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, oper

Answer 1

There is one explanation that makes sense:

1. You are executing the program on a 64 bit machine.
2. Your C# program is built as x86.
3. The bcdedit.exe file exists in C:\Windows\System32.
4. 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.
5. 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.

Answer 2

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