November 16th, 2004

What is this Xerox directory doing in Program Files?

Raymond Chen
Raymond Chen

If you go snooping around, you may find an empty C:\Program Files\Xerox directory. What’s that for?

This directory is being watched by Windows File Protection, because it needs to protect the file xrxflnch.exe should it ever show up. (Why does the directory have to exist in order for Windows File Protection to be able to watch it? I’m told it’s a limitation of the Windows File Protection engine. I suspect it may have something to do with the fact that the FindFirstChangeNotification function can’t watch a directory that doesn’t exist.)

Why is xrxflnch.exe so special? I don’t know. My guess is that it’s some file that is frequently overwritten by setup programs and therefore needs to be protected.

Category
Old New Thing
Topics
Tips/Support

Author

Raymond Chen

Raymond has been involved in the evolution of Windows for more than 30 years. In 2003, he began a Web site known as The Old New Thing which has grown in popularity far beyond his wildest imagination, a development which still gives him the heebie-jeebies. The Web site spawned a book, coincidentally also titled The Old New Thing (Addison Wesley 2007). He occasionally appears on the Windows Dev Docs Twitter account to tell stories which convey no useful information.

0 comments

Discussion are closed.

Read next