Createprocess error 193 1 is not a valid win32 application

The code below fails to start documents. I get error 193 (%1 is not a valid Win32 app). Starting executables work fine.
The files are properly associated, they start the corresponding app when double clicked.
I have searched SO and elsewhere for the error message, createprocess stuff etc. (E.g. Why is CreateProcess failing in Windows Server 2003 64-bit?
I know about quoting the command line.

• This is a Delphi XE2 (Update 4) Win32 app in a Win7 64bit VMWare VM.

• The code also fails on the host machine (Win7 64 bit) and in a Virtual PC VM with 32bit XP.

• The apps that should start in the Win7 VM (Excel 2003 and Crimson Editor) are 32 bit.

• The failure occurs both when starting from the IDE or when running the test app standalone

• It used to be Delphi2007 code, the compiled D2007 app where this code comes from works fine everywhere.

What’s wrong with the code?

procedure StartProcess(WorkDir, Filename: string; Arguments : string = '');
var
  StartupInfo  : TStartupInfo;
  ProcessInfo  : TProcessInformation;
  lCmd         : string;
  lOK          : Boolean;
  LastErrorCode: Integer;
begin
  FillChar( StartupInfo, SizeOf( TStartupInfo ), 0 );
  StartupInfo.cb := SizeOf( TStartupInfo );
  StartupInfo.dwFlags := STARTF_USESHOWWINDOW;
  StartupInfo.wShowWindow := sw_Normal;

  FillChar( ProcessInfo, SizeOf( TProcessInformation ), 0 );

  lCmd := '"' +  WorkDir + FileName + '"';     // Quotes are needed https://stackoverflow.com/questions/265650/paths-and-createprocess
  if Arguments <> '' then lCmd := lCmd + ' ' + Arguments;

  lOk := CreateProcess(nil,
                       PChar(lCmd),
                       nil,
                       nil,
                       FALSE,  // TRUE makes no difference
                       0,      // e.g. CREATE_NEW_CONSOLE or NORMAL_PRIORITY_CLASS makes no difference
                       nil,
                       nil,    // PChar(WorkDir) makes no difference
                       StartupInfo,
                       ProcessInfo);

  if lOk then
  begin
    try
      WaitForSingleObject(ProcessInfo.hProcess, INFINITE);
    finally
      CloseHandle( ProcessInfo.hThread );
      CloseHandle( ProcessInfo.hProcess );
    end;
  end
  else
  begin
    LastErrorCode := GetLastError;
    ShowMessage(IntToStr(LastErrorCode) + ': ' + SysErrorMessage(LastErrorCode));
  end;
end;

procedure TFrmStartProcess.Button1Click(Sender: TObject);
begin
   StartProcess('c:program files (x86)axe3','axe.exe');    // Works
end;

procedure TFrmStartProcess.Button2Click(Sender: TObject);
begin
   StartProcess('d:','klad.xls');                            // Fails
end;

procedure TFrmStartProcess.Button3Click(Sender: TObject);
begin
   StartProcess('d:','smimime.txt');                         // Fails
end;

The error code that reads oserror: [winerror 193] %1 is not a valid win32 application occurs when using Python or a Python software package. Meanwhile, the error code is a cryptic message, and it’s a tough one to decipher. Well, you are in luck because we have identified situations that cause the error.

Keep on reading, to learn how to fix each issue.

The OSError can occur because of any reasons listed below:

• Incompatible versions of Python and TensorFlow
• Python environments conflicts
• You are calling a 32bit DLL file into a 64bit process
• You are running Semgrep directly on Windows
• You have old data from a previous installation of Pycharm
• You are using liblsl-Python with a rogue liblsl
• You are rendering a LaTeX expression on Inkscape V1.1
• You are calling the Python subprocess module on a Python file

– Incompatible Versions of Python and Tensorflow

You’ll have the OSError when you’ve installed different versions of Python and TensorFlow. When we say “versions”, we mean architecture versions of the software themselves. Therefore, an error will occur if you try to use a 32bit version of TensorFlow with a 64bit Python. That’s because both architecture versions are not compatible.

This is not only applicable to Python and TensorFlow. It applies to most software, and it’s the main reason you can’t install a 64bit Windows on a 32bit machine.

– Python Environments Conflicts

Python environment conflicts occur when you have different Python installed on your system. As a result, when you import a package like Numpy you can get an error message. In the error message, part of it will read “self.handle = _dlopen(self.name, mode) oserror: [winerror 193] %1 is not a valid win32 application”. If you are running Django, you can also run into the same problem.

– You Are Calling a 32bit Dll File Into a 64bit Process

When you call a 32bit DLL file into a 64bit process, you’ll set off a chain reaction that’ll cause an OSError. One of the situations this occurs is when you are working with Pandas on a 64bit machine. If the Pandas version is 32bit, an error occurs when you attempt to import it to a 64bit Python environment. This same situation is more prominent when you use Python in Visual Studio 2019.

The reason is that by default, Visual Studio 2019 provides a 32bit CMD that allows you to install modules. Therefore, when you use the CMD to download Pandas, it’ll download a 32bit version of Pandas. So, you’ll have a problem if you are on a 64bit system. Any attempt to use the Pandas will cause not a valid win32 application Visual Studio 2019 error.

Another variation of the error is the winerror 193 python dll error.

– You Are Running Semgrep Directly on Windows

Semgrep works fine on a Linux system or via Docker. However, on Windows, an OSError occurs if you run Semgrep directly on the system.

– You Have Old Data From a Previous Installation of Pycharm

An old data from a PyCharm installation can cause the OSError. That’s because when you run the newer PyCharm installation, it could read the old data. Therefore, you’ll get an error when you import a library into PyCharm. For example, the oserror: [winerror 193] %1 is not a valid win32 application pycharm error.

Importing a library into Pycharm is not the only cause of the OSError when you have old data. What’s more, a misconfiguration in pipenv when using Pycharm can cause the OSError. An example is the createprocess error=193, %1 is not a valid win32 application pipenv error.

– You Are Using Liblsl-python With a Rogue Liblsl

If your system has a C++ lsl library from uninstalled software, it can cause an OSError. An error occurs when you try to import StreamInlet when using liblsl-python.

– You Are Rendering a Latex Expression on Inkscape V1.1

In Inkscape V1.1, you can get the OSError when you run a LaTeX expression in the textbox. However, that is not the case with older versions of Inkscape. What’s more, you can have a newer version of Inkscape, so you might not get the error. So, if you’d like to reproduce the error in Inkscape V1.1, take the following are the steps:

1. Launch Inkscape
2. Navigate to Extensions → Rendering → mathematics → pdfLatex
3. Type a mathematical term in the textbox

– You Are Calling the Python Subprocess Module on a Python File

If you call the Python subprocess module directly on a Python file, you’ll get the OSError. For example, the following Python code will result in an error:

import subprocess

subprocess.call([‘hello-world.py’, ‘filename.htm’])

A quick look at the code shows that we have called the subprocess.call() function on the hello-world.py file. So, the execution of this code will cause the OSError.

How To Fix Oserror Not Valid win32 Application?

You can fix the OSError by performing steps that’ll prevent the error in the first place. Such steps can include using the right combination of libraries or having a clean installation of the said libraries. When you use a module in Python, make sure you know how to call it. Let’s discuss the solutions in more detail.

– Don’t Use 64bit Python With 32bit Tensorflow

When you have a 64bit system, you should install a 64bit version of TensorFlow. This prevents the OSError from happening in the first place. However, you might install a 32bit version of TensorFlow without knowing. To prevent such a mistake, download TensorFlow from the official website.

Note that using 64bit Python with 32bit TensorFlow is called architecture mismatch. So, ensure both your Python and TensorFlow suits your system architecture. This means 64bit Python with 64bit TensorFlow and 32bit Python with 32bit TensorFlow.

– Ensure You Have a Clean Python Environment

On your system, ensure you have a single Python installation. When you do this, you reduce the chances of a conflict with another Python version. However, in the case where you have multiple Python versions on your system, uninstall all of them and the libraries associated with each Python version.

Afterward, perform a clean installation of a Python version and its associated libraries. We recommend a clean installation when using the nltk library. You should do this when you run into nltk oserror: (winerror 193) %1 is not a valid win32 application error.

– Do Not Load a 32bit Dll Into a 64bit Process

When you load a 64bit DLL Into a 64bit Process, you’ll stop the OSError from happening. But if you are using Visual Studio for Python, you might load a 32bit DLL Into a 64bit process. The fix is to ensure that Visual Studio downloads Python modules using the right CMD for your system. You can set the correct CMD version on Visual Studio by doing the following steps:

1. Navigate to Tools
2. Select Options
3. Select Terminal
4. Under Profiles, choose the right CMD version for your system
5. If you are on a 32bit system, set the location of CMD to the 32bit version
6. If you are on a 64bit system, set the location of CMD to the 64bit version

– Use Semgrep via Windows Subsystem for Linux

When you run Semgrep on Windows Subsystem for Linux (wsl or wsl2), you’ll prevent the OSError. Therefore, If you have a Windows system, do the following to get Semgrep working for you:

1. Install WSL 2 Ubuntu Virtual Machine from the official WSL page
2. Modify your .bashrc to take out the standard Windows Python.
3. Add the following location: “/home/local/.local/bin”. This location is for Python3 CLI application installation
4. Install Python 3.8 and PIP on Ubuntu using apt
5. Install Semgrep Via PIP

When you perform these steps, Semgrep should work as expected and you’ll have no OSError.

– Always Remove Data From Previous Pycharm Installations

Anytime you uninstall Pycharm, remove residual and left-over files. If you are on Windows, check the AppData folder and remove any old folder related to Pycharm. You can do a manual removal of the folder, or via a disk clean-up tool.

– Add the Pylsl_lib to Your Environment Variable

If you are using liblsl-Python, you should add the PYLSL_LIB as a new environment variable. Afterward, set it to the full path. When you do this, you’ll prevent the OSError. This also ensures that PYLSL tries to load the right library.

– Replace Inkscape Extension Folder

When you replace the Inkscape extensions folder, OSError will not occur. This is the case when you are working with LaTeX expression in Inkscape V1.1. So, you can get a replacement from the GitLab branch (1.1.X).

– Call the Python Subprocess Module on a Python Executable

The correct usage of the Python Subprocess is to call it as an executable. Earlier in this article, we gave the following example which caused the OSError:

import subprocess

subprocess.call([‘hello-world.py’, ‘filename.htm’])

The following is the correct way to use the Subprocess module:

import subprocessual

subprocess.call([‘python.exe’, ‘hello-world.py’, ‘filename.htm’])

Conclusion

This article explained situations that cause the OSError when running Python applications and how to fix each situation. The following is the summary of what we discussed out the OSError:

• An architecture mismatch can cause an OSError.
• Calling the Python subprocess module on a python file can cause an OSError.
• Loading a 32bit DLL into a 64bit process can cause the OSError.
• Removing old data from previous Python and Pycharm installations prevents the OSError.
• In Visual Studio, download modules using the right CMD for your architecture.

At this stage, we are confident you can fix the OSError when using Python and its libraries.

I just encountered a problem with my glassfish installation while preforming a deployment with maven. I was upgrading from a SNAPSHOT version of Glassfish to 3.1.1. I unpacked a brand new version and started getting the following error:

Cannot run program "C:usrbinglassfish3glassfishbinasadmin": CreateProcess error=193, %1 is not a valid Win32 application

Here is what I discovered:

When I ran ‘mvn package glassfish:redeploy -DskipTests=true -e’:

[ERROR] Failed to execute goal org.glassfish.maven.plugin:maven-glassfish-plugin:2.1:redeploy (default-cli) on project ch03:Undeployment of domain1 failed. IOException: Cannot run program "C:usrbinglassfish3glassfishbinasadmin": CreateProcesserror=193, %1 is not a valid Win32 application -> [Help 1]org.apache.maven.lifecycle.LifecycleExecutionException: Failed to execute goal org.glassfish.maven.plugin:maven-glassfish-plugin:2.1:redeploy (default-cli) on project ch03: Undeployment of domain1 failed. IOException: Cannot run program "C:usrbinglassfish3glassfishbinasadmin": CreateProcess error=193, %1 is not a valid Win32 application        at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.internal.MojoExecutor.execute(MojoExecutor.java:217)        at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.internal.MojoExecutor.execute(MojoExecutor.java:153)        at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.internal.MojoExecutor.execute(MojoExecutor.java:145)        at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.internal.LifecycleModuleBuilder.buildProject(LifecycleModuleBuilder.java:84)        at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.internal.LifecycleModuleBuilder.buildProject(LifecycleModuleBuilder.java:59)        at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.internal.LifecycleStarter.singleThreadedBuild(LifecycleStarter.java:183)        at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.internal.LifecycleStarter.execute(LifecycleStarter.java:161)        at org.apache.maven.DefaultMaven.doExecute(DefaultMaven.java:319)        at org.apache.maven.DefaultMaven.execute(DefaultMaven.java:156)        at org.apache.maven.cli.MavenCli.execute(MavenCli.java:537)        at org.apache.maven.cli.MavenCli.doMain(MavenCli.java:196)        at org.apache.maven.cli.MavenCli.main(MavenCli.java:141)        at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)        at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:39)        at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:25)        at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:597)        at org.codehaus.plexus.classworlds.launcher.Launcher.launchEnhanced(Launcher.java:290)        at org.codehaus.plexus.classworlds.launcher.Launcher.launch(Launcher.java:230)        at org.codehaus.plexus.classworlds.launcher.Launcher.mainWithExitCode(Launcher.java:409)        at org.codehaus.plexus.classworlds.launcher.Launcher.main(Launcher.java:352)Caused by: org.apache.maven.plugin.MojoExecutionException: Undeployment of domain1 failed. IOException: Cannot run program "C:usrbinglassfish3glassfishbinasadmin": CreateProcess error=193, %1 is not a valid Win32 application        at org.glassfish.maven.plugin.command.AsadminCommand.execute(AsadminCommand.java:124)        at org.glassfish.maven.plugin.RedeployGlassfishMojo.doExecute(RedeployGlassfishMojo.java:61)        at au.net.ocean.maven.plugin.OceanMojo.execute(OceanMojo.java:67)        at org.apache.maven.plugin.DefaultBuildPluginManager.executeMojo(DefaultBuildPluginManager.java:101)        at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.internal.MojoExecutor.execute(MojoExecutor.java:209)        ... 19 more

Here was my maven plugin:

                <plugin>
                    <groupId>org.glassfish.maven.plugin</groupId>
                    <artifactId>maven-glassfish-plugin</artifactId>
                    <version>2.1</version>

                    <configuration>
                        <glassfishDirectory>${glassfish.domain.home}</glassfishDirectory>
                        <user>${glassfish.adminUser}</user>
                        <passwordFile>${glassfish.passwordFile}</passwordFile>
                        <autoCreate>true</autoCreate>
                        <debug>true</debug>
                        <echo>true</echo>
                        <skip>${test.int.skip}</skip>
                        <domain>
                            <name>${glassfish.domain.name}</name>
                            <host>${glassfish.domain.host}</host>
                            <httpPort>${glassfish.domain.port}</httpPort>
                            <adminPort>4848</adminPort>
                        </domain>
                        <components>
                            <component>
                                <name>${glassfish.domain.name}</name>
                                <artifact>${project.build.directory}/${project.build.finalName}.war</artifact>
                            </component>
                        </components>
                    </configuration>
                </plugin>

And my corresponding properties:

            <properties>
                <glassfish.domain.home>C:/usr/bin/glassfish3/glassfish</glassfish.domain.home>
                <glassfish.domain.name>domain1</glassfish.domain.name>
                <glassfish.domain.host>localhost</glassfish.domain.host>
                <glassfish.domain.port>8888</glassfish.domain.port>
                <glassfish.adminUser>admin</glassfish.adminUser>
                <glassfish.passwordFile>${glassfish.domain.home}/domains/domain1/config/domain-passwords
                </glassfish.passwordFile>

                <glassfish.command>deploy</glassfish.command>

                <database.password>qwerty</database.password>

                <domain.log.dir>${project.build.directory}</domain.log.dir>
            </properties>

The subtlety was regarding where the admin.sh was located and which one to delete.
Initially I assumed that C:usrbinglassfish3bin*.sh was where the shell script was that I needed to delete as I was not remembering that there is a second set of shell scripts in C:usrbinglassfish3glassfishbin* that also needed to be removed to run on windows.

I found a JIRA ticket for this and appears to be resolved: http://java.net/jira/browse/MAVEN_GLASSFISH_PLUGIN-5 but I am not sure when a valid release outside of the svn (Fixed in svn revision#84) fix will be available.

Conclusion

On a new Glassfish install on a windows machine, delete the corresponding shell scripts to avoid conflict.

1. What Is the OSError: [WinError 193] %1 is not a valid Win32 application
2. Why Does the OSError: [WinError 193] %1 is not a valid Win32 application Occurs
3. Different Reasons and Solutions of OSError: [WinError 193] %1 is not a valid Win32 application

You receive an error when attempting to run an executable (.exe) file. This error occurs when an executable file is not a valid Win32 application.

It may be caused by a mismatch between the local computer’s processor architecture and the executable file’s architecture. When you double-click the .exe file, you may receive the error message:

Error: oserror: [winerror 193] %1 is not a valid win32 application.
Error loading %

What Is the OSError: [WinError 193] %1 is not a valid Win32 application

One of the biggest frustrations when developing with Python is dealing with Python errors. There are a lot of different errors that can occur when writing Python code, but one of the most confusing errors to deal with is the OSError: [WinError 193] %1 is not a valid Win32 application.

This error occurs when you try to run a Python script or program that has not been installed correctly on your computer.

You will get the error whether you run a Python script from the command line or double-clicking a file associated with Python. This error is also different from a syntax error or other error that tells you that there is an error in your Python code.

This error is usually caused by an incorrect path to your computer’s Python executable or .pyd file.

Why Does the OSError: [WinError 193] %1 is not a valid Win32 application Occurs

Whenever you open a new window in your browser, an error message could pop up saying that the application you are trying to open is not a valid Win32 application. This error occurs in the Internet Explorer browser, meaning that the file you are trying to open is not a valid application.

This can be a crucial security hole, as any file can be marked as a valid Win32 application by simply modifying its file extension. It’s very easy to do this with common file editing software.

So, if you are not careful, you will open a file you have no business with. One of the most common reasons this error happens is because you are trying to open a file that is not an application.

For example, if you have some HTML file with a .html extension, it will not work. You need to change the file extension to .exe to open the file in your browser.

Another reason might be that the file is corrupt or has some other issues. In this case, you need to download the file again from the source and try opening it on your computer.

Different Reasons and Solutions of OSError: [WinError 193] %1 is not a valid Win32 application

Below are the reasons and solutions for the error.

Python subprocess Module on a Python File

You’re calling the Python subprocess module on a Python file. The Python subprocess module only accepts command line arguments.

To run Python code, you will need to create a Win32 executable that can be run via the subprocess module or use the subprocess module in Python code by running it as a script.

There is an example of an OSError. This code will show the OSError, and then we will provide the solution for this error.

import subprocess
subprocess.call(['hello.py', 'htmlfilename.htm'])

Output:

OSError: [WinError 193] %1 is not a valid Win32 application

In this scenario, when we call a Python file hello.py within the Python interpreter with subprocess, it will show an OSError.

This will show that hello.py is not executable. For execution, the executable must be clear like:

subprocess.call(['python.exe', 'hello.py', 'htmlfilename.htm'])

If you want to make python.exe visible in the search path, then you should pass the entire path from the executable that will run the python.exe address.

import sys
import subprocess
subprocess.call([sys.executable, 'hello.py', 'htmlfilename.htm'])

Incompatible Versions of Python and TensorFlow

Incompatible versions of Python and TensorFlow are a reason for OSError. Due to incompatible versions of Python and TensorFlow, this application has stopped functioning.

This can occur if a different version of Python is installed on your computer than the version of Python that TensorFlow was built with. You can fix this by reinstalling TensorFlow and updating your PATH variable to point to the correct Python installation.

Sometimes you may have problems with running Python scripts with TensorFlow on Windows. If you see the OSError: [WinError 193] %1 is not a valid Win32 application; this happens because TensorFlow is a 64-bit application, while Python is 32-bit, and you are trying to run a 32-bit version of Python with a 64-bit TensorFlow.

To fix this, you need to install the 32-bit version of TensorFlow.

Python Environments Dispute

Updating your Python environments is a bit of a hassle because two different versions of Python environments are available: 32-bit and 64-bit. And many people fail to update their Python environments.

This failure can cause your Python environments to malfunction and crash your computer. If you use Python environments on your computer, you need to update it as soon as possible.

If you don’t use Python environments, you should check out an article on the benefits of Python environments.

A clean Python environment is the best way to run the Python scripts. If you are getting a Windows error OSError: [WinError 193] %1 is not a valid Win32 application while running a Python script, the problem is most likely with your Python installation.

So you need to ensure that you have a clean Python environment.

When you install Python, it adds a shortcut to its folder on your desktop and your Start menu. You also install pip, which lets you install third-party Python modules.

However, Python keeps a record of all the modules you have installed. This can make it difficult to update your Python installation because you have to remove those modules before you can update Python.

So, what you need to do is to delete the folder that contains the Python installation files. For many people, this folder is C:Python27.

Calling a 32-Bit DLL File Into a 64-Bit Process

You are calling a 32-bit DLL file into a 64-bit process. This error usually occurs when you have a 32-bit and 64-bit version of a DLL.

For example, a feature you are trying to use is found in a 32-bit DLL and a 64-bit DLL. The 64-bit DLL overrides the functions of the 32-bit DLL.

You can see this error when running a 64-bit process using a 32-bit DLL.

One of the most common errors when running a 32-bit application on a 64-bit operating system is the error message: OSError: [WinError 193] %1 is not a valid Win32 application. The error message has a %1 in place of the application you are trying to run.

The error pops up when you try to run the application, which is not a valid Win32 application. If the application is a 32-bit application, you need to install the 32-bit version of the application.

If the application is a 64-bit application, you need to install the 64-bit version of the application.

Running Semgrep Directly

It can be quite annoying when you try to launch Semgrep directly on Windows. It can cause an OSError.

So you should avoid running semgrep directly on Windows.

You go to your Start menu, and there is no Semgrep.exe application to be seen. It’s not there because Semgrep is not a typical Windows application but a console application.

If you want to use Semgrep directly on Windows, you will have to launch it through a cmd window. The easiest way is to hold down your Windows key and press the R key.

This will open the run prompt. At this point, you should type cmd and press Enter.

You now have a command prompt. You can now go to the directory where Semgrep is installed and type in semgrep.

Due to Old Data

Old data from the last installation of PyCharm may cause the OSError. So to avoid this error, you should follow this solution.

You have old data from a previous installation of PyCharm in the following directory: C:Users<your_name>.ipython profile_defaulthistory.

This directory contains files that a previous version of PyCharm has created and can contain old files (for example, a file with a name generated by a previous version of PyCharm).

To prevent this directory from being created in the future, select the option Do not create a .ipython directory in the profile settings. Note that this will not affect the history of files that already exist in the directory.

posted 11 years ago

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