Command Path Woe

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support (More info?)

Hiya, when I use cmd.exe I have discovered that I can't seem to run Windows
files unless I am in that directory. For example, if I typed 'ipconfig' in
the c:\ directory it says it can't recognise it, but it will work if I go to
\windows\system32. This is the same with any windows commands ('expand',
etc). Can anyone help? When I type 'path' I get the (correct):

%SystemRoot%\system32;%SystemRoot%;%SystemRoot%\System32\Wbem

....and also if I go to Environment Variables (Control Panel\System\Advanced)
there are no User Variables that could conflict (just the two Documents and
Settings ones)... can anyone help? If the only resort is re-installing Win
XP then I think I'll leave it, as there doesn't seem to be any other
problems, and this is just more annoying than anything...

The only reason I wanted it fixed is because I have that other problem of
command.com not finding autoexec.nt (a problem that can occur if you update
Windows - read it here
http://support.microsoft.com/defau [...] us;324767) and I cannot
fix it without going to cmd.exe and expanding things from the Win XP disc.

Aaaargh!

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support (More info?)

I read that the path should actually come up as:
PATH=C:\WINDOWS\system32;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\System32\Wbem

or something like that, and that it IS incorrect because it's coming up as:
PATH=C:\%SystemRoot%\system32;%SystemRoot%;%SystemRoot%\System32\Wbem

Can anyone tell me in a nice, simple, easy way (as I am not a tech head!)
how to fix this? Thanks!!!


"Adam" wrote:

> Hiya, when I use cmd.exe I have discovered that I can't seem to run Windows
> files unless I am in that directory. For example, if I typed 'ipconfig' in
> the c:\ directory it says it can't recognise it, but it will work if I go to
> \windows\system32. This is the same with any windows commands ('expand',
> etc). Can anyone help? When I type 'path' I get the (correct):
>
> %SystemRoot%\system32;%SystemRoot%;%SystemRoot%\System32\Wbem
>
> ...and also if I go to Environment Variables (Control Panel\System\Advanced)
> there are no User Variables that could conflict (just the two Documents and
> Settings ones)... can anyone help? If the only resort is re-installing Win
> XP then I think I'll leave it, as there doesn't seem to be any other
> problems, and this is just more annoying than anything...
>
> The only reason I wanted it fixed is because I have that other problem of
> command.com not finding autoexec.nt (a problem that can occur if you update
> Windows - read it here
> http://support.microsoft.com/defau [...] us;324767) and I cannot
> fix it without going to cmd.exe and expanding things from the Win XP disc.
>
> Aaaargh!

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support (More info?)

I hope that C:\%SystemRoot%\system32 is a typo.



%SystemDrive% Shows the drive containing the Windows XP root directory (for
example: C.


%SystemRoot% Shows the location of the Windows XP root directory (for
example: C:\WINDOWS). Normally %SystemRoot% = C:\WINDOWS

Open a command prompt
Type:
set
Hit your Enter key

Look at SystemRoot & SystemDrive does this show?

SystemDrive=C:
SystemRoot=C:\WINDOWS

Paste: %SystemRoot% in the Start | Run box and click OK.

What opens?

%ComSpec% Shows the path to the command shell executable (for example:
C:\WINDOWS\system32\cmd.exe)


Also look at ComSpec, does this show?

ComSpec=C:\WINDOWS\system32\cmd.exe

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In news:CE8AED7B-911E-4826-853D-E2BF6711CDAD@microsoft.com,
Adam <Adam@discussions.microsoft.com> hunted and pecked:
> I read that the path should actually come up as:
> PATH=C:\WINDOWS\system32;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\System32\Wbem
>
> or something like that, and that it IS incorrect because it's coming
> up as:
> PATH=C:\%SystemRoot%\system32;%SystemRoot%;%SystemRoot%\System32\Wbem
>
> Can anyone tell me in a nice, simple, easy way (as I am not a tech
> head!) how to fix this? Thanks!!!
>
>
> "Adam" wrote:
>
>> Hiya, when I use cmd.exe I have discovered that I can't seem to run
>> Windows files unless I am in that directory. For example, if I
>> typed 'ipconfig' in the c:\ directory it says it can't recognise it,
>> but it will work if I go to \windows\system32. This is the same
>> with any windows commands ('expand', etc). Can anyone help? When I
>> type 'path' I get the (correct):
>>
>> %SystemRoot%\system32;%SystemRoot%;%SystemRoot%\System32\Wbem
>>
>> ...and also if I go to Environment Variables (Control
>> Panel\System\Advanced) there are no User Variables that could
>> conflict (just the two Documents and Settings ones)... can anyone
>> help? If the only resort is re-installing Win XP then I think I'll
>> leave it, as there doesn't seem to be any other problems, and this
>> is just more annoying than anything...
>>
>> The only reason I wanted it fixed is because I have that other
>> problem of command.com not finding autoexec.nt (a problem that can
>> occur if you update Windows - read it here
>> http://support.microsoft.com/defau [...] us;324767) and
>> I cannot fix it without going to cmd.exe and expanding things from
>> the Win XP disc.
>>
>> Aaaargh!