BCDEDIT not recognized when running via C#

Question

When i try to run BCDEDIT from my C# application i get the following error:

'bcdedit' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.

when i run it via elevated command line i get as expected.

i have used the following code:

            Process p = new Process();
            p.StartInfo.UseShellExecute = false;
            p.StartInfo.RedirectStandardOutput = true;
            p.StartInfo.RedirectStandardError = true;
            p.StartInfo.FileName = @"CMD.EXE";
            p.StartInfo.Arguments = @"/C bcdedit";
            p.Start();
            string output = p.StandardOutput.ReadToEnd();
            String error = p.StandardError.ReadToEnd();
            p.WaitForExit();
            return output;

i have also tried using

p.StartInfo.FileName = @"BCDEDIT.EXE";
p.StartInfo.Arguments = @"";

i have tried the following:

Checking path variables - they are fine.
running visual studio from elevated command prompt.
placing full path.

i am running out of ideas, any idea as to why i am getting this error ?

all i need is the output of the command if there is another way that would work as well. thanks

Try putting bcdedit in your debug/bin folder and see if that works. Also you're fine calling BCDEDIT directly, you don't have to run cmd.exe — Mataniko, Dec 24 '12 at 15:52
@Mataniko , thanks - placing it in the debug directory seems to work, but why doesn't it find the one in system32 path ? — james, Dec 24 '12 at 15:57
It's the path settings, the answer by David Heffernan seems like the likely culprit. — Mataniko, Dec 24 '12 at 16:56

score 17 · Accepted Answer · answered Dec 24 '12 at 16:06

17

There is one explanation that makes sense:

You are executing the program on a 64 bit machine.
Your C# program is built as x86.
The bcdedit.exe file exists in C:\Windows\System32.
Although C:\Windows\System32 is on your system path, in an x86 process you are subject to the File System Redirector. Which means that C:\Windows\System32 actually resolves to C:\Windows\SysWOW64.
There is no 32 bit version of bcdedit.exe in C:\Windows\SysWOW64.

The solution is to change your C# program to target AnyCPU or x64.

answered Dec 24 '12 at 16:06

David Heffernan

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Thank you !!! , you are correct. Was going crazy trying to figure it out. thanks for the help ! – james Dec 25 '12 at 12:28
1

Also worth noting, i saw in another SO [link](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/5255086/when-do-we-need-to-set-useshellexecute-to-true) that when using **p.StartInfo.UseShellExecute = false;** PATH does not get used as expected. – james Dec 25 '12 at 13:39
I don't think that's relevant. It's pure and simple that bcdedit.exe is not in the path, when redirected for wow64. – David Heffernan Dec 25 '12 at 13:49

score 6 · Answer 2 · edited May 23 '17 at 11:58

If you are stuck with x86 application on both 32it/64bit Windows and You need to call bcdedit command, here is a way how to do that:

private static int ExecuteBcdEdit(string arguments, out IList<string> output)
{
    var cmdFullFileName = Path.Combine(Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.Windows),
                                       Environment.Is64BitOperatingSystem && !Environment.Is64BitProcess
                                           ? @"Sysnative\cmd.exe"
                                           : @"System32\cmd.exe");

    ProcessStartInfo psi = new ProcessStartInfo(cmdFullFileName, "/c bcdedit " + arguments) { UseShellExecute = false, RedirectStandardOutput = true };
    var process = new Process { StartInfo = psi };

    process.Start();
    StreamReader outputReader = process.StandardOutput;
    process.WaitForExit();
    output = outputReader.ReadToEnd().Split(new[] { Environment.NewLine }, StringSplitOptions.None).ToList();
    return process.ExitCode;
}

usage:

var returnCode = ExecuteBcdEdit("/set IgnoreAllFailures", out outputForInvestigation);

Inspiration was from this thread and from How to start a 64-bit process from a 32-bit process and from http://www.samlogic.net/articles/sysnative-folder-64-bit-windows.htm

BCDEDIT not recognized when running via C#

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