How to Fix OSError: [WinError 193] %1 Is Not a Valid Win32 Application

1. What Is the OSError: [WinError 193] %1 is not a valid Win32 application
2. Why Does the OSError: [WinError 193] %1 is not a valid Win32 application Occurs
3. Different Reasons and Solutions of OSError: [WinError 193] %1 is not a valid Win32 application

You receive an error when attempting to run an executable (.exe) file. This error occurs when an executable file is not a valid Win32 application.

It may be caused by a mismatch between the local computer’s processor architecture and the executable file’s architecture. When you double-click the .exe file, you may receive the error message:

Error: oserror: [winerror 193] %1 is not a valid win32 application.
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What Is the OSError: [WinError 193] %1 is not a valid Win32 application

One of the biggest frustrations when developing with Python is dealing with Python errors. There are a lot of different errors that can occur when writing Python code, but one of the most confusing errors to deal with is the OSError: [WinError 193] %1 is not a valid Win32 application.

This error occurs when you try to run a Python script or program that has not been installed correctly on your computer.

You will get the error whether you run a Python script from the command line or double-clicking a file associated with Python. This error is also different from a syntax error or other error that tells you that there is an error in your Python code.

This error is usually caused by an incorrect path to your computer’s Python executable or .pyd file.

Why Does the OSError: [WinError 193] %1 is not a valid Win32 application Occurs

Whenever you open a new window in your browser, an error message could pop up saying that the application you are trying to open is not a valid Win32 application. This error occurs in the Internet Explorer browser, meaning that the file you are trying to open is not a valid application.

This can be a crucial security hole, as any file can be marked as a valid Win32 application by simply modifying its file extension. It’s very easy to do this with common file editing software.

So, if you are not careful, you will open a file you have no business with. One of the most common reasons this error happens is because you are trying to open a file that is not an application.

For example, if you have some HTML file with a .html extension, it will not work. You need to change the file extension to .exe to open the file in your browser.

Another reason might be that the file is corrupt or has some other issues. In this case, you need to download the file again from the source and try opening it on your computer.

Different Reasons and Solutions of OSError: [WinError 193] %1 is not a valid Win32 application

Below are the reasons and solutions for the error.

Python subprocess Module on a Python File

You’re calling the Python subprocess module on a Python file. The Python subprocess module only accepts command line arguments.

To run Python code, you will need to create a Win32 executable that can be run via the subprocess module or use the subprocess module in Python code by running it as a script.

There is an example of an OSError. This code will show the OSError, and then we will provide the solution for this error.

import subprocess

subprocess.call(["hello.py", "htmlfilename.htm"])

Output:

OSError: [WinError 193] %1 is not a valid Win32 application

In this scenario, when we call a Python file hello.py within the Python interpreter with subprocess, it will show an OSError.

This will show that hello.py is not executable. For execution, the executable must be clear like:

subprocess.call(["python.exe", "hello.py", "htmlfilename.htm"])

If you want to make python.exe visible in the search path, then you should pass the entire path from the executable that will run the python.exe address.

import sys
import subprocess

subprocess.call([sys.executable, "hello.py", "htmlfilename.htm"])

Incompatible Versions of Python and TensorFlow

Incompatible versions of Python and TensorFlow are a reason for OSError. Due to incompatible versions of Python and TensorFlow, this application has stopped functioning.

This can occur if a different version of Python is installed on your computer than the version of Python that TensorFlow was built with. You can fix this by reinstalling TensorFlow and updating your PATH variable to point to the correct Python installation.

Sometimes you may have problems with running Python scripts with TensorFlow on Windows. If you see the OSError: [WinError 193] %1 is not a valid Win32 application; this happens because TensorFlow is a 64-bit application, while Python is 32-bit, and you are trying to run a 32-bit version of Python with a 64-bit TensorFlow.

To fix this, you need to install the 32-bit version of TensorFlow.

Python Environments Dispute

Updating your Python environments is a bit of a hassle because two different versions of Python environments are available: 32-bit and 64-bit. And many people fail to update their Python environments.

This failure can cause your Python environments to malfunction and crash your computer. If you use Python environments on your computer, you need to update it as soon as possible.

If you don’t use Python environments, you should check out an article on the benefits of Python environments.

A clean Python environment is the best way to run the Python scripts. If you are getting a Windows error OSError: [WinError 193] %1 is not a valid Win32 application while running a Python script, the problem is most likely with your Python installation.

So you need to ensure that you have a clean Python environment.

When you install Python, it adds a shortcut to its folder on your desktop and your Start menu. You also install pip, which lets you install third-party Python modules.

However, Python keeps a record of all the modules you have installed. This can make it difficult to update your Python installation because you have to remove those modules before you can update Python.

So, what you need to do is to delete the folder that contains the Python installation files. For many people, this folder is C:\Python27.

Calling a 32-Bit DLL File Into a 64-Bit Process

You are calling a 32-bit DLL file into a 64-bit process. This error usually occurs when you have a 32-bit and 64-bit version of a DLL.

For example, a feature you are trying to use is found in a 32-bit DLL and a 64-bit DLL. The 64-bit DLL overrides the functions of the 32-bit DLL.

You can see this error when running a 64-bit process using a 32-bit DLL.

One of the most common errors when running a 32-bit application on a 64-bit operating system is the error message: OSError: [WinError 193] %1 is not a valid Win32 application. The error message has a %1 in place of the application you are trying to run.

The error pops up when you try to run the application, which is not a valid Win32 application. If the application is a 32-bit application, you need to install the 32-bit version of the application.

If the application is a 64-bit application, you need to install the 64-bit version of the application.

Running Semgrep Directly

It can be quite annoying when you try to launch Semgrep directly on Windows. It can cause an OSError.

So you should avoid running semgrep directly on Windows.

You go to your Start menu, and there is no Semgrep.exe application to be seen. It’s not there because Semgrep is not a typical Windows application but a console application.

If you want to use Semgrep directly on Windows, you will have to launch it through a cmd window. The easiest way is to hold down your Windows key and press the R key.

This will open the run prompt. At this point, you should type cmd and press Enter.

You now have a command prompt. You can now go to the directory where Semgrep is installed and type in semgrep.

Due to Old Data

Old data from the last installation of PyCharm may cause the OSError. So to avoid this error, you should follow this solution.

You have old data from a previous installation of PyCharm in the following directory: C:\Users\<your_name>\.ipython profile_default\history\.

This directory contains files that a previous version of PyCharm has created and can contain old files (for example, a file with a name generated by a previous version of PyCharm).

To prevent this directory from being created in the future, select the option Do not create a .ipython directory in the profile settings. Note that this will not affect the history of files that already exist in the directory.