PATH

[Citizen Bob]

I am running Win2K Pro/SP4

Where is the PATH environment variable maintained and how do I edit
it? I can't find it in CP -> System -> Advanced -> Environment.

 

[John John]

You are at the right place, look a bit harder. It's in the System
Variables list in the bottom box.

John

 

[Citizen Bob]

You are at the right place, look a bit harder. It's in the System
Variables list in the bottom box.

I wish it were, but it is not. I installed an application yesterday
that wiped it out. This is not the first time it has messed with the
PATH but this time it completely obliterated it.

So I added PATH to the bottom box. At first I added
PATH=C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32 and got back in a DOS Console

PATH=C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32;c:\winnt;c:\winnt\system32

So I edited the entry in the bottom box to read PATH only, and got

PATH=c:\winnt;c:\winnt\system32

It appears to be working now.

Weird.

 

[John John]

I wish it were, but it is not. I installed an application yesterday
that wiped it out. This is not the first time it has messed with the
PATH but this time it completely obliterated it.

So I added PATH to the bottom box. At first I added
PATH=C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32 and got back in a DOS Console

PATH=C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32;c:\winnt;c:\winnt\system32

So I edited the entry in the bottom box to read PATH only, and got

PATH=c:\winnt;c:\winnt\system32

It appears to be working now.

Weird.

It would should contain at least:

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

It is a poorly written application that would delete system path variables!

John

 

[Jay Somerset]

I wish it were, but it is not. I installed an application yesterday
that wiped it out. This is not the first time it has messed with the
PATH but this time it completely obliterated it.

So I added PATH to the bottom box. At first I added
PATH=C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32 and got back in a DOS Console

PATH=C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32;c:\winnt;c:\winnt\system32

So I edited the entry in the bottom box to read PATH only, and got

PATH=c:\winnt;c:\winnt\system32

It appears to be working now.

Weird.

I believe that the box is only intended to let you add to the existing
default path, which is to c:\winnt;c:\winnt\system32. If you have not made
any additions to the PATH variable, then the box does not show anything.
This is definitely in keeping with your observations.

While a bit annoying, it does seem to be in keeping with the (atrocious) MS
default to not show hidden files, and not display file extensions for known
file types.

 

[Citizen Bob]

It would should contain at least:

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

What is C:\winnt\system32\wbem

It is a poorly written application that would delete system path variables!

It was the Flash installer.

 

[John John]

What is C:\winnt\system32\wbem

Web-Based Enterprise Management. Microsoft implements this with Windows
Management Instrumentation (WMI).

Windows Management Instrumentation overview
http://technet2.microsoft.com/windo...bc6b-41cd-8154-462cf51e8c701033.mspx?mfr=true

It all sounds like mumbo-jumbo when you try to read up on it and
understand it, suffice to say that although it isn't used all that much
some things use it and if it doesn't run properly sooner or later it
will cause you problems. Some scripts and diagnostic appications won't
run properly if WMI is damaged or if its path is absent from the Path
variable. The System Properties applet/tool for example relies on this
to supply you information about your computer.

John

 

[John John]

I believe that the box is only intended to let you add to the existing
default path, which is to c:\winnt;c:\winnt\system32. If you have not made
any additions to the PATH variable, then the box does not show anything.
This is definitely in keeping with your observations.

Hi Jay,

I have just done a clean install to verify this and it doesn't behave
like that on Windows 2000. As soon as Windows 2000 booted up I closed
the Welcome Tour and immediately checked the Envioronment Variables and
the Path variable was in the System Variables box, fully visible and
with the default path showing in the value field. The default path
value is %SystemRoot%\system32;%SystemRoot%;%SystemRoot%\System32\Wbem

John

 

[Citizen Bob]

I believe that the box is only intended to let you add to the existing
default path, which is to c:\winnt;c:\winnt\system32. If you have not made
any additions to the PATH variable, then the box does not show anything.
This is definitely in keeping with your observations.

While a bit annoying, it does seem to be in keeping with the (atrocious) MS
default to not show hidden files, and not display file extensions for known
file types.

In this case the "existing default PATH" was not present in a DOS
Console. I had to add the word PATH (nothing else) in the bottom
window to force Win2K to put it in the PATH.

 

[Citizen Bob]

Web-Based Enterprise Management. Microsoft implements this with Windows
Management Instrumentation (WMI).

Windows Management Instrumentation overview
http://technet2.microsoft.com/windo...bc6b-41cd-8154-462cf51e8c701033.mspx?mfr=true

It all sounds like mumbo-jumbo when you try to read up on it and
understand it, suffice to say that although it isn't used all that much
some things use it and if it doesn't run properly sooner or later it
will cause you problems. Some scripts and diagnostic appications won't
run properly if WMI is damaged or if its path is absent from the Path
variable. The System Properties applet/tool for example relies on this
to supply you information about your computer.

Sounds like a good reason not to put it on the PATH.

I have never seen it on the PATH before, and so I will leave it off.