python os.listdir doesn't show all files

Question

In my windows7 64bit system, there is a file named msconfig.exe in folder c:/windows/system32. Yes, it must exists.

But when i use os.listdir to search the folder c:/windows/system32, I didn't get the file. Here is the test code, in t1.py:

import os
files = os.listdir("c:/windows/system32")
for f in files:
    if f.lower() == "msconfig.exe":
        print(f)

After run python t1.py, I get nothing. Why the file missed? How can I list all files under a folder?

BTW: I am using python 3.3.0 32bit version under windows 7 64bit

On Python 3.2 in Windows 7 **32-bit**, your code works normally for me. Have you tried searching whether the file is actually there or not? — nhahtdh, Apr 29 '13 at 05:12
@jamylak: `system32` is a misnomer, but it actually contains 64-bit version of the dll and exe on 64-bit system. — nhahtdh, Apr 29 '13 at 05:18
What do you have for `os.access('c:/windows/system32/msconfig.exe', os.R_OK)`, also for check case sensitivity — wim, Apr 29 '13 at 05:22
On my machine it is here "C:\WINDOWS\system32\dllcache\msconfig.exe" — Marichyasana, Apr 29 '13 at 05:32
in ipython os.access("c:/windows/system32/msconfig.exe", os.R_OK) get False, os.path.isfile("c:/windows/system32/msconfig.exe") get False. in cmd.exe, dir c:\windows\system32\msconfig.exe get the file's information. — truease.com, May 03 '13 at 03:13
i tried to find it in cygwin, and it also failed. "cd /cygdrive/c/Windows/System32", and then "ls | grep -i msconfig " gets nothing — truease.com, May 03 '13 at 03:22

score 9 · Answer 1 · answered May 14 '13 at 08:28

I don't think this is a Python-specific issue. Windows does interesting things with 32 bit processes when running a 64 bit OS. In this case, Windows is probably showing you the contents of C:\Windows\SysWOW64\ as system32 when running 32 bit python. SysWOW64 contains 32 bit versions of various Windows components for use with the 32 bit compatibility layer.

The following was run on a Windows 7 x64 system; explorer.exe (which in this case is 64 bit) definitely shows different contents for these folders, yet:

Python 2.7.3 (default, Apr 10 2012, 23:31:26) [MSC v.1500 32 bit (Intel)] on win32
Type "copyright", "credits" or "license()" for more information.
>>> import os
>>> 
>>> s32 = set(os.listdir('C:/Windows/System32'))
>>> s64 = set(os.listdir('C:/Windows/SysWOW64'))
>>> s32-s64 # the difference is an empty set!
set([])

Awesome comment! Saved me a lot of time. – gies0r Apr 26 '17 at 14:53 — gies0r, Apr 26 '17 at 14:53

azhrei · Answer 2 · 2016-05-23T05:59:36.657

A 32-bit process running on 64-bit Windows has the sysnative alias available for this problem.

C:\Windows\System32>systeminfo | find "System Type"
System Type:               x64-based PC

C:\Windows\System32>dir /b msconfig.exe
msconfig.exe

C:\Windows\System32>python
Python 2.7.6 (default, Nov 10 2013, 19:24:18) [MSC v.1500 32 bit (Intel)] on win32
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>> import os
>>> 'msconfig.exe' in os.listdir(r'c:\windows\system32')
False
>>> 'msconfig.exe' in os.listdir(r'c:\windows\sysnative')
True
>>>

See File System Redirector (MSDN), which says:

32-bit applications can access the native system directory by substituting %windir%\Sysnative for %windir%\System32.

score 0 · Answer 3 · edited Jan 08 '14 at 08:17

0

try: C:\Windows\System32 instead of c:/windows/system32

import os,sys

files = os.listdir('C:\Windows\System32')
for x in files:
    if x == ('msconfig.exe'):
        print(x)

edited Jan 08 '14 at 08:17

pmod

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answered Sep 02 '13 at 17:35

user2740672

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python os.listdir doesn't show all files

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