This is a commit that both arm64 and x64 work, a checkpoint here

src/modules/cmdpal/ext/Microsoft.CmdPal.Ext.PowerToys/Microsoft.CmdPal.Ext.PowerToys.csproj

@@ -67,8 +67,6 @@
 		<ProjectReference Include="..\..\..\Workspaces\Workspaces.ModuleServices\Workspaces.ModuleServices.csproj" />
 	</ItemGroup>
 
-	<!-- Exclude legacy Helper folder in favor of Helpers -->
-
 	<PropertyGroup>
 		<!-- Always build/publish AOT so the extension ships as native code -->
 		<SelfContained>true</SelfContained>

src/modules/cmdpal/ext/Microsoft.CmdPal.Ext.PowerToys/PowerToysExtension.cs

@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ public sealed partial class PowerToysExtension : IExtension, IDisposable
     public PowerToysExtension(ManualResetEvent extensionDisposedEvent)
     {
         this._extensionDisposedEvent = extensionDisposedEvent;
-        Logger.LogInfo("PowerToysExtension constructed.");
+        Logger.LogInfo($"PowerToysExtension constructed. ProcArch={RuntimeInformation.ProcessArchitecture} OSArch={RuntimeInformation.OSArchitecture} BaseDir={AppContext.BaseDirectory}");
     }
 
     public object? GetProvider(ProviderType providerType)

src/modules/cmdpal/ext/Microsoft.CmdPal.Ext.PowerToys/Program.cs

@@ -3,9 +3,12 @@
 // See the LICENSE file in the project root for more information.
 
 using System;
+using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
 using System.Threading;
 using ManagedCommon;
 using Microsoft.CommandPalette.Extensions;
+using Shmuelie.WinRTServer;
+using Shmuelie.WinRTServer.CsWinRT;
 
 namespace PowerToysExtension;
 
@@ -18,7 +21,7 @@ public class Program
         {
             // Initialize per-extension log under CmdPal/PowerToysExtension.
             Logger.InitializeLogger("\\CmdPal\\PowerToysExtension\\Logs");
-            Logger.LogInfo("PowerToysExtension starting (args: " + string.Join(' ', args) + ")");
+            Logger.LogInfo($"PowerToysExtension starting. Args=\"{string.Join(' ', args)}\" ProcArch={RuntimeInformation.ProcessArchitecture} OSArch={RuntimeInformation.OSArchitecture} BaseDir={AppContext.BaseDirectory}");
         }
         catch
         {
@@ -30,21 +33,24 @@ public class Program
             if (args.Length > 0 && args[0] == "-RegisterProcessAsComServer")
             {
                 Logger.LogInfo("RegisterProcessAsComServer mode detected.");
-                using ExtensionServer server = new();
+                ComServer server = new();
-
                 ManualResetEvent extensionDisposedEvent = new(false);
+                try
+                {
+                    PowerToysExtension extensionInstance = new(extensionDisposedEvent);
+                    Logger.LogInfo("Registering extension via Shmuelie.WinRTServer.");
+                    server.RegisterClass<PowerToysExtension, IExtension>(() => extensionInstance);
+                    server.Start();
+                    Logger.LogInfo("Extension instance registered; waiting for disposal signal.");
 
-                // We are instantiating an extension instance once above, and returning it every time the callback in RegisterExtension below is called.
+                    extensionDisposedEvent.WaitOne();
-                // This makes sure that only one instance of SampleExtension is alive, which is returned every time the host asks for the IExtension object.
+                    Logger.LogInfo("Extension disposed signal received; exiting server loop.");
-                // If you want to instantiate a new instance each time the host asks, create the new instance inside the delegate.
+                }
-                PowerToysExtension extensionInstance = new(extensionDisposedEvent);
+                finally
-                server.RegisterExtension(() => extensionInstance);
+                {
-                Logger.LogInfo("Extension instance registered; waiting for disposal signal.");
+                    server.Stop();
-
+                    server.UnsafeDispose();
-                // This will make the main thread wait until the event is signalled by the extension class.
+                }
-                // Since we have single instance of the extension object, we exit as soon as it is disposed.
-                extensionDisposedEvent.WaitOne();
-                Logger.LogInfo("Extension disposed signal received; exiting server loop.");
             }
             else
             {
@@ -52,6 +58,11 @@ public class Program
                 Logger.LogInfo("Exited: not launched with -RegisterProcessAsComServer.");
             }
         }
+        catch (Exception ex)
+        {
+            Logger.LogError("Unhandled exception in PowerToysExtension.Main", ex);
+            throw;
+        }
         finally
         {
         }