Missing rdpclip.exe, please help

[tgfyhre]

I ran autoruns this morning, and I noticed that rdpclip was checked to run, but the file is missing. I've found others who are having this issue but I couldn't find a solution. I'm running Windows 7 32bit home premium. According to autoruns, the location in the registry is:

HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server\Wds\rdpwd\StartupPrograms

and if I go there, the registry entry is indeed there. But the file, which should be located in C:\Windows\System32 is not there. I seem to remember that being an issue before and I don't think I ever figured it out and I just moved on. Now I'm trying to see if there's anything I can do about it.

Not sure how it went missing - I understand it involves remote copying of files. I vaguely remember a program I installed long ago that may have removed that file when I uninstalled it, but I can't remember the program.

A windows support engineer told somebody else

"If your machine acts as a Terminal Server, i.e. someone else connects to your machine using Remote Desktop, then rdpclip.exe will be loaded on your machine as part of the Terminal Server functionality. RDSCLIP is loaded on the machine allowing other machines to connect via Remote Desktop."

So maybe that was installed as part of some remote service at some point? I did have a couple times when customer service techs needed to remote connect for some software issues I was having (blackberry, Verizon FiOS), so maybe that's when this got enabled? Any help would be appreciated.

I did find these files in my C:\Windows\winsxs folder. rdpclip.exe.mui is located in the folder:

x86_microsoft-windows-t..direction.resources_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.16385_en-us_76f9de369905896d

and rdpclip.exe is located in 2 different folders:

x86_microsoft-windows-t..lipboardredirection_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.16385_none_01ac66c66c75c026

x86_microsoft-windows-t..lipboardredirection_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7601.17514_none_03dd7a8e696443c0

Could I just copy the most recent file (6.1.7601.17514) over to the system32folder along with rdpclip.exe.mui? Should I ignore rdpclip.exe.mui and only copy rdpclip.exe?

Note: I also followed this guide:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/42776-extract-files-windows-7-installation-dvd.html

and those files were not located in the system32 folder of the Windows7 install disk.

 

[tgfyhre]

Update: Okay, using this guide:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/42776-extract-files-windows-7-installation-dvd.html

I found rdpclip.exe in the system32 folder of the professional install folder - for whatever reason it wasn't in the home premium install folder. So I extracted that file to my desktop. That file matches exactly to the file I have located in:

x86_microsoft-windows-t..lipboardredirection_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.16385_none_01ac66c66c75c026

So then since that's the file I assume I can copy it over to my system32 folder, correct? My only question then is, should I copy the file that came from the install disk (the same one in the folder listed above), or do I copy the one from the other \winsxs folder - the one that looks more recent? I don't know if that file is a modified version that came with some other software, or if it's actually from Microsoft. To be safe, should I use the original file off the disc? I want to make sure I copy the right file.

 

[mohavepc]

Update: Okay, using this guide:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/42776-extract-files-windows-7-installation-dvd.html

I found rdpclip.exe in the system32 folder of the professional install folder - for whatever reason it wasn't in the home premium install folder. So I extracted that file to my desktop. That file matches exactly to the file I have located in:

x86_microsoft-windows-t..lipboardredirection_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.16385_none_01ac66c66c75c026

So then since that's the file I assume I can copy it over to my system32 folder, correct? My only question then is, should I copy the file that came from the install disk (the same one in the folder listed above), or do I copy the one from the other \winsxs folder - the one that looks more recent? I don't know if that file is a modified version that came with some other software, or if it's actually from Microsoft. To be safe, should I use the original file off the disc? I want to make sure I copy the right file.

7 Home Premium is not recommended for Networking as some features are either disabled or not installed. RDP is one of them. RDP can only be used in Home Premium to allow assistance "To" the machine not out to a Terminal server. This is according to Microsoft.

 

[problemshredder]

I cannot say the actual effect of copying the files to system32 folder, but in the sense of comparing between using the same files from professional installation disc or the ones already inside the present 7 home premium, i'd rather choose the files already within home premium. the fact that these files are already there inside home premium in the first place is enough to mark them as safe to use, though it's not inside system32 folder. but i honestly don't know the result of moving them into system32, so you need further explanation from others.

 

[tgfyhre]

Update: Okay, using this guide:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/42776-extract-files-windows-7-installation-dvd.html

I found rdpclip.exe in the system32 folder of the professional install folder - for whatever reason it wasn't in the home premium install folder. So I extracted that file to my desktop. That file matches exactly to the file I have located in:

x86_microsoft-windows-t..lipboardredirection_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.16385_none_01ac66c66c75c026

So then since that's the file I assume I can copy it over to my system32 folder, correct? My only question then is, should I copy the file that came from the install disk (the same one in the folder listed above), or do I copy the one from the other \winsxs folder - the one that looks more recent? I don't know if that file is a modified version that came with some other software, or if it's actually from Microsoft. To be safe, should I use the original file off the disc? I want to make sure I copy the right file.

7 Home Premium is not recommended for Networking as some features are either disabled or not installed. RDP is one of them. RDP can only be used in Home Premium to allow assistance "To" the machine not out to a Terminal server. This is according to Microsoft.

Well I'm not interested in Networking. All I'm trying to figure out is what to do about the missing file. It must have been on my system for some reason at some point, so I'm just trying to figure out what to do about it now. Currently it's just disabled in Autoruns since the file currently doesn't exist. But it used to be in my system32 folder, which is why there is an Autoruns entry for it. So I can either delete the entry from Autoruns, or leave it disabled, or try and copy the file back into my system32 folder so Autoruns is happy.

How would I know if I need this or not? Is this necessary for my computer? Will it affect the way I copy files at all if I leave it missing from system32? It must have been there for some reason. It may have gotten installed when I allowed some software to get installed at some point to allow Blackberry or Verizon to connect to my PC. I just want to know how to deal with this now. Should I just delete the entry in Autoruns then? The idea of deleting an Autoruns entry for something that should be in my system32 folder is scary so I just want to know what's best in my case.

 

[tgfyhre]

I cannot say the actual effect of copying the files to system32 folder, but in the sense of comparing between using the same files from professional installation disc or the ones already inside the present 7 home premium, i'd rather choose the files already within home premium. the fact that these files are already there inside home premium in the first place is enough to mark them as safe to use, though it's not inside system32 folder. but i honestly don't know the result of moving them into system32, so you need further explanation from others.

Well the file was found on my install disc, but not under the "Home Premium" install, but rather the "Professional" and "Ultimate" installs. So that's where I extracted the file from. So it seems the file doesn't get installed with Home Premium. Still, it was in there somehow, so I'm afraid just deleting the Autoruns or leaving it missing could cause some harm if something on my PC needs it for some reason.

Your thought about using the file from the install disc seems to make sense, and that's how I'm leaning. At least I know I can trust it from the disc. But then what if the other file is a newer version as it appears to be? I also think maybe I should just delete the Autoruns entry since maybe I don't need this file anyways. I just wanted to make certain that it isn't a file I should have before I delete the entry.

 

[mamania]

I don't consider it a problem; it's just what Windows 7 does.

 

[mohavepc]

1) In home premium no you do not need the file
2) No it is not necessary
3) No it will not affect the way you copy files if you leave it missing and delete the autorun entry.
4) More than likely it was installed when someone else took control of that machine. if it is needed their RDP session Will recreate it.
5) Yes it is safe to delete the entry
6) It is a leftover from a remote session from another PC to yours. MS does not always to a good job of cleaning itself up after a certain jobs, Hence the HUGE temp files left behind after an update.

All in all I hope this sheds some light on the issue that is not really an issue.

 

[problemshredder]

if you're still unsure if it's safe to delete the files or not, you can make a new system restore point first before doing so, or making a system backup which is quite space consuming. a simple solution would be just moving the files to another drive (flash drive/ext hd) and use the pc normally for a few days, if everything's ok then great the files are indeed not critical for the system.

 

[Jacee]

Please read this http://www.sevenforums.com/general-discussion/97418-missing-win7-file-rdpclip-exe.html

 

[tgfyhre]

@Jacee, thanks - I had already read that thread and it left me confused as there was no resolution there.

@mohavepc, thanks for the info - I'll delete the entry and not worry about it. Thanks for clearing it up for me.

I appreciate all who helped - thanks again.