EXE header PE offset

[punky]

why some exe does have at PE header value offset the MZ value set instead of the PE value?

magic number at offset 0h is MZ
then at offset of the PE header value offset vlaue of 3ch the MZ value is set instead of the PE value ?
what does it mean?

offset 0x0 = MZ
offset 0x18 = 0x40
offset [0x3c] = MZ not PE

[Duthomhas]

Sounds like you have a corrupted PE32.
How many of such files have you encountered?

[kbw]

MZ is a DOS program.