'should exist' file test fails on windows (kitchen, serverspec)

Using Test Kitchen with the windows-2012r2 platform. I have a test that says:

  describe file('c:\\foo') do
    it { should exist }
  end

The file definitely exists; I am logged into the Windows VM and I can see it.

If I change this to search for other files that definitely exist, that fails too. I have tried various permutations of the filename including c:/foo, c:\foo, etc.

If I open c:\opscode\chef\embedded\bin\irb.exe and type File.exists? 'c:\\foo' it returns true.

When I run kitchen verify I get the following error.

$ kitchen verify
-----> Starting Kitchen (v1.4.2)
-----> Verifying <default-windows-2012r2>...
       Preparing files for transfer
-----> Busser installation detected (busser)
       Installing Busser plugins: busser-serverspec
       Plugin serverspec already installed
       Removing C:/Users/vagrant/AppData/Local/Temp/verifier/suites/serverspec
       Transferring files to <default-windows-2012r2>
-----> Running serverspec test suite

       BBS-provision-cookbook-windows::default
         File "c:\foo"
           should exist (FAILED - 1)

       C:/opscode/chef/embedded/bin/ruby.exe -IC:/Users/vagrant/AppData/Local/Temp/verifier/suites/serverspec -I'C:/Users/vagrant/AppData/Local/Temp/verifier/gems/gems/rspec-support-3.4.1/lib';'C:/Users/vagrant/AppData/Local/Temp/verifier/gems/gems/rspec-core-3.4.4/lib' 'C:/Users/vagrant/AppData/Local/Temp/verifier/gems/gems/rspec-core-3.4.4/exe/rspec' --pattern 'C:/Users/vagrant/AppData/Local/Temp/verifier/suites/serverspec/**/*_spec.rb' --color --format documentation --default-path C:/Users/vagrant/AppData/Local/Temp/verifier/suites/serverspec
$$$$$$ DL is deprecated, please use Fiddle
$$$$$$ C:/Users/vagrant/AppData/Local/Temp/verifier/gems/gems/specinfra-2.53.1/lib/specinfra/backend/exec.rb:83:in `read_nonblock': Bad file descriptor (Errno::EBADF)
$$$$$$ 	from C:/Users/vagrant/AppData/Local/Temp/verifier/gems/gems/specinfra-2.53.1/lib/specinfra/backend/exec.rb:83:in `block (4 levels) in spawn_command'
$$$$$$ 	from C:/Users/vagrant/AppData/Local/Temp/verifier/gems/gems/specinfra-2.53.1/lib/specinfra/backend/exec.rb:81:in `loop'
$$$$$$ 	from C:/Users/vagrant/AppData/Local/Temp/verifier/gems/gems/specinfra-2.53.1/lib/specinfra/backend/exec.rb:81:in `block (3 levels) in spawn_command'
$$$$$$ 	from C:/Users/vagrant/AppData/Local/Temp/verifier/gems/gems/specinfra-2.53.1/lib/specinfra/backend/exec.rb:80:in `each'
$$$$$$ 	from C:/Users/vagrant/AppData/Local/Temp/verifier/gems/gems/specinfra-2.53.1/lib/specinfra/backend/exec.rb:80:in `block (2 levels) in spawn_command'
$$$$$$ 	from C:/Users/vagrant/AppData/Local/Temp/verifier/gems/gems/specinfra-2.53.1/lib/specinfra/backend/exec.rb:77:in `loop'
$$$$$$ 	from C:/Users/vagrant/AppData/Local/Temp/verifier/gems/gems/specinfra-2.53.1/lib/specinfra/backend/exec.rb:77:in `block in spawn_command'
$$$$$$ C:/opscode/chef/embedded/bin/ruby.exe -IC:/Users/vagrant/AppData/Local/Temp/verifier/suites/serverspec -I'C:/Users/vagrant/AppData/Local/Temp/verifier/gems/gems/rspec-support-3.4.1/lib';'C:/Users/vagrant/AppData/Local/Temp/verifier/gems/gems/rspec-core-3.4.4/lib' 'C:/Users/vagrant/AppData/Local/Temp/verifier/gems/gems/rspec-core-3.4.4/exe/rspec' --pattern 'C:/Users/vagrant/AppData/Local/Temp/verifier/suites/serverspec/**/*_spec.rb' --color --format documentation --default-path C:/Users/vagrant/AppData/Local/Temp/verifier/suites/serverspec failed
$$$$$$ !!!!!! Ruby Script [C:/Users/vagrant/AppData/Local/Temp/verifier/gems/gems/busser-serverspec-0.5.9/lib/busser/runner_plugin/../serverspec/runner.rb C:/Users/vagrant/AppData/Local/Temp/verifier/suites/serverspec] exit code was 1
>>>>>> Verify failed on instance <default-windows-2012r2>.
>>>>>> Please see .kitchen/logs/default-windows-2012r2.log for more details
>>>>>> ------Exception-------
>>>>>> Class: Kitchen::ActionFailed
>>>>>> Message: WinRM exited (1) for command: [
$env:BUSSER_ROOT = "$env:TEMP\verifier"
$env:GEM_HOME = "$env:TEMP\verifier\gems"
$env:GEM_PATH = "$env:TEMP\verifier\gems"
$env:GEM_CACHE = "$env:TEMP\verifier\gems\cache"

& $env:TEMP\verifier\bin\busser.bat test
]
>>>>>> ----------------------

.kitchen/logs/default-windows-2012r2.log contains:

I, [2016-03-17T13:42:07.614239 #4574]  INFO -- default-windows-2012r2: -----> Verifying <default-windows-2012r2>...
I, [2016-03-17T13:42:07.614813 #4574]  INFO -- default-windows-2012r2: Preparing files for transfer
I, [2016-03-17T13:42:09.916730 #4574]  INFO -- default-windows-2012r2: -----> Busser installation detected (busser)
I, [2016-03-17T13:42:09.916940 #4574]  INFO -- default-windows-2012r2: Installing Busser plugins: busser-serverspec
I, [2016-03-17T13:42:11.179010 #4574]  INFO -- default-windows-2012r2: Plugin serverspec already installed
I, [2016-03-17T13:42:12.550082 #4574]  INFO -- default-windows-2012r2: Removing C:/Users/vagrant/AppData/Local/Temp/verifier/suites/serverspec
I, [2016-03-17T13:42:12.558541 #4574]  INFO -- default-windows-2012r2: Transferring files to <default-windows-2012r2>
I, [2016-03-17T13:42:15.604525 #4574]  INFO -- default-windows-2012r2: -----> Running serverspec test suite
I, [2016-03-17T13:42:17.485675 #4574]  INFO -- default-windows-2012r2: 
I, [2016-03-17T13:42:17.485800 #4574]  INFO -- default-windows-2012r2: BBS-provision-cookbook-windows::default
I, [2016-03-17T13:42:17.485830 #4574]  INFO -- default-windows-2012r2:   File "c:\foo"
I, [2016-03-17T13:42:17.485994 #4574]  INFO -- default-windows-2012r2:     should exist (FAILED - 1)
I, [2016-03-17T13:42:17.486018 #4574]  INFO -- default-windows-2012r2: 
I, [2016-03-17T13:42:17.486125 #4574]  INFO -- default-windows-2012r2: C:/opscode/chef/embedded/bin/ruby.exe -IC:/Users/vagrant/AppData/Local/Temp/verifier/suites/serverspec -I'C:/Users/vagrant/AppData/Local/Temp/verifier/gems/gems/rspec-support-3.4.1/lib';'C:/Users/vagrant/AppData/Local/Temp/verifier/gems/gems/rspec-core-3.4.4/lib' 'C:/Users/vagrant/AppData/Local/Temp/verifier/gems/gems/rspec-core-3.4.4/exe/rspec' --pattern 'C:/Users/vagrant/AppData/Local/Temp/verifier/suites/serverspec/**/*_spec.rb' --color --format documentation --default-path C:/Users/vagrant/AppData/Local/Temp/verifier/suites/serverspec
W, [2016-03-17T13:42:17.495997 #4574]  WARN -- default-windows-2012r2: DL is deprecated, please use Fiddle
W, [2016-03-17T13:42:17.496072 #4574]  WARN -- default-windows-2012r2: C:/Users/vagrant/AppData/Local/Temp/verifier/gems/gems/specinfra-2.53.1/lib/specinfra/backend/exec.rb:83:in `read_nonblock': Bad file descriptor (Errno::EBADF)
W, [2016-03-17T13:42:17.496106 #4574]  WARN -- default-windows-2012r2: 	from C:/Users/vagrant/AppData/Local/Temp/verifier/gems/gems/specinfra-2.53.1/lib/specinfra/backend/exec.rb:83:in `block (4 levels) in spawn_command'
W, [2016-03-17T13:42:17.496138 #4574]  WARN -- default-windows-2012r2: 	from C:/Users/vagrant/AppData/Local/Temp/verifier/gems/gems/specinfra-2.53.1/lib/specinfra/backend/exec.rb:81:in `loop'
W, [2016-03-17T13:42:17.496168 #4574]  WARN -- default-windows-2012r2: 	from C:/Users/vagrant/AppData/Local/Temp/verifier/gems/gems/specinfra-2.53.1/lib/specinfra/backend/exec.rb:81:in `block (3 levels) in spawn_command'
W, [2016-03-17T13:42:17.496198 #4574]  WARN -- default-windows-2012r2: 	from C:/Users/vagrant/AppData/Local/Temp/verifier/gems/gems/specinfra-2.53.1/lib/specinfra/backend/exec.rb:80:in `each'
W, [2016-03-17T13:42:17.496228 #4574]  WARN -- default-windows-2012r2: 	from C:/Users/vagrant/AppData/Local/Temp/verifier/gems/gems/specinfra-2.53.1/lib/specinfra/backend/exec.rb:80:in `block (2 levels) in spawn_command'
W, [2016-03-17T13:42:17.496257 #4574]  WARN -- default-windows-2012r2: 	from C:/Users/vagrant/AppData/Local/Temp/verifier/gems/gems/specinfra-2.53.1/lib/specinfra/backend/exec.rb:77:in `loop'
W, [2016-03-17T13:42:17.496287 #4574]  WARN -- default-windows-2012r2: 	from C:/Users/vagrant/AppData/Local/Temp/verifier/gems/gems/specinfra-2.53.1/lib/specinfra/backend/exec.rb:77:in `block in spawn_command'
W, [2016-03-17T13:42:17.496335 #4574]  WARN -- default-windows-2012r2: C:/opscode/chef/embedded/bin/ruby.exe -IC:/Users/vagrant/AppData/Local/Temp/verifier/suites/serverspec -I'C:/Users/vagrant/AppData/Local/Temp/verifier/gems/gems/rspec-support-3.4.1/lib';'C:/Users/vagrant/AppData/Local/Temp/verifier/gems/gems/rspec-core-3.4.4/lib' 'C:/Users/vagrant/AppData/Local/Temp/verifier/gems/gems/rspec-core-3.4.4/exe/rspec' --pattern 'C:/Users/vagrant/AppData/Local/Temp/verifier/suites/serverspec/**/*_spec.rb' --color --format documentation --default-path C:/Users/vagrant/AppData/Local/Temp/verifier/suites/serverspec failed
W, [2016-03-17T13:42:17.496454 #4574]  WARN -- default-windows-2012r2: !!!!!! Ruby Script [C:/Users/vagrant/AppData/Local/Temp/verifier/gems/gems/busser-serverspec-0.5.9/lib/busser/runner_plugin/../serverspec/runner.rb C:/Users/vagrant/AppData/Local/Temp/verifier/suites/serverspec] exit code was 1
E, [2016-03-17T13:42:17.496950 #4574] ERROR -- default-windows-2012r2: Verify failed on instance <default-windows-2012r2>.
E, [2016-03-17T13:42:17.497024 #4574] ERROR -- default-windows-2012r2: ------Exception-------
E, [2016-03-17T13:42:17.497046 #4574] ERROR -- default-windows-2012r2: Class: Kitchen::ActionFailed
E, [2016-03-17T13:42:17.497064 #4574] ERROR -- default-windows-2012r2: Message: WinRM exited (1) for command: [
$env:BUSSER_ROOT = "$env:TEMP\verifier"
$env:GEM_HOME = "$env:TEMP\verifier\gems"
$env:GEM_PATH = "$env:TEMP\verifier\gems"
$env:GEM_CACHE = "$env:TEMP\verifier\gems\cache"

& $env:TEMP\verifier\bin\busser.bat test
]
E, [2016-03-17T13:42:17.497081 #4574] ERROR -- default-windows-2012r2: ---Nested Exception---
E, [2016-03-17T13:42:17.497111 #4574] ERROR -- default-windows-2012r2: Class: Kitchen::Transport::WinrmFailed
E, [2016-03-17T13:42:17.497128 #4574] ERROR -- default-windows-2012r2: Message: WinRM exited (1) for command: [
$env:BUSSER_ROOT = "$env:TEMP\verifier"
$env:GEM_HOME = "$env:TEMP\verifier\gems"
$env:GEM_PATH = "$env:TEMP\verifier\gems"
$env:GEM_CACHE = "$env:TEMP\verifier\gems\cache"

& $env:TEMP\verifier\bin\busser.bat test
]
E, [2016-03-17T13:42:17.497145 #4574] ERROR -- default-windows-2012r2: ------Backtrace-------
E, [2016-03-17T13:42:17.497162 #4574] ERROR -- default-windows-2012r2: /opt/chefdk/embedded/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/test-kitchen-1.4.2/lib/kitchen/verifier/base.rb:79:in `rescue in call'
E, [2016-03-17T13:42:17.497179 #4574] ERROR -- default-windows-2012r2: /opt/chefdk/embedded/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/test-kitchen-1.4.2/lib/kitchen/verifier/base.rb:82:in `call'
E, [2016-03-17T13:42:17.497196 #4574] ERROR -- default-windows-2012r2: /opt/chefdk/embedded/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/test-kitchen-1.4.2/lib/kitchen/instance.rb:398:in `block in verify_action'
E, [2016-03-17T13:42:17.497213 #4574] ERROR -- default-windows-2012r2: /opt/chefdk/embedded/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/test-kitchen-1.4.2/lib/kitchen/instance.rb:488:in `call'
E, [2016-03-17T13:42:17.497230 #4574] ERROR -- default-windows-2012r2: /opt/chefdk/embedded/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/test-kitchen-1.4.2/lib/kitchen/instance.rb:488:in `synchronize_or_call'
E, [2016-03-17T13:42:17.497247 #4574] ERROR -- default-windows-2012r2: /opt/chefdk/embedded/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/test-kitchen-1.4.2/lib/kitchen/instance.rb:453:in `block in action'
E, [2016-03-17T13:42:17.497264 #4574] ERROR -- default-windows-2012r2: /opt/chefdk/embedded/lib/ruby/2.1.0/benchmark.rb:279:in `measure'
E, [2016-03-17T13:42:17.497281 #4574] ERROR -- default-windows-2012r2: /opt/chefdk/embedded/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/test-kitchen-1.4.2/lib/kitchen/instance.rb:452:in `action'
E, [2016-03-17T13:42:17.497298 #4574] ERROR -- default-windows-2012r2: /opt/chefdk/embedded/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/test-kitchen-1.4.2/lib/kitchen/instance.rb:394:in `verify_action'
E, [2016-03-17T13:42:17.497326 #4574] ERROR -- default-windows-2012r2: /opt/chefdk/embedded/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/test-kitchen-1.4.2/lib/kitchen/instance.rb:341:in `block in transition_to'
E, [2016-03-17T13:42:17.497344 #4574] ERROR -- default-windows-2012r2: /opt/chefdk/embedded/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/test-kitchen-1.4.2/lib/kitchen/instance.rb:340:in `each'
E, [2016-03-17T13:42:17.497361 #4574] ERROR -- default-windows-2012r2: /opt/chefdk/embedded/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/test-kitchen-1.4.2/lib/kitchen/instance.rb:340:in `transition_to'
E, [2016-03-17T13:42:17.497378 #4574] ERROR -- default-windows-2012r2: /opt/chefdk/embedded/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/test-kitchen-1.4.2/lib/kitchen/instance.rb:160:in `verify'
E, [2016-03-17T13:42:17.497403 #4574] ERROR -- default-windows-2012r2: /opt/chefdk/embedded/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/test-kitchen-1.4.2/lib/kitchen/command.rb:176:in `public_send'
E, [2016-03-17T13:42:17.497422 #4574] ERROR -- default-windows-2012r2: /opt/chefdk/embedded/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/test-kitchen-1.4.2/lib/kitchen/command.rb:176:in `block (2 levels) in run_action'
E, [2016-03-17T13:42:17.497439 #4574] ERROR -- default-windows-2012r2: /opt/chefdk/embedded/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/logging-1.8.2/lib/logging/diagnostic_context.rb:323:in `call'
E, [2016-03-17T13:42:17.497456 #4574] ERROR -- default-windows-2012r2: /opt/chefdk/embedded/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/logging-1.8.2/lib/logging/diagnostic_context.rb:323:in `block in create_with_logging_context'
E, [2016-03-17T13:42:17.497473 #4574] ERROR -- default-windows-2012r2: ----------------------

How do I fix this?
Thanks in advance.

I found the solution with a little more aggressive googling.