Edit system path

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jud McCranie
  • Start date Start date
J

Jud McCranie

I'm installing some new software that says that my system path is too
long and I need to shorten it. How can I do that?
 
Better to contact the software vendor and report the message. Making a
change to system variables to accommodate a program is bAcKwarDs. The
app shouldn't require that kind of change to work.
 
Jud,
It's pretty dodgy idea to change the path without knowing what you
are doing. But, here's how. Go in to System Property page (right-click on
My Computer and choose Properties) and select the 'Advanced' tab then click
on 'Environment Variables' button. Here you can change two values for PATH
.. The SYSTEM variable PATH is the primary value and what ever you specify
in USER variable PATH will be appended to it at that users log-in.
Possible f**k-ups include: essential programs not starting; program's
components not functioning correctly; Windows not starting.
 
Before you try editing the "system path" check
to see if during first part of installing the software
you see a "Custom" install option, if so one of
the more common custom option is to change
the location of where the software is installed.

If you can change it then try something like:
C:\MyAppName\

Where "MyAppName" is the name of the folder
you would like the software installed.
 
Jud,
It's pretty dodgy idea to change the path without knowing what you
are doing.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I found paths for two pieces of software I no longer use. I'll
take them out and see if that works.
 
Glad to be of service, I do hope this works okay for you.
For my added interest, could you post the path you removed?
 
Thanks, I found paths for two pieces of software I no longer use. I'll
take them out and see if that works.
Click to expand...

Cutting out things not needed is a good idea. If that doesn't work,
there are others that are more trouble.

Generally speaking:

The System path has a maximum length of 1023 bytes, not counting the
Path= characters.

The user defined path is the lesser of 511 bytes or (1023 -
SystemPath).

It's those darn long file names, spaces, quotes!
 
That's a bloody good idea that is! Yes, indeed, use the DOS [style] short
filenames to shorten the length of the entire path, that is, if you have any
long names within it. Mine had one and I was able to reduce it, by
replacing it with the short name, only by 11 characters.
 
Jud said:
... I found paths for two pieces of software I no longer use.
Click to expand...
... The System path has a maximum length of 1023 bytes, not counting
the Path= characters.
The user defined path is the lesser of 511 bytes or (1023 - SystemPath)
It's those darn long file names, spaces, quotes!
Click to expand...

Stan said:
Right now I am on my W2K machine and to lazy to turn on my Window XP
machine. I can use C:\PROGRAM FILES\ or C:\PROGRA~1\ an either will
work. I use the DIR /X in a DOS window to get the short names.
Click to expand...

But only if '8.3 File-Naming' is enabled.
 
Jose said:
Cutting out things not needed is a good idea. If that doesn't work,
there are others that are more trouble.

Generally speaking:

The System path has a maximum length of 1023 bytes, not counting the
Path= characters.

The user defined path is the lesser of 511 bytes or (1023 -
SystemPath).

It's those darn long file names, spaces, quotes!
Click to expand...

Right now I am on my W2K machine and to lazy to turn on my Window XP
machine. I can use C:\PROGRAM FILES\ or C:\PROGRA~1\ an either will
work. I use the DIR /X in a DOS window to get the short names.
 
Even if it isn't enabled (which I think it is by default but I'm not too
sure) you can still create a short file name for any file or folder with the
command:

fsutil file setshortname "LongFolderNameHere" NEWSHORT
 
The date and time was Friday, April 24, 2009 9:58:48 PM, and on a whim,
Al Falfa pounded out on the keyboard:
But only if '8.3 File-Naming' is enabled.
Click to expand...

You've got it backwards. It's enabled by default.


Terry R.
 
Stan said:
... I am on my W2K machine ... I can use C:\PROGRAM FILES\ or
C:\PROGRA~1\ an either will work. I use the DIR /X in a
DOS window to get the short names.
Click to expand...

Al said:
But only if '8.3 File-Naming' is enabled.
Click to expand...
You've got it backwards. It's enabled by default.
Click to expand...

Terry,
Not backwards. I know that setting is enabled by default, but it might
be changed without a user's knowledge, or they may have forgotten that
they changed it. Would it still be backwards if I had written:
"But only if '8.3 File-Naming' is in an enabled state at the moment
when each long-filename of interest is created."
 
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