What are potential reasons for the file_exists() function returning false for a file located in C:\Windows\System32?

The potential reasons for the file_exists() function returning false for a file located in C:\Windows\System32 could be due to permission issues, incorrect file path, or the file being hidden/system file. To solve this issue, you can try running the PHP script with elevated privileges or modifying the file path to ensure it is correct.

<?php
$file_path = 'C:\\Windows\\System32\\example.txt';

// Check if file exists
if (file_exists($file_path)) {
    echo 'File exists!';
} else {
    echo 'File does not exist.';
}
?>