Knowledge Base

Error 193: %1 is not a valid Win32 application.

Category: Troubleshooting & error messages
Date: 19 Nov 2008
Product: SQL Backup
The SQL Backup Agent Service may fail to start and you may receive the following error messages:

Error 193: %1 is not a valid Win32 application.
Error 193: 0xe1 is not a valid Win32 application.

Also,

In the in the System event log you see a message similar to below:

The SQL Backup Agent service failed to start due to the following error: %1 is not a valid Win32 application.

This issue may occur if the path of the executable file for the service contains spaces.

When Windows starts a service, it parses the path of the service from left to right. If both of the following conditions are true, Windows may locate and try to run the file or folder before it locates and runs the executable file for the service:

• The path of a service’s executable file contains spaces.
• There is a file or folder on your computer’s hard disk that has the same name as a file or folder in the path to the service's executable file.

For example, if the path of the executable file for a service is C:\Program Files\Red Gate\SQL Backup\(LOCAL)\SQBCoreService.exe, and if a folder that is named C:\Program also exists on your hard disk, Windows locates the C:\Program folder on your hard disk before the C:\Program Files\Red Gate\SQL Backup\(LOCAL)\SQBCoreService.exe file, and then tries to run it.

To resolve this issue, add quotation marks around the following entry in the Windows registry:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SQLBackupAgent<INSTANCE NAME>\ImagePath

The ImagePath entry contains the path of the executable file for the service. To add quotation marks around the ImagePath entry for a service:

1. Click Start, and then click Run.
2. In the Open box, type regedit, and then click OK.
3. Locate, and then click the following registry entry: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SQLBackupAgent<INSTANCE NAME>.
4. In the right pane, double-click ImagePath.
5. In the Value data box, add quotation marks around the complete path of the executable file for the service. i.e."C:\Program Files\Red Gate\SQL Backup\<INSTANCE NAME>\SQBCoreService.exe"
6. Click OK, and then quit Registry Editor.