FCXE 64 doesn't recognize regedit.exe

[wrbird]

I just started using FCXE 64 v653 donor and found an interesting bug. In my FCXE 32 set up I have c:\windows\system32\regedit.exe in my favorites toolbar. When I tried to add it to my favorites toolbar in 64 bit it doesn't list it even though it's there. I have show hidden files and system files checked. Can anyone tell me what's going on?

[joby_toss]

Try: c:\windows\sysnative\regedit.exe

From Windows Vista x64 on, "Sysnative" is a hidden alias for the genuine "System32" folder.

So to access the genuine "%windir%\system32" folder, "%windir%\sysnative" can be used.

Not a bug!

[wrbird]

Thanks Joby_toss, that did it. But my folder wasn't sysnative but sysWOW64.

[joby_toss]

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library ... 85%29.aspx

[wrbird]

Thanks for the link. So if I understand this, "In most cases, whenever a 32-bit application attempts to access %windir%\System32, the access is redirected to %windir%\SysWOW64." This tells me the files in SysWOW64 folder are the files needed to run 32-bit applications. I thought it was the other way around the way FCXE is acting. FCXE x64 can't read the file in the system32 folder, but can in the sysWOW64 folder. Why would that be the case if the system32 folder was for 64-bit apps?

Also, FCXE x32 can read regedit.exe in both the system32 and sysWOW64 folders whereas, FCXE x64 can't. That seems to be a limitation rather than an improvement. Do you have any insights in regards to this?

Also the statement, "32-bit applications can access the native system directory by substituting %windir%\Sysnative for %windir%\System32" tells me that FCXE x64 is behaving more like a 32-bit application than FCXE x32 because that's exactly what I had to do for FCXE x64 to work properly. I obviously must be missing something here because the logic doesn't make sense at all. If you can shed some light on this for me I'd appreciate it.

Thanks.

[joby_toss]

FC XE x64 can access the (real) System32 folder (with 64 bit files) with this path: C:\Windows\System32
FC XE x64 can access the SysWOW64 folder (with 32 bit files) with this path: C:\Windows\SysWOW64

FC XE x86 can access the SysWOW64 folder (with 32 bit files) with this path: C:\Windows\SysWOW64
FC XE x86 cannot access the (real) System32 folder (the one with 64 bit files) with this path: C:\Windows\System32 (this path redirects FC to SysWOW64 folder)
FC XE x86 can access the (real) System32 folder (the one with 64 bit files) with this path: C:\Windows\Sysnative

So, FC XE x64 can read the files in System32 folder directly, but FC XE x86 can't.
Make sure your FC XE instance belongs to the 64 bit version of the program (Help/About menu).

[wrbird]

Thanks joby_toss for the explanation. I think I'm getting it. So when I have an icon on my favorites toolbar in FCXE x86 access regedit.exe (the path I have set is C:\Windows\System32\regedit.exe) everything works great, but it's not really accessing this file, it's being redirected to C:\Windows\SysWOW64\regedit.exe. Is this correct?

Now in FCXE x64 when I setup an icon to access C:\Windows\System32\regedit.exe it didn't recognize it because regedit.exe is a 32-bit program. Is that correct? Once I set the path to C:\Windows\SysWOW64\regedit.exe it recognized it because regedit.exe is a 32-bit program. Is that correct?

Thanks for your helping me understand this.

[joby_toss]

Thanks joby_toss for the explanation. I think I'm getting it. So when I have an icon on my favorites toolbar in FCXE x86 access regedit.exe (the path I have set is C:\Windows\System32\regedit.exe) everything works great, but it's not really accessing this file, it's being redirected to C:\Windows\SysWOW64\regedit.exe. Is this correct?

Yes.

Now in FCXE x64 when I setup an icon to access C:\Windows\System32\regedit.exe it didn't recognize it because regedit.exe is a 32-bit program. Is that correct? Once I set the path to C:\Windows\SysWOW64\regedit.exe it recognized it because regedit.exe is a 32-bit program. Is that correct?

No.
There is no "regedit.exe" file in the (real) System32 folder to be accessed directly.
To access the Registry Editor 64 bit version you add this path to your toolbar icon in FC XE x64: C:\Windows\regedit.exe (or C:\Windows\System32\regedt32.exe).
To access the Registry Editor 32 bit version you add this path to your toolbar icon in FC XE x64: C:\Windows\SysWOW64\regedit.exe (or C:\Windows\SysWOW64\regedt32.exe).

[wrbird]

Excellent, I understand. By the way I did notice there was a regedit.exe in the Windows folder before you mentioned it so I changed the path from C:\Windows\SysWOW64\regedit.exe to C:\Windows\regedit.exe. Now I'm accessing the 64-bit regedit.exe and not the 32-bit one. If that's not correct please let me know. Thanks!!