Solved Why can't Windows find this file?

Wisewiz · Jan 7, 2023

"D:\Backup\Macrium Reflect 8 Home\Reflect\reflect.exe" (Copied as path, from file in File Explorer)
"D:\Backup\Macrium Reflect 8 Home\Reflect\reflect.exe" (Copied from shortcut properties, shortcut in Start)

Ghot · Jan 7, 2023

@Wisewiz

Well reflect.exe lives here: C:\Program Files\Macrium\Reflect\reflect.exe
And that's the only place it lives, on my computer.

Wisewiz · Jan 7, 2023

@Ghot

Not on my machines. I don't install ANYthing to my C:\ System drive that I don't HAVE to. See the path above, and just another note: This shortcut has worked faithfully ever since I upgraded to Home.

I just don't know what's gone bonkers.

Ghot · Jan 7, 2023

Wisewiz said:
@Ghot

Not on my machines. I don't install ANYthing to my C:\ System drive that I don't HAVE to. See the path above, and just another note: This shortcut has worked faithfully ever since I upgraded to Home.

I just don't know what's gone bonkers.

I would just search your D:\ drive for reflect.exe
There should be only ONE of them.

When you find it, make a new shortcut.

IanMosley · Jan 7, 2023

Wisewiz said:
"D:\Backup\Macrium Reflect 8 Home\Reflect\reflect.exe" (Copied as path, from file in File Explorer)
"D:\Backup\Macrium Reflect 8 Home\Reflect\reflect.exe" (Copied from shortcut properties, shortcut in Start)

Can run 'reflect.exe' from a shortcut on my desktop & from 'start' from this location -

Wisewiz · Jan 7, 2023

@Ghot

Yep. Just the one and only. Right where the shortcut says it is.

Wisewiz · Jan 7, 2023

@IanMosley

Just made a new shortcut on my desktop from the reflect.exe file. Double-clicked the shortcut, and it gave me the message in post #1 above. In File Explorer, I double-clicked the exe itself, and got the same damned message.

Ghot · Jan 7, 2023

Wisewiz said:
@IanMosley

Just made a new shortcut on my desktop from the reflect.exe file. Double-clicked the shortcut, and it gave me the message in post #1 above. In File Explorer, I double-clicked the exe itself, and got the same damned message.

In that case... you probably need to reinstall. Why? I don't know.
But if it won't run from reflect.exe...

Maybe Macrium Reflect is one of those programs that will break sooner or later if you don't let it install where it wants to? At the moment, I can't think of an example, but I know I've run into a few over the years.

Wisewiz · Jan 7, 2023

Just checked my registry. In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Macrium\Reflect, I find App Path, with the value data
D:\backup\macrium reflect 8 home\reflect\Reflect.exe

If it's in the registry and in the File Explorer, why can't Windows find it?

Ghot · Jan 7, 2023

Wisewiz said:
Just checked my registry. In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Macrium\Reflect, I find App Path, with the value data
D:\backup\macrium reflect 8 home\reflect\Reflect.exe

If it's in the registry and in the File Explorer, why can't Windows find it?

Maybe it's not Windows. Maybe Macrium is... pouting, because you installed it on a storage drive.

Try3 · Jan 7, 2023

Wisewiz said:
"D:\Backup\Macrium Reflect 8 Home\Reflect\reflect.exe" (Copied from shortcut properties, shortcut in Start)

What happens if you go to that folder in File explorer and double-click on the file?

Happy New Year,
Denis

Wisewiz · Jan 7, 2023

@Try3

See my post #7 above.

Try3 · Jan 7, 2023

Sorry, I couldn't see for looking.

Denis

idgat · Jan 7, 2023

"Error message of last resort" is what I call them. Sometimes when Windows doesn't quite know what's wrong, it just pops up a message from its error "database" that it thinks might be relevant ... which in most cases, it ain't (bit like responses from help call centres

).

Trust Windows error messages with a grain of salt. I suggest the problem here is Macrium not playing properly with Windows causing a Windows "I don't know what's going on" hissy-fit.

In most cases, the .exe file is also a trigger to link multiple files required for a program to run (dll etc etc). I suspect MR has installed these files in the appropriate location, but because the exe is not similarly installed, MR can't find the others in that same non-standard location and throws the problem back to Windows >> a Windows error message cf. a Macrium error message.

idgat · Jan 7, 2023

Wisewiz said:
Not on my machines. I don't install ANYthing to my C:\ System drive that I don't HAVE to. See the path above, and just another note: This shortcut has worked faithfully ever since I upgraded to Home.

Sometimes programs aren't written to cater for personal preferences and the user just has to conform. In this case, you just might HAVE to ...

Winuser · Jan 7, 2023

My guess is that a file got corrupted and it's stopping Macrium from starting. The error may just be a generic error message. I would try reinstalling Macrium.