How to run an .exe without knowing the file location?

[Zag8888]

Hello to all,

I'm trying to run a .exe without knowing the file location; I know just the name of .exe. Is it possible to run it?

[Earthshine]

It might be if it is in a directory that is listed the the System Path variable. Otherwise you would have to find it before calling it

[Subz]

Or has an "App Path" value HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths.  The easiest way to test if an executable can be run is to use the following:

Click: Start + Run or Windows Key + R and type the name of the executable, if it runs then it doesn't require a path.

If it fails, you might be able to get the file path via registry (if it's an installed software product), just search through registry for .exe and try and find a common key that all machines would use.

[Exit]

; Display EXE names location

$sExename = InputBox("", "Enter EXE name.", "Autoit3")

Send("#r")
Sleep(500)
Send("cmd{ENTER}")
Sleep(500)
Send("dir c:\" & $sExename & ".exe /s /b{ENTER}")
Sleep(500)
MsgBox(64 + 262144, Default, "Press OK to exit.", 0)
Send("Exit{ENTER}")
; end of scipt

 

Edited June 9, 2019 by Exit

[Zag8888]

10 hours ago, Subz said:

Or has an "App Path" value HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths.  The easiest way to test if an executable can be run is to use the following:

Click: Start + Run or Windows Key + R and type the name of the executable, if it runs then it doesn't require a path.

If it fails, you might be able to get the file path via registry (if it's an installed software product), just search through registry for .exe and try and find a common key that all machines would use.

Tried to search via registry, how can I find a common key?

[Subz]

Whats the name of the application?  Does it appear in Add/Remove Programs?  Does it have a file extension associated to it?

[Zag8888]

13 minutes ago, Subz said:

Whats the name of the application?  Does it appear in Add/Remove Programs?  Does it have a file extension associated to it?

Yes, it appears in Add/Remove Programs, It doesn't have any extensions associated to it.

[Subz]

So the software should appear in either 32bit or 64bit key

• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall

You should be able to use the InstallPath (not always set) or UninstallString to get the path of your file,

[Zag8888]

On 6/9/2019 at 2:22 PM, Subz said:

So the software should appear in either 32bit or 64bit key

• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall 
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall

You should be able to use the InstallPath (not always set) or UninstallString to get the path of your file,

 

Found it in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall

Edit: Works perfect using regread, thanks a lot for the help

Edited June 14, 2019 by Zag8888