Issues executing a ".reg" file...

[wanderer]

I meant, when you start 64-bit TC as normal user (non elevated), do you then get an UAC window?

Nope. Directly the error.

[white]

EDIT: Manually executing both regedit.exe's works fine.

How about executing your .reg file with full path on the Command Prompt of c:\windows\system32\cmd.exe and on the Command Prompt of c:\windows\SysWOW64\cmd.exe? Does that both work?

[ghisler(Author)]

You can create an internal association for *.reg pointing to the correct location of regedit.exe.

[wanderer]

How about executing your .reg file with full path on the Command Prompt of c:\windows\system32\cmd.exe and on the Command Prompt of c:\windows\SysWOW64\cmd.exe? Does that both work?

I created a batch file with these contents:

Code: Select all

@echo off
regedit "D:\Test.reg"

From within TC, I went to C:\Windows\System32 and executed cmd.exe. From there, i executed the batch file.

I repeated the same process but from C:\Windows\SysWOW64.

From both locations, the regedit was executed properly.

You can create an internal association for *.reg pointing to the correct location of regedit.exe.

Thanks for the workaround. The only reason i've gone this far with this matter is to clarify if there is some Windows peculiarity which affects TC. I still can't understand why this is happening and in reverse (x32 is working while x64 is not!). The server is a setup performed by a client of mine which resides in their domain, so i can't say for sure that there is no strange policy that may affect this issue. It looks like a normal Windows Server setup, but you never know.

Anyway, i'll keep this in mind and if i ever find what's causing it, i'll post the news here.

P.S.: On a hunch, from within TCx64, i rightcliked on the .reg file and selected the first item from the context menu (execute the default app). I got the windows prompt, asking me if i wish to keep using regedit application. I pressed OK and regedit was executed normally (with UAC and everything).

@Christian
is there perhaps anything i could do that might help you understand what's going on?

[white]

From within TC, I went to C:\Windows\System32 and executed cmd.exe. From there, i executed the batch file.
I repeated the same process but from C:\Windows\SysWOW64.

Why didn't you simply execute "D:\Test.reg" at the command prompt like I suggested, to test running it via file association. Or doesn't that work on that Windows version?

From both locations, the regedit was executed properly.

Which version of regedit was executed in each case? 32-bit or 64-bit?

The only reason i've gone this far with this matter is to clarify if there is some Windows peculiarity which affects TC. I still can't understand why this is happening and in reverse (x32 is working while x64 is not!).

I am curious too. Apparently access is denied when trying to execute one of the regedit.exe files. Perhaps you can use Sysinternals Process Monitor to find out which one?

BTW, did you try to drag the .reg file to the button bar to create a new button and then click the button?
And just for ruling out, did you try with Total Commander with a clean ini file?

[wanderer]

Why didn't you simply execute "D:\Test.reg" at the command prompt like I suggested, to test running it via file association. Or doesn't that work on that Windows version?

I simply didn't get it! I repeated the process now, as you suggested. I created a folder in D: and gave permissions to everyone. Then i opened both CMDs and executed the reg file from each one. They both worked fine. I then went with TCx64 in that folder and doubleclicked the reg file. Access denied.

Which version of regedit was executed in each case? 32-bit or 64-bit?

I can't know that because regedit's UI does not open. I assume in each case, the corresponding one was executed.

I am curious too. Apparently access is denied when trying to execute one of the regedit.exe files. Perhaps you can use Sysinternals Process Monitor to find out which one?

I suspect the case is similar to what i've seen in several other cases in the past. The errors that produce such messages are sometimes irrelevant to the message. In this case "Access denied" may mean that an unexpected error occurred and the closest message that the code lead to, was that.

BTW, did you try to drag the .reg file to the button bar to create a new button and then click the button?
And just for ruling out, did you try with Total Commander with a clean ini file?

Hmmm. A blank ini is always a good idea. So, i tried both your suggestions. In both cases, i got the same error. I'm guessing something prevents the proper execution of regedit and doesn't have to do with permissions of the reg file. The "application not found" points to that.

@Christian. When double-clicking on a file, what does TC do?

[white]

Then i opened both CMDs and executed the reg file from each one. They both worked fine. I then went with TCx64 in that folder and doubleclicked the reg file. Access denied.

Which version of regedit was executed in each case? 32-bit or 64-bit?

I can't know that because regedit's UI does not open. I assume in each case, the corresponding one was executed.

You don't get a warning "Are you sure to continue" after executing a .reg file? If that warning is on the screen, you can check the task manager to see which version of regedit.exe is running. On my system it says "Register-editor (32-bit)" if 32-bit is running, and "Register-editor" if 64-bit is running. (Also, on the Details tab, you can check the Architecture column)

I am curious too. Apparently access is denied when trying to execute one of the regedit.exe files. Perhaps you can use Sysinternals Process Monitor to find out which one?

I suspect the case is similar to what i've seen in several other cases in the past. The errors that produce such messages are sometimes irrelevant to the message. In this case "Access denied" may mean that an unexpected error occurred and the closest message that the code lead to, was that.

Perhaps. It's pretty clear though that regedit.exe isn't started because the UAC message doesn't appear. So some version of regedit.exe or other program cannot be started. The error seems to come from an api called by Total Commander. So my idea was to check with Process Monitor, filter on the Total Commander process and see if you can find out which program in which folder TC is trying to open.

[ghisler(Author)]

@Christian. When double-clicking on a file, what does TC do?

TC calls ShellExecuteEx with the file, the rest is handled by Windows.

[wanderer]

You don't get a warning "Are you sure to continue" after executing a .reg file?

Nope. In TCx64, i just get the error window. No UAC, no warning, no... nothing.

Trying this with 32-bit TC, in task manager indeed i see "Registry Editor (32 bit)".

[AntonyD]

2wanderer
can you please share with us the content of this reg file?

[white]

You don't get a warning "Are you sure to continue" after executing a .reg file?

Nope. In TCx64, i just get the error window. No UAC, no warning, no... nothing.

I know, I was talking about when you did the tests with 32-bit and 64-bit cmd.exe.

can you please share with us the content of this reg file?

How is that relevant? regedit.exe is not started and the same thing happens with a blank .reg file.

[AntonyD]

2white

How is that relevant?

you would not believe ) but sometimes very simple typos lead to some strange errors in these 2 different regedit programs)))
therefore, in fact, the launch of the program was - but very short-lived, because the correctness of the input information was simply checked and, based on its negative assessment, an exit was made.

[wanderer]

2AntonyD
The same file is normally imported with the 32-bit regedit.exe. I also tried other reg files, so...

EDIT: Also, this file is a registry export, not manually edited.

2white
With ProcMon, i saw that after ShellExecuteEx was called, Windows called "CreateFile" in an effort to open "C:\Windows\System32\regedit.exe", and not "C:\Windows\regedit.exe" (if you remember, a few posts back, that's the location in registry for the x64 regedit.exe).

Seeing that, i copied "C:\Windows\regedit.exe" into "C:\Windows\System32" and expected it to work. Unfortunately it didn't, but the behavior changed. I now get a UAC question, but when i answer Yes, it does nothing (no warning or data importing to registry).

From the above behavior, it seems to be a Windows/ShellExecute issue...