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) 1.2.1 | FFmpeg | Partial | ffmpeg -i in.acm out.flacAudio track only: the video is dropped. |
| Waveform Audio | FFmpeg | Partial | ffmpeg -i in.acm out.wavAudio track only: the video is dropped. |
| Matroska 1-4 | FFmpeg | Lossy | ffmpeg -i in.acm out.mkvRe-encoded with lossy codecs by default; try `-c copy` to remux without re-encoding when the codecs fit the container. |
| MPEG 1/2 Audio Layer 3 | FFmpeg | Lossy | ffmpeg -i in.acm out.mp3Lossy re-encoding. |
| MPEG-4 Part 14 | FFmpeg | Lossy | ffmpeg -i in.acm out.mp4Re-encoded with lossy codecs by default; try `-c copy` to remux without re-encoding when the codecs fit the container. |
| Ogg | FFmpeg | Lossy | ffmpeg -i in.acm out.oggLossy re-encoding. |
| WebM | FFmpeg | Lossy | ffmpeg -i in.acm out.webmRe-encoded with lossy codecs by default; try `-c copy` to remux without re-encoding when the codecs fit the container. |
Documentation
- kaitai grammar: https://github.com/kaitai-io/kaitai_struct_formats/blob/master/executable/microsoft_pe.ksy — from the family
Sources
From PRONOM, Wikidata. Updated 2026-10-20.