HostsFile-Editor uses outdated notepad-version

[rka-ppi]

Microsoft PowerToys version

0.81.1

Installation method

PowerToys auto-update

Running as admin

Yes

Area(s) with issue?

Hosts File Editor

Steps to reproduce

1. Running PowerToys in AdminMode
2. Open HostsFile-Editor
3. Select Open Hosts File to open it in notepad
4. An old outdated notepad-version appears

✔️ Expected Behavior

Should use the actual notepad verson

❌ Actual Behavior

An old outdated notepad-version appears

Other Software

Edition Windows 11 Enterprise Version 23H2 Betriebssystembuild 22631.3593

[davidegiacometti]

Hi @rka-ppi

I have done a quick test on a Windows 11 machine and I have the new notepad launched. What the Hosts File Editor is doing here is retrieving from the registry the default command associated to the action of edit a text file. Can you open a PowerShell, execute the command below and post the output?

Get-Item -Path Registry::HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\text\shell\edit\command

/needinfo

EDIT: and of course! In case of error we fallback to the good old notepad.exe. Log file should contain more informations. Can you also reproduce the issue and attach the log file from the following folder %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\PowerToys\Hosts\Logs\0.81.1.0?

[Jay-o-Way]

retrieving from the registry the default command associated to the action of edit a text file.

@davidegiacometti why not just use (some kind of) ShellExecute command?

[rka-ppi]

Get-Item -Path Registry::HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\text\shell\edit\command

Hive: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\text\shell\edit
Name                           Property
----                           --------
command                        (default) : C:\WINDOWS\system32\NOTEPAD.EXE %1

Well.... Then it's a bug in the Win11 notepad App update mechanism. Strange.

[davidegiacometti]

@davidegiacometti why not just use (some kind of) ShellExecute command?

This won't work since the hosts file doesn't have an extension.

Get-Item -Path Registry::HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\text\shell\edit\command

Hive: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\text\shell\edit
Name                           Property
----                           --------
command                        (default) : C:\WINDOWS\system32\NOTEPAD.EXE %1

Well.... Then it's a bug in the Win11 notepad App update mechanism. Strange.

Woow! Can you confirm that C:\WINDOWS\system32\NOTEPAD.EXE is opening the old notepad on your PC?

[rka-ppi]

Yes... C:\WINDOWS\system32\NOTEPAD.EXE will open the old one.

Taskbar and Explorer Actions will open C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.WindowsNotepad_11.2404.10.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe\Notepad

[davidegiacometti]

Can you confirm that if you right click a txt file in Explorer and click "Edit" it opens the old notepad? That's what the editor is doing.

[rka-ppi]

Yes I can confirm. Edit bring up the "new" notepad

[rka-ppi]

ok well, there are two entrys.

new Win11 menu: Explorer -> edit in editor brings the new one old Win11 menu: Explorer -> further options -> edit bring the old one