Notepad++ doesn't launch (notepad++.exe present in the task manager)

Question

Yesterday Notepad++ was runnable, but today it doesn't. In spite of the notepad++.exe (with its 13 process) presence is the tasks manager, Notepad++ window doesn't launch.

I tried to uninstall and re-install the sofware (and the first launch works), notepad.exe is present in C:\Windows and C:\Windows\Sytem32 folders.

The last file opened with notepad++ was a xml file which isn't readable by other softwares because of the following error message :

The '<' caracter can not be used in a value attribut

What can I do please ?

"notepad.exe is present in..." What does this have to do with Windows Notepad? Make sure never to touch that. It's a system application. — BoltClock, Aug 11 '11 at 08:52
Do you configure Notepad++ to remember the files you had open before closing it? Is that XML file one of those files? — BoltClock, Aug 11 '11 at 08:54
On the internet the first response to this problem is to check the process software presence on the taks manager, that's why I specifies. And it's my own XML file — , Aug 11 '11 at 09:01
Does it appear in the taskbar? If so, the program may be displaying itself off-screen. In that case, immediately after starting, press Alt-Spacebar followed by X which should show it maximised. (Or Alt-SpaceBar, follwed by M (for Move) and then use the arrows keys to move the windows around. (Of course, you don't know which direction you have to move it or how far). — sgmoore, Aug 11 '11 at 09:46
@sgmoore : No it doesn't. Notepad++ window isn't present in the taskbar, only in the task manager. I'm using a double screen — Dsandre, Aug 11 '11 at 10:01

Allman · Answer 1 · 2011-08-11T12:50:31.627

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Try removing the file from C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Notepad++\session.xml which reopens the file when you start the program.

If that does not work, maybe you should try a complete uninstall/reinstall if you haven't already.

EDIT: Workaround found (thanks to sgmoore): Install standalone version of Notepad++ (notepad++ portable).

edited Aug 11 '11 at 12:50

answered Aug 11 '11 at 09:36

Allman

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thank you for tracking ;) But I tried this solution thank's to "Revo-Uninstaller" to do a full re-installation of notepad++. All temp/conf files have been remove after the second/third installation – Dsandre Aug 11 '11 at 09:44
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If you try the uninstall make sure, make sure you remove all the files it leaves behind too. Just in case. – Windos Aug 11 '11 at 09:44
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the username should go in the path as well. had written it between tags, so it was removed :P C:\Users\YOUR_USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\Notepad++\session.xml – Allman Aug 11 '11 at 09:45
@Window, how can I be sure that *all* files have been remove ? I use Revo to precisely remove all files I can't find by myself. – Dsandre Aug 11 '11 at 09:47
@Allman : I removed C:\Users\YOUR_USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\Notepad++\session.xml but the problem still :( – Dsandre Aug 11 '11 at 09:49
That's odd, if all changes, files and registry are removed, then something in the windows install must have been affected, right? Checked my own registry and couldnt find anything by notepad++ except paths and context menus – Allman Aug 11 '11 at 09:50
@Allman : I did, notepad++ is uninstall now, but its folder is appear in AppData\Roaming. **PS** : the computer isn't my personnal PC, but an company PC. My Windows Vista session was coloned by a standard Windows Vista session, I think all personnal folders (C:\MY_USER\..) have been copied, so AppData also. – Dsandre Aug 11 '11 at 09:57
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You could try running a portable version of NotePad++ (see http://portableapps.com/apps/development/notepadpp_portable ) which should not use any of the settings from the previous install. – sgmoore Aug 11 '11 at 10:04
Good idea @sgmoore. Isn't there an install option for standalone install for USB-sticks and such in the regular np++ install? – Allman Aug 11 '11 at 10:06
Very good idea @sgmoore, the portable version of NotePad++ works perfectly. From now I will use it in place of the installed version of notepad++ until I find an opportunity to spend more time about this problem. Thank's a lot – Dsandre Aug 11 '11 at 12:31
The problem isn't realy solved, but an excellent temporary solution is found. So I don't know if I have to "resolved" the question or not – Dsandre Aug 11 '11 at 12:35
Hard to say, i'm not a very experienced stack/superuser, but i will update the answer with the workaraound if any1 else have problems :) – Allman Aug 11 '11 at 12:47
Nice. Backup file first. Remove the line inside that file one by one solved the issue. :) – Ivan Chau May 22 '19 at 13:49

score 11 · Answer 2 · edited Feb 11 '14 at 13:43

11

I encountered the same problem as you. Do the following:

Go to C:\Program Files\Notepad++\plugins
Move LightExplorer.dll to C:\Program Files\Notepad++\plugins\disabled.

If you cannot find LightExplorer.dll then move Explorer.dll to C:\Program Files\Notepad++\plugins\disabled

The problem should be solved with this method.

edited Feb 11 '14 at 13:43

Jawa

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answered Sep 14 '11 at 04:56

Wiiwiiking

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the mystery is all, since this problem I used the portable version of NotePad++. In order to test your solution I reinstalled the standard version of Notepad++ , gold today it works. it is not understandable. The computer in which I met this problem is professional, someone could corrected this worries in my absence. Thank's you – Dsandre Sep 15 '11 at 08:00
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+1 - 3 years later and this solution was the only one that worked for me. Thanks. – Reactgular Oct 30 '14 at 13:30
I wouldn't call it a solution. That's like answering the question "*How to fix a blown tire?*" with "*Remove the wheel.*". Of course, if you remove any of those DLLs, you will lose the explorer window feature. – David Ferenczy Rogožan Aug 12 '16 at 13:48
thanks, it was plugin issue latter i found explorer plugin had problem, solved and working fine. thanks alot @jawa – Dheeraj Thedijje Aug 19 '16 at 06:53
Thanks for your solution. I'm using Notepad 6.9.2 and I had the problem with two other extensions Explorer.dll 1.8.2 and WindowsManager.dll 1.2.2 – Vivian De Smedt Aug 20 '16 at 12:07
+1 Notepad 6.9.2, Explorer 1.8.2. Saved me sooo much headache. tx. – Hawkeye Parker Aug 22 '16 at 18:52
I encountered this issue, whereas Notepad++ was working fine previously. The fix (so to speak) was to remove the Light Explorer plugin. I was working at a different location (public wifi) and I suspect the issue is related to the Network item, which is displayed in the Light Explorer pane, and historically cause of trouble. Case in point, back home I could re-enable the Light Explorer plugin. – Gras Double Sep 28 '17 at 20:46

score 4 · Answer 3 · answered Nov 24 '11 at 08:47

4

I sometimes get this problem too, all I do is:

use task manager to kill those np++ processes
Find np++ shortcut in the start menu, right click and chose "Run as Administrator" (window appeared)
Close this np++ window, then reopen it normally (without Administrator) and it works.

I assume it is something like the session file, or a plugin, that gets locked up, or refuses access, and running as administrator clears that issue - but I could be wrong.

Hope my solution works for you, and anyone else who experiences this issue.

answered Nov 24 '11 at 08:47

GlenIku

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Thanks @Glenlku, I tried Allman's suggestion (which had worked for me in the past), but it didn't do it. I tried your's after removing the session.xml and it allowed np++ to start. – Michael La Voie Feb 12 '13 at 01:56
This worked for me and after running as administrator, I also got a "Windows Security" login prompt too. It's as if Notepad++ was trying to access something on the network or Internet. I'm on a WIndows network with Domain login. Also, I have the notepad++ feature turned off to open the last file I had open when I closed it too. Hmmm – Eric Nov 24 '15 at 14:46

score 2 · Answer 4 · answered Aug 11 '11 at 09:13

2

In spite of the notepad++.exe (with its 13 process) presence is the tasks manager...

Forgive me if I miss understand this statement but you're saying there are 13 notepad++ processes running?

If so I'd say one of them (probably the first/original) is stuck/unresponsive/otherwise occupied.

Kill all of your notepad++ processes and restart the application. Restarting your computer should have the same effect.

One final note, notepad.exe has nothing to do with notepad++ and is Windows' built in text editor, screwing with it won't fix this third part app.

answered Aug 11 '11 at 09:13

Windos

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Thank's @Windos, I killed all notepad++ preocesses and restarted application, but there is again the task only. I tried to re-install notepad++ 5.9 and 5.6.4, the problem still – Dsandre Aug 11 '11 at 09:24
It's very strange because after the installation notepad++ window launch automaticaly, but when closed it's impossible to restart – Dsandre Aug 11 '11 at 09:27
@Dsandre, have you done a full restart of you PC after all this installing? – Windos Aug 11 '11 at 09:29
Yes I did, but I also tried to do this without restart the computer – Dsandre Aug 11 '11 at 09:30

score 0 · Answer 5 · answered Aug 12 '16 at 08:46

I located the folder containing notepad++.exe (in my case C:\Program Files\Notepad++), I then right clicked on the parent folder (C:\Program Files\Notepad++) and chose Windows' Restore Previous Versions. Luckily I had a version from a few hours back, and restoring that fixed the issues. I suspect some file in there became corrupt.

score 0 · Answer 6 · answered Aug 22 '16 at 05:40

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Same problem. I find out that notepad creates DropboxExt.40.dll file in my dropbox bin folder just after lightExplorer loaded. I disabled any access to DropboxExt.40.dll file and now NP works fine. Maybe LE plugin is in bad hands now.

answered Aug 22 '16 at 05:40

Megabyte

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score 0 · Answer 7 · answered Nov 18 '16 at 19:27

Notepad++ v6.9.2 Won't Run Solution

How I fixed my non-starting Notepad++:

Using Windows Explorer, I navigated to C:\Users\\AppData\Roaming\Notepad++.
Right-clicked on 'session.xml'.
Selected 'Edit with Notepad++'.
In Notepad++, closed/saved all open files.
Exited Notepad++.
Re-opened Notepad++ normally.

score 0 · Answer 8 · edited Mar 20 '18 at 17:22

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But this is what helped me with v7.5.6:

Go to Preferences, File Associations, select Notepad and move txt and log associations to the right pane using button with arrow.

edited Mar 20 '18 at 17:22

bertieb

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answered Mar 20 '18 at 16:53

IgorStack

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score 0 · Answer 9 · edited Dec 12 '20 at 02:55

Two Options:

Try closing Notepad++, then delete config.xml (e.g., %AppData%\Notepad++\config.xml). A new instance of config.xml will be created when you re-start Notepad++
Alternatively, you can also open the existing config.xml, then find and delete long file/folder paths. In my case, the last file path, within the tag, was 233 characters long (including beginning and ending quotes). Once deleted, Notepad++ started working as expected.

score 0 · Answer 10 · answered Mar 12 '21 at 08:17

In my case it was a problem with the plugin "NppSaveAsAdmin". First, I removed all plugin folders from C:\Program Files\Notepad++\plugins, then I readded them one by one and checked in between if Notepad++ starts.

I am using v7.9.3 (build time Feb 14 2021)

score 0 · Answer 11 · answered May 05 '21 at 14:13

I found that my AppPosition setting had become corrupted in my config.xml so I was not able to find the running window. I renamed:

 C:\Users\<your username>\AppData\Roaming\Notepad++

and then restarted Notepad++, which complained, but opened. That created a new version of the folder. In the new folder, I found the "AppPosition" in the "working" config.xml:

C:\Users<your username>\AppData\Roaming\Notepad++\config.xml

GUIConfig name="AppPosition" x="your x value" y="your y value" width="your width value" height="your height value" isMaximized="no"

I modified that line to match in my original Notepad++ folder, closed Notepad++, renamed my original Notepad++ back to:

 C:\Users\<your username>\AppData\Roaming\Notepad++

Started Notepad++, and everything was back.

(Please excuse any bad formatting, this is my first post.)

score 0 · Answer 12 · answered Jun 06 '14 at 11:08

I would recommend you to do the following:

Open task manager
Terminate all instances of Notepad++. (Not to confuse with Notepad.exe)
Open command prompt (cmd)
(If necessary) navigate to your notepad++ installation directory
Start Notepad++.exe using the following command: Notepad++.exe -nosession.

If it is the problematic file that you have previously opened and it was preventing notepad from starting up, the -nosession argument should resolve it.

score -1 · Answer 13 · edited Jul 03 '14 at 18:37

-1

For my case, it was caused by a setting I recently changed.

From menu: Settings - preferences - MISC tab - at right bottom corner, I put "xml" in Session file Ext field for save session file convenience.

I did not realize this would cause the xml file to be unable to open in Notepad++.

edited Jul 03 '14 at 18:37

Mokubai

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answered Jul 03 '14 at 17:54

passby

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score -1 · Answer 14 · answered Oct 15 '14 at 14:58

I just ran into a similar issue where Notepad++ would launch, show in the taskbar, but not display on screen. This happened after I had logged into my computer through remote desktop from another PC.

I was able to fix it by alt-tabbing to the process and then use [windows key]+[left arrow] to move the window to my main monitor.

Notepad++ doesn't launch (notepad++.exe present in the task manager)

14 Answers14

Notepad++ v6.9.2 Won't Run Solution