missing file - ASPI32.sys


  1. Posts : 426
    Windows 10 64-bit Ver 1909, OS build 18363.535
       #1

    missing file - ASPI32.sys


    I opened autoruns tonight on my 64-bit Windows 10 PC and noticed it lists a file missing:

    C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\ASPI32.sys

    It is however in my SysWOW64 folder.

    My PC is new but I've been installing all my software (and un-installing a few along the way) and I'm wondering if I need to worry about this or not? Should this file be present? Does this have anything to do with disc drives? My new PC has been acting a bit odd with a couple older Audio programs (like Exact Audio Copy) like detecting DVD drives. Newer software seems to run fine. Should I worry about this missing file? Is it there by default with a new install and it somehow got deleted? Or did some piece of old software install it and when I uninstalled the software it removed the unneeded file?
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 141
    windows 10
       #2

    This kind of error can happen when Windows or software starts or shuts down, or maybe when you are using the computer or software.
    If ASPI32.sys missing, you will not able to run some software, system may work very slowly and not follow your command. Your important files will be in danger.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 426
    Windows 10 64-bit Ver 1909, OS build 18363.535
    Thread Starter
       #3

    Can somebody verify the above statement? That sounds pretty doom and gloom. My PC is brand new and I installed Windows 10 64bit myself from a retail thumb drive. I've been installing software on it over the past few weeks but otherwise I haven't even used it yet.

    ASPI32.sys is located in my SysWOW64 folder but not my system32 folder. I understand this can cause confusion as sometimes some files are in one folder but not the other.

    I also understand that since autoruns is 32bit it doesn't properly see some files and reports missing files when they aren't missing - something about folder redirection. For instance it also reports
    wow64.dll, wow64cpu & wow64win as "not found" in syswow64 even though they are in the system32 folder where they belong (I looked this up).

    Should Windows 10 have
    ASPI32.sys in the sytem32 folder? I'm thinking at some point during software installation I installed an older piece of software (which I did - for instance I installed the old disc burning software "Burrrn" and then uninstalled it when I realized it didn't run properly on Windows 10 since the software is ancient), and that software must have installed ASPI32.sys in the system32 folder and then removed it when I uninstalled it. Just my guess on what has happened. If somebody could verify where ASPI32.sys should be in Windows 10 64-bit I'd appreciate it.

    If ASPI32.sys is supposed to be in my system32 folder, wouldn't sfc /scannow detect this issue and fix it?
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 4,201
    Windows 10 Pro x64 Latest RP
       #4

    Have a look here, it's not all doom and gloom

    Aspi32.sys Windows process - What is it?

    On way out but will check back later
      My Computers


  5. Posts : 426
    Windows 10 64-bit Ver 1909, OS build 18363.535
    Thread Starter
       #5

    Thanks - that's so funny, I was literally just reading that very link.

    According to that, it's a WINASPI Driver. From some reports I've read it seems it's depreciated since Windows Vista or 7? I'm confused. I checked my old Windows 7 PC and that file is in my sytem32\drivers folder. I double-checked autoruns on my Windows 10 PC and it still says:

    "File not found: C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\ASPI32.sys"

    The file is in syswow64\Drivers but not system32\Drivers. The file description says "ASPI for WIN32 Kernal Driver".

    So, does this file get installed by some older software maybe, and possibly got uninstalled when I removed the software? It must have been in my system32\Drivers folder at some point recently for autoruns to list it as being missing now, right? Like I said I've been installing and uninstalling lots of software recently getting my new PC set up and but I don't know now which software could have been involved with this file. I don't want to delete the entry in autoruns and mess anything up since the file does exist in my syswow64\Drivers folder.

    I ran sfc /scannow on my Windows 10 PC and it reported no integrity violations.

      My Computer


  6. Posts : 88
    Windows 10 Version 21H1 (OS Build 19043.1165
       #6

    Well I've checked my 3 Win 10 desktops and aspi32.sys isn't on any of them and nothing has complained about it being missing. probably left behind by some older software you've removed I would think.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 426
    Windows 10 64-bit Ver 1909, OS build 18363.535
    Thread Starter
       #7

    Thanks for checking. So you don't have the file at all, even in your syswow64\Drivers folder?

    So what is Whatphoeb above talking about with his doom and gloom scenario?

    What should I do about Autoruns saying the file isn't found? Do I leave the yellow entry alone? I'm hesitant to delete it because the file does exist in my SysWOW64\Drivers folder, probably put there by some software I installed as you said. I also wasn't sure if this has something to do with Autoruns not seeing some files properly, like wow64.dll, wow64cpu & wow64win like I mentioned above. But that seems to be the opposite of what's happening here with ASPI32.sys.

    There's no way to track down what software put it there, is there? I wish there was a way for Windows to look back at files and see what program put it there.



      My Computer


  8. Posts : 4,201
    Windows 10 Pro x64 Latest RP
       #8

    I would suspect that the old burner software you installed and un-imstalled is to blame for this issue. It's quite likely that although it removed the files it created when you un-installed it was unaware of the virtual file in the wow64 folder so left it in place. The entry in autoruns is I think safe to remove. Removing the file itself could cause issues so is best left where any system entries may find it
      My Computers


  9. Posts : 426
    Windows 10 64-bit Ver 1909, OS build 18363.535
    Thread Starter
       #9

    Thank you. I also posted a similar thread about a few other missing .dll files in autoruns (codec files I think).

    autoruns reports missing files

    Can you take a look at that thread for me? One suggestion someone offered was to do a repair install but as I said in there I'm very nervous about doing that with my brand new PC after weeks of getting my software set up perfectly. I'm afraid too many other pieces of software may break after setting everything up so meticulously. A repair install seems rather drastic doesn't it, for a few missing .dll codecs that may or may not be an issue? Any advice there?
      My Computer


 

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