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General discussion

Lost Note Pad

Feb 25, 2004 3:26PM PST

Something has happened to Notepad in Accessories. When I click on it, or any text file that was written in note pad, I get the following messages:
The C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\smss.exe application cannot be run in Win32 mode.
Can someone help me retrieve it as I use it a lot for notes.
Cheers.

Discussion is locked

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Re:Lost Note Pad
Feb 25, 2004 8:20PM PST

I think the quickfix is to find NOTEPAD.EXE and copy it to C:\Windows and C:\Windows\System32

Bob

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Re:Re:Lost Note Pad
Feb 26, 2004 1:00AM PST

Where do I find notepad.exe.... it isn't anywhere on my computer - have done a search for it.

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Re:Re:Re:Lost Note Pad
Feb 26, 2004 1:23AM PST

"Where do I find notepad.exe.... it isn't anywhere on my computer - have done a search for it."

1. Most find that SEARCH doesn't find all files. If you used SEARCH, then you may just be learning how horribly broken that is.

2. You didn't write how you looked for it. Tests...
a. Press Start, Run, NOTEPAD, OK. What happens?
b. Open a command prompt (hint: Start, Run. CMD, OK.) Type:
DIR C:\NOTEPAD.EXE /S/A/P
Take care to have a space where needed in that command.
What happens?

3. MSCONFIG (again, Start, Run, MSCONFIG, OK) has an extract file feature. Use that?

Bob

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Re:Re:Re:Re:Lost Note Pad
Feb 26, 2004 1:38AM PST
http://notepad.com/

If all else fails you can download Notepad from here, scroll down til you find "DOWNLOAD NOTEPAD"
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Re:Re:Re:Re:Lost Note Pad
Feb 26, 2004 4:44AM PST

Ok.. first of all thank you all for your help.
You were definitely right about the search facility cos when I typed notepad.exe in 'run', it found it. Ive now copied notepad.exe into the c:\ windows folder and c:\windows\system32 file as suggested in first thread, but still get the same error message. However, if I open and existing .txt file, I can browse to notepad.exe to open it. Just wont allow me to open the application from all programs>accessories.

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Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Lost Note Pad
Feb 26, 2004 6:07AM PST

stirvit, Go to Start/All Programs/Accessories anf right click the "Notepad" icon, choose properties and this is what should show in the "Target" window.

%SystemRoot%\system32\notepad.exe

This is what should show in the "Start in" window.

%HOMEDRIVE%%HOMEPATH%

Yours may be different but on my XP machine these are what is showing.

HTH,
Larry

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Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Lost Note Pad
Feb 26, 2004 6:50AM PST

here is another solution for this.

Right click "Start"
Properties
"Start menu" Tab
customize
advanced
locate "Start Menu"
highlight it
in the right pane open the programs folder
open the accessories folder (leave open)
Delete the notepad shortcut.
Go to the systems32 folder and copy Notepad.exe
go back to the accessories folder and paste it.
It should now open Notepad.

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Thank you...all
Feb 26, 2004 4:54PM PST

Again, thank you all for taking the time to sort me out!
This has now solved it... my target in the properties was wrong, and now having changed it to %SystemRoot%\system32\notepad.exe, it all works fine.

Thanks a lot guys.

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Re:Thank you...all
Feb 26, 2004 8:58PM PST

stirvit, Glad to see that your notepad problem has been corrected and Thanks for posting back to let us know.

Larry