python / python/cpython

32-bit Python 3.12.7 subprocess.run() cannot run executables from Windows\System32

Open
#125,879 5 comments 0 reactions 0 assignees View on GitHub

Nobody has claimed this yet.

OS-windows type-bug
Dominant language
Python
Stars
77.2k
Forks
35.9k
PR merge metrics
PR metrics pending

Description

Bug report

Bug description:
PS C:\> py -V:3.12-32 -c "import subprocess; subprocess.run(['ssh'])"
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<string>", line 1, in <module>
  File "C:\Users\Brecht Machiels\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python312-32\Lib\subprocess.py", line 548, in run
    with Popen(*popenargs, **kwargs) as process:
         ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "C:\Users\Brecht Machiels\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python312-32\Lib\subprocess.py", line 1026, in __init__
    self._execute_child(args, executable, preexec_fn, close_fds,
  File "C:\Users\Brecht Machiels\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python312-32\Lib\subprocess.py", line 1538, in _execute_child
    hp, ht, pid, tid = _winapi.CreateProcess(executable, args,
                       ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
FileNotFoundError: [WinError 2] The system cannot find the file specified

This does work in the 64-bit Python 3.12.7 (after renaming vcruntime140.dll; see #125872):

PS C:\> py -V:3.12 -c "import subprocess; subprocess.run(['ssh'])"
usage: ssh [-46AaCfGgKkMNnqsTtVvXxYy] [-B bind_interface]
           [-b bind_address] [-c cipher_spec] [-D [bind_address:]port]
           [-E log_file] [-e escape_char] [-F configfile] [-I pkcs11]
           [-i identity_file] [-J [user@]host[:port]] [-L address]
           [-l login_name] [-m mac_spec] [-O ctl_cmd] [-o option] [-p port]
           [-Q query_option] [-R address] [-S ctl_path] [-W host:port]
           [-w local_tun[:remote_tun]] destination [command [argument ...]]

I'm assuming that this is because ssh.exe is an ARM executable. Using file in a Git Bash shell:

$ file "C:\Windows\System32\OpenSSH\ssh.exe"
C:\Windows\System32\OpenSSH\ssh.exe: PE32+ executable (console) Aarch64, for MS Windows, 6 sections

Calling an amd64 git does work:

PS C:\> py -V:3.12-32 -c "import subprocess; subprocess.run(['git', 'version'])"
git version 2.47.0.windows.1
$ file "C:\Program Files\Git\cmd\git.exe"
C:\Program Files\Git\cmd\git.exe: PE32+ executable (console) x86-64, for MS Windows, 13 sections
CPython versions tested on:

3.12

Operating systems tested on:

Windows 11 ARM

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Reproduce the failure with the 32-bit Python 3.12 command on Windows 11 ARM, then inspect Lib/subprocess.py around Popen and _execute_child, especially the _winapi.CreateProcess call. Compare it with the successful 64-bit and amd64 Git cases; done means subprocess.run(['ssh']) can launch the Windows System32 executable in the reported configuration.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
python
Domain
operating-systems
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
35/100

Get new issues in your inbox

A short digest of beginner-friendly GitHub issues.