Very strange... system32\fsquirt.exe completely invisible!

[Maxime]

Hello,

As a very longtime user of Salamander, I'm not used to face bugs, but this issue is driving me crazy...
I run the latest 2.54 version on my Windows 7 x64 PC (French language), virus-free, everything is up-to-date (Windows Update)

On this PC, with a generic Bluetooth adapter, the "Send As > Bluetooth Device" context menu entry does not work from Salamander.
If I run it or use the shortcut in the C:\Users\<userfolder>\SendTo" folder, Windows tells me that the "C:\Windows\system32\fsquirt.exe" file is missing.
And, as such, when I browse to the system32 folder with Salamander, this file is not listed.

BUT... (here's the issue!) the file IS visible on Windows Explorer, Windows Run (Windows + R) dialog box or any other input textbox from the system with the autocompletion feature (if I start writing C:\Windows\system32\..., the file is listed)!
And, of course, the file can then be opened from any place where the file is listed.

The issue is exactly the same if run from cmd.exe: if the command prompt is run through the Run dialog box, I can browse (cd) to C:\Windows\system32, type f, hit TAB, and the file is listed (and can be opened).
But if I run cmd.exe from Salamander, cmd does not find the file!

I checked the file permissions, sounds OK to me.
I also tried to "Run Salamander with administrative priviledges" (the context menu command with the blue and yellow shield icon), with no luck.
UAC is completely disabled on my PC, and I have full administrator priviledges on my Windows account.

Have you already experienced something like that before?
I never had such an issue with Salamander, with any other file...
You'll find some screenshots in attachment.

Of course, I'll provide you any information you might ask to investigate.

Many thanks, and keep up the good work,
Maxime

[therube]

Thinking ...

System32 is a link, of some type, or at least parts of what might be & or "reside" within are.
See if fsquirt.exe does not physically reside within C:\Windows\SysWOW64.

Thinking that the fsquirt installation / W7 x64 (& I gather this is an old, XP, 2004, piece of software), did something funny in placing/linking files on installation & maybe ...?


An x86 Salamander does have some issues too with some pieces of an x64 OS?


Windows is automatically adjusting for some discrepancies, where Salamander is not?

Salamander is physically opening an "system32" directory.
CMD too opens within this directory.
When you go to complete or run, you are trying to complete against something that is not actually there.

[therube]

OT, but still somewhat related ...

Link Shell Extension (LSE) comes in 32 & 64-bit versions. With some programs, it is "normal" to install both - for those times when you run into 32/64-bit-ness problems. LSE 32-bit will not install in a W7 x64 OS. Though if you install the 64-bit version, it won't be seen (as we know) from within a 32-bit Salamander. (64-bit Salamander should remedy that, but then we'll run into other oddities, I assume. 64-bit ain't all it's cracked up to be!)

[therube]

See if fsquirt.exe does not physically reside within C:\Windows\SysWOW64

Or WinSxS.

Thinking that the fsquirt installation / W7 x64 (& I gather this is an old, XP, 2004, piece of software)

Or not. Didn't realize it was also part of W7.

The one & only (hardlink) "fsquirt.exe".

Code: Select all

E:\Windows\winsxs\amd64_bth.inf_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7601.21716_none_d0f668efeb4c9175\fsquirt.exe
E:\Windows\winsxs\amd64_bth.inf_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7601.17607_none_d0789c5ad225ef11\fsquirt.exe
E:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\bth.inf_amd64_neutral_e54666f6a3e5af91\fsquirt.exe
E:\Windows\winsxs\amd64_bth.inf_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7601.17514_none_d06ac9aad230c1d6\fsquirt.exe
E:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\bth.inf_amd64_neutral_ca26c6da62d71ca8\fsquirt.exe

Appears that in XP, fsquirt.exe did reside directly in %windir%\system32\.

[Ether]

This is of course an 32-bit vs. 64-bit issue. Salamander is an x86 program and Windows hides the real system32 directory (can be accessed through the sysnative link in Windows directory) and shows the contents of syswow64 instead. The cmd which Salamander starts is also 32-bit, therefore the same limitations apply there.

From what I see on my Windows 7x64 installations (with Widcomm drivers), fsquirt and the whole Send to... > Bluetooth functionality is 64-bit only and the Send To... > Bluetooth target doesn't even exist by default in 32-bit menu (which had been a total mystery to me until now ). And since it links to the system32 directory, simply copying it from 64-bit to 32-bit doesn't work.

I did a quick Google search though and found out it's possible to make it work, see this Total Commander thread about fsquirt.exe.

[Maxime]

Many thanks for the x64 vs. x86 alias tip!
I was nearly sure that it was something like that, but as I never encountered any issue with Salamander before, I was lost!

Anyway, I followed the advice given on the Total Commander forum thread from Ether's link, and changing the path of the fsquirt.exe shortcut to C:\Windows\Sysnative\fsquirt.exe worked flawlessly.
I can now send files to Bluetooth from 32-bit Salamander.
The topic says that the link might be reverted back after Windows reboot. Will have to take care of this!