[Rex Manning]

Hello,

For several months my command prompt has not worked. I usually get the same message when I try something. For instance, when I type in "ipconfig" the response is "ipconfig is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file". The default prompt is C:\Documents and Settings\(my name)>.

I'm really at a loss as to what the problem is, and I'd really like to be able to access my IP address, MAC, etc.

Any thoughts???

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Hi Rex Manning!

Download FIXPATH2.ZIP. Extract the files to a folder in C:\, like C:\FIXPATH2.

RUNNING THE PROGRAM:

• Open a command prompt window, navigate to the location where the FIXPATH.EXE file is located, and run FIXPATH.EXE.
• It will display some preliminary information, and ask if it should continue.
• If it successfully updates the Path value in the registry, you will need to
  reboot for the change to take effect.

If you have any questions about what this is doing, then make sure you read the FIXPATH.TXT file that was included in the zip file you downloaded and should now be located in C:\FIXPATH2, or whatever folder you extracted it to.

Fenor

[Fenor]

Hi Rex Manning!

Download FIXPATH2.ZIP. Extract the files to a folder in C:\, like C:\FIXPATH2.

RUNNING THE PROGRAM:

• Open a command prompt window, navigate to the location where the FIXPATH.EXE file is located, and run FIXPATH.EXE.
• It will display some preliminary information, and ask if it should continue.
• If it successfully updates the Path value in the registry, you will need to
  reboot for the change to take effect.

If you have any questions about what this is doing, then make sure you read the FIXPATH.TXT file that was included in the zip file you downloaded and should now be located in C:\FIXPATH2, or whatever folder you extracted it to.

Fenor

[Rex Manning]

Fenor,

Thanks for the quick reply! I'm afraid I may need to have the "Running the Program" dumbed down for me.

I extracted the files to C:\fixpath2. At the command prompt, how do I navigate to that location? All of my attempts (which may be wrong guesses) end up with the same "not recognized as internal or external command" etc error message.

I also attempted to extract the files in the default prompt location [C:\Documents and Settings\(my name)>] and run the program from there to no avail. Running the program just entails typing in "fixpath2" at the prompt, correct? Or am I mistaken? I apologize, I've had almost zero experience with DOS.

[memberix]

to get to c:\fixpath2 just type "cd c:\fixpath2" at the command promt ( without the quotes) and the just type "fixpath2" to run the program

[Rex Manning]

Thanks Memberix!

Wow, forgot about cd. . . it's been forever since I've played with this stuff!

Unfortunately, I'm still getting the same error message when I try to execute the program.

[Fenor]

When you are at the command prompt, navigate to C:\Windows\System32, which you get to by typing cd C:\Windows\System32. Once there type ipconfig and see if that works.

Fenor

P.S. -- Thx for stepping in memberix with the answer to his previous question.

[Rex Manning]

Fenor,

That worked! Thanks for the help. I still cannot get anything to run from the c: directory (should I be able to run ipconfig from there?)

[Fenor]

Okay good, now we know that is a problem with the Path that windows is using when you type ipconfig. What I want you to do is again go to a command prompt (START-->RUN and type cmd). At the command prompt type ECHO %PATH% and hit ENTER. Post back what is displayed on the screen when you type this.

Fenor

Edited by Fenor, 20 April 2006 - 09:43 AM.

[Rex Manning]

When I enter that at the prompt, I get the following:

%SystemRoot%\system32;%SystemRoot%;%SystemRoot%\System32\Wbem;C:\PROGRA~1\SYSTAT~1;C:\PROGRA~1\SYSTAT~1\XGRAPH;C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adaptec Shared\System

[Fenor]

To change your path settings back to the default settings, do the following:

• Right-click on MY COMPUTER and select PROPERTIES.
• In the new window that appears, click on the ADVANCED tab
• Click on the ENVIRONMENTAL VARIABLES button.
• In the new window that appears, you will notice two white list boxes. Above the second one you will see the heading SYSTEM VARIABLES. Look through that list and find the one with the Variable name of PATH. Right-click it once you highlight it and then click on the EDIT button.
• The EDIT SYSTEM VARIABLE window will now open.
• Verify that the VARIABLE NAME is PATH. If so continue on.
• Now highlight everything in the VARIABLE VALUE textbox and hit the DEL key.
• Now copy and paste %SystemRoot%\system32;%SystemRoot%;%SystemRoot%\System32\Wbem into that textbox. Then click OK.
• Click OK to close every other window as well.
• Now go back to a command prompt and type ipconfig and see if it now works. If it doesn't, reboot your computer and try again.

Fenor

[Rex Manning]

Looks like that did the trick! (Assuming that's all that needs to be done.)

I greatly appreciate your assistance in correcting this long-standing problem. Yet again I bow down before the collective knowledge of this board.

[Fenor]

Glad its working for you now!

That should be it unless there is another problem that you need some help with.

Fenor