Path problem

[Eric]

Hello,

Somehow my "Path" does not work anymore.... When I use "Ping", "Tracert" or
other programs, they can't be found unless I am in c:\windows\system32.
My system variables look ok. What is interesting is that when I type "path"
I get
PATH=%SystemRoot%\system32;%SystemRoot%;%SystemRoot%\System32\Wbem;Z:.;X:.;V:.;C
:\;C:\WINDOWS. It shows variables (%SystemRoot%) instead of showing the
value of the variables.
Also, sometimes the problem disappears.

Any idea?

Thank you.

Eric

 

[Tom Porterfield]

Hello,

Somehow my "Path" does not work anymore.... When I use "Ping", "Tracert"
or other programs, they can't be found unless I am in c:\windows\system32.
My system variables look ok. What is interesting is that when I type
"path" I get
PATH=%SystemRoot%\system32;%SystemRoot%;%SystemRoot%\System32\Wbem;Z:.;X:.;V:.;C
:\;C:\WINDOWS. It shows variables (%SystemRoot%) instead of showing the
value of the variables.
Also, sometimes the problem disappears.

Any idea?

If you type "set" at the command prompt, what is the value for SystemRoot?
If everything looks OK there (the value should be C:\WINDOWS or similar),
run regedit.exe and navigate to
HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Environment. For the
path value there, do you see %SystemRoot% or is it expanded to C:\Windows?
If the former then something is incorrectly writing the Path value to the
registry as it should expand %SystemRoot% before writing.

 

[Eric]

The set command shows:

SystemDrive=C:
SystemRoot=C:\WINDOWS

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Environment shows
%SystemRoot%, not the value...

Thank you.

Eric

 

[Eric]

Tom,

I think I fixed the problem. I compared the path key I had with the one on
another machine. The type was different. On mine it was a "String Value" and
on the other one an "Expandable String Value".
I re-created my "Path" key with an "Expandable String Value" type and now
everything seems to be back to normal.

I am not sure why it would make a difference but it works!!

Thank you.

Eric

 

[Wesley Vogel]

This is a common problem.

This explains the REG_EXPAND_SZ not REG_SZ...

Why don't my commands work?
http://internet.cybermesa.com/~bstewart/cmdprompt.html#6

REG_EXPAND_SZ = Expandable String Value
REG_SZ = String Value

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[Eric]

Wesley,

This is exactly what my problem was and the way I fixed it, except thta
instead of removing the "Path" key I renamed it first just in case...

Thank you.

Eric

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Keep having fun, Eric.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In