Under Windows 7 and 8, openfiles.exe cannot be launched by another application

Question

If I use C++ Windows API "CreateProcess" or C run-time library "system" to launch most processes, they run fine. But if I use the same to launch openfiles.exe as in "openfiles.exe /query" under Windows 7 and 8 it never works. It complains about needing a 32-bit OS to be running, or, if I elevate it with runas, I get Invalid Function. There is definitely something peculiar about openfiles.exe under Win 7 and 8, and, despite it working fine from a command prompt, it never runs when launched by another process. Why?

Answer 1

It seems under Windows 64 bit, the application must be also 64 bit one (not sure for 32 bit OS).

My system is Windows 7 64 bit and if I build my app with "Target Platform" set to "64-bit Windows", the following works.

::ShellExecuteW( this->Handle, NULL, L"openfiles.exe", L"/query", NULL, SW_SHOWNORMAL );

I believe other launching options also would work like CreateProcess.

But gives the same error you when built as 32-bit application.