Why the difference between the Run Command and Shortcut

Question

I frequently (every couple of days) create restore points on my Windows systems to trigger the "file versions" aspect of the file system. Using the UI there are a large number of keyclicks to get to the place where you can create the manual restore point. I figured out that the applicable applet is: SystemPropertiesProtection.exe; so I tested it on the Run... command (from the Start menu) and all worked fine.

So I next created a shortcut and on my 32 bit windows 7 system this also worked fine. However, when I took the shortcut to my Windows 64 bit system (and adjusted for the different location of the executable), it brings up the dialog, but the "System Protection" tab is missing! I can't use the shortcut. However, if I revert to the Run Command it works fine!

What's going on? Why the difference?

TIA, Paolo

Answer 1

However, when I took the shortcut to my Windows 64 bit system (and adjusted for the different location of the executable)

Your problem is that you didn't need to change the location of the executable. On 64-bit Windows, the System32 folder is actually where the 64-bit binaries live. The SysWOW64 directory is where the 32-bit binaries live. Running the 32-bit version of SystemPropertiesProtection.exe on 64-bit Windows will not have the System Properties tab as you observed.

Regardless of whether you're on 32-bit or 64-bit Windows, the path you should use to run SystemPropertiesProtection.exe should always be:

%SystemRoot%\System32\SystemPropertiesProtection.exe

Answer 2

Seems like the difference between the run command and the shortcut is that the run command is using the 32 bit version. I tried Run > "SystemPropertiesProtection" on my 64 bit Windows 7 machine and it is also finding and opening the 32 bit version in C:\Windows\System32.

Edit: Seems like the difference between the run command and the shortcut is that the run command is using the 64 bit version (which windows keeps in system32 folder for backwards compatibility). The other version, in the WoW64 folder is the 32 bit version. I tried Run > "SystemPropertiesProtection" on my 64 bit Windows 7 machine and it is also finding and opening the 64 bit version in C:\Windows\System32.

Thanks Ryan!

Answer 3

I've never used this method before. It's prone to breaking.

A better idea is to use a VB script.

If WScript.Arguments.Count = 0 Then
    Set objShell = CreateObject(“Shell.Application”)
objShell.ShellExecute “wscript.exe”, WScript.ScriptFullName & ” Run”, , “runas”, 1
Else
    GetObject(“winmgmts:\\.\root\default:Systemrestore”).CreateRestorePoint “description”, 0, 100
End If

Save that to a VB script and you can double click to create a restore point. Create a shortcut from it and you can pin it to the Startmenu or taskbar.