[Run] PowerLauncher.exe is NOT running when PowerToys starts

[enricogior]

As first thing, please verify that PowerToys.exe is running but PowerLauncher.exe is not:

• open the Task Manager
• go to the Details tab
• scroll the list until you find PowerToys.exe, if PowerLauncher.exe is running, it will appear above PowerToys.exe.

If PowerLauncher.exe is present, please go to #9018 that is the issue tracking the problem when PowerLauncher.exe is running but not responding to the shortcut key.

To help investigating why PowerLauncher.exe doesn't start, we have a test build (see the zip file attached below).
Note: this test build contains improved logging, and one fix that may help for this specific problem.

IMPORTANT: it's an unsigned private build, you may not be able to install it if your computer is managed by your company.

To run the test, follow these steps:

• uninstall the current installed version of PowerToys (your settings will not be deleted)
• unzip the attach zip file and run the PowerToysSetup-0.0.1-x64.exe installer, you will be presented with a security dialog, click on More info and then on Run anyway

• after the installation has completed, make sure PowerToys.exe is running and PowerLauncher.exe is not running (using the Task Manager)
• open the PowerToys Settings and verify that PowerToys Run is On

• if it is Off turn it On, if it was already On, turn it Off and back On again.
• close the PowerToys Settings
• open the Task Manager and verify again if PowerLauncher.exe is running or not.
• if PowerLauncher.exe is running but still not opening when the shortcut key is pressed, you are now in the case tracked by [Run] PowerLauncher.exe is running, but the shortcut key doesn't work #9018 and you don't have to do the following step
• if PowerLauncher.exe is not running, open a command prompt and run "%PROGRAMFILES%\PowerToys\Tools\BugReportTool.exe" (the double quotes are important)
  That will create a zip file, on your desktop, named like this PowerToysReport_2021-01-04-12-02-08.zip that contains settings, log files and other system configurations to help debugging the problem.
  You can drag and drop the zip file in a GitHub comment.

IMPORTANT: after you've posted the zip file, please reinstall 0.29.3 https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/releases/download/v0.29.3/PowerToysSetup-0.29.3-x64.exe
Even if the test build worked for you and PowertToys Run was opening, make sure to reinstall 0.29.3 because the test build is not a stable release and it will not notify you when the next stable build is released.

EDIT: I've updated the test build with more logging.

PowerToysSetup-0.0.1-x64-unsigned.zip

[wieldon]

PowerToys Run still doesn't run, even after installing PowerToysSetup-0.0.1-x64.exe. No PowerLaunch.exe is showing up in Task Manager. For debugging as asked for I created and uploaded "PowerToysReport_2021-01-10-00-30-27" using BugReportTool.exe.

PowerToysReport_2021-01-10-00-30-27.zip

[wieldon]

Uninstalled testversion and installed latest stable version 0.29.3 after manual installing dependancy software .NET Core 3.1 Desktop Runtime ("windowsdesktop-runtime-3.1.10-win-x64.exe"). PowerToys Run stil doesn't start.

[enricogior]

@wieldon
thank you for posting the report. Do you have the same problem when PowerToys runs as a user (not as administrator)?

[GMably]

Hi, I followed the instructions, and Power Launcher.exe still does not launch when PowerToys starts. Please find the Report created Thank You.

PowerToysReport_2021-01-10-14-17-03.zip

[enricogior]

@GMably
we should not suggest to disable UAC. There is a bug in the PowerToys code and we will work to fix it. But no one should disable UAC has a solution for this problem.

[GMably]

Ok, but then why disabling uac seems to solve the problem, when i am the admin of this pc, and the only user?
Couldn't there be another way? because I have tried with several versions and none of them launch PowerLauncher.exe

I also tried to run it in the task scheduler. The problem is that if I add PowerLauncher.exe with the powertoys autorun it works, but as soon as I reboot or disconnect it disappears. And if I create another task just with PowerLauncher.exe it just doesn't work.
I don't know if this can help anything

Thank you for your quick feedback, I took the liberty of hiding the comment given that you do not suggest doing the manipulation I did.

[enricogior]

@GMably

but then why disabling uac seems to solve the problem

It's really simple, but very long to explain.
Bottom line is that the bug is random and it happens because of some bad memory initialization.
Changing things like the UAC changes the boundary conditions, but it's not the thing to change to fix this problem.

[GMably]

Ok thank you for the explanation, I have just activated UAC in the registry but also in the windows options, and PowerLauncher.exe this launches without problem now.

Thank you

[enricogior]

@wieldon @GMably
I've updated the test build, it has more logging and also a possible fix:
https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/files/5796451/PowerToysSetup-0.0.1-x64-unsigned.zip

In case you want to test it, try restarting PowerToys multiple times, switching from user mode to admin mode and vice versa.
Thanks.

[Koooper]

PowerToysReport_2021-01-11-12-58-25.zip
PowerLauncher.exe did not launch whenever I enabled PowerToys Run. Something I noticed going through logs was something about needing elevation, but the program was supposed to already be running in administrator?

[enricogior]

@Koooper
thanks you for uploading the bug report, it has some interesting information.

[enricogior]

@Koooper
do you have any third party antivirus/security software on your pc? Is it a personal or a company pc?
Your user account has administrator rights?

[TheOnlyTails]

So - I have that problem, and I went through the process. It unfortunately isn't solved. Here's my .zip file:
PowerToysReport_2021-01-14-18-10-34.zip

[enricogior]

@TheOnlyTails
thank you for sending the report.

• go to C:\Program Files\PowerToys
• right click on PowerToys.exe and select Properties
• go to Compatibility tab
• make sure the Run this program as an administraotr option is unchecked (you may have to click on Change settings for all users to be able to turn it off)

[TheOnlyTails]

I believe it's now working. Thank you very much! This feature is so useful!

[wieldon]

@enricogior
I'm very sad!
As requested by you I reinstalled latest build v29.03 and now powerlauncher.exe again doesn't start, not when restarting - several times - PowerToys.exe as administrator and as user.

My answer to your remark "How is that even possible? The installer doesn't set that option. Did you manually set it on?": I wrote before "Suddenly I rembered one of the previously tested fixes!". So, yes this setting was one of the things I tried before by myself. I'm certified Microsoft engineer, created msi-files also many times and also tested many applications.

I'm also very sad to inform you that when running the repair option from the uninstaller I got an error telling me it couldn't find PowerToysBootstrappedinstaller-0.0.1.0.msi in the Temp-dir.

By the way, when uninstalling PowerToys I also do miss a question whether or not the configuration settings should be deleted!?

So, powerlauncher.exe doesn't start, not when restarting - several times - PowerToys.exe, nor as administrator nor as user. Installing of PowerToysDebugSetup-0.0.1-x64-unsigned.exe also doesn't fix it. That's why I created and uploaded PowerToysReport_2021-01-21-00-41-13.zip to examine by you. I hope this will help.

PowerToysReport_2021-01-21-00-41-13.zip

[enricogior]

@wieldon
the log shows that the shortcut to open PT Run is never processed by PowerToys.
We'll need to do more investigation for you case.
We are in the process of releasing 0.31, after that we will continue the investigation.

Regarding

running the repair option from the uninstaller I got an error

It's a known issue, btw the repair option at this stage is kind of useless, since it's much simpler to just reinstall PowerToys.

when uninstalling PowerToys I also do miss a question whether or not the configuration settings should be deleted!?

We don't provide that option yet. It can be done manually, deleting %localappdata%\Microsoft\PowerToys\

[kancumaniseng]

Dear @enricogior ,
I also still have problems regarding Power Launcher in my computer.
Attached is the zip file created by BugReportTool.exe (I have followed your instruction). Hope this can help you and your team for future update.

Thank you and have a nice day.

PowerToysReport_2021-01-31-10-50-56.zip

[enricogior]

@kancumaniseng
unfortunately the log is not showing any activity, it looks like PowerToys itself is not running.
Next week I will update the private build with more logging to try to figure out what is happening.

[param4real]

PowerToysReport_2021-02-17-07-25-15.zip

[ghost]

PowerLauncher works when I manually execute it
PowerLauncher does not work when PowerToys is on and PowerLauncher is on
PowerLauncher works when PowerToys is completely terminated but PowerLauncher is on
I tried again with PowerLauncher terminated via Task Manager
Result: Did not work (Have to manually execute PowerLauncher again)
Hope this information helps!

[mesterjagels]

PowerToysReport_2021-03-08-09-29-02.zip

[enricogior]

Closing this issue as well as #9018 since the instructions are obsolete now.
Users are still reporting issues for PT Run not starting, and we will use new issues to track the problem.

[filipworksdev]

I'm on v0.58.0 and is still not starting. So this issue is not solved.

[justanindieguy]

I'm on v.0.58.0 and the issue is still there.

[hdadhich01]

Issue persists on v0.61.1.

[PIETERJANAHENKONA]

Powerlauncher not starting up in the newest version

PowerToysReport_2022-10-22-10-12-49.zip
PowerToysReport_2022-10-22-10-27-08.zip

[PIETERJANAHENKONA]

Powerlauncher still not running

PowerToysReport_2022-11-04-20-48-18.zip