where exactly is %system% defined?

I have a utility that performs some windows customizations to
install/configure XP for an old dos-based program.
After running the tool, references to %system& in the path environmental
variable seem to be nullified. For example if I go to cmd and type 'edit' I
get an error that reads 'edit' is not a recognized internal/external
command....If I go into the path variable and change all instances of
%system% to c:\windows\ this resolves the issue. So, where is %system%
defined?

Thanks,
m

"Mike W" <thewittmer@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:wKNbf.54299$5e4.26018@tornado.texas.rr.com...
> I have a utility that performs some windows customizations to
> install/configure XP for an old dos-based program.
> After running the tool, references to %system& in the path environmental
> variable seem to be nullified. For example if I go to cmd and type 'edit'
I
> get an error that reads 'edit' is not a recognized internal/external
> command....If I go into the path variable and change all instances of
> %system% to c:\windows\ this resolves the issue. So, where is %system%
> defined?
>
> Thanks,
> m
>
>

%system% is not a preset environmental variable in WinXP.
Maybe someone changed your %path% definition.

Actually I made a mistake. I meant %SystemRoot% instead of %System%

System root is in the path statement for the following locations:
%SystemRoot%
%SystemRoot%\System32
%SystemRoot%\System32\WBEM

I have to manually change these to:
c:\Windows
c:\Windows\system32
c:\windows\system32\WBEM

in order to correct the issue. Where is %SystemRoot% defined in Windows XP?


"Pegasus (MVP)" <I.can@fly.com> wrote in message
news:%23o71g294FHA.2040@TK2MSFTNGP14.phx.gbl...
>
> "Mike W" <thewittmer@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:wKNbf.54299$5e4.26018@tornado.texas.rr.com...
>> I have a utility that performs some windows customizations to
>> install/configure XP for an old dos-based program.
>> After running the tool, references to %system& in the path environmental
>> variable seem to be nullified. For example if I go to cmd and type
>> 'edit'
> I
>> get an error that reads 'edit' is not a recognized internal/external
>> command....If I go into the path variable and change all instances of
>> %system% to c:\windows\ this resolves the issue. So, where is %system%
>> defined?
>>
>> Thanks,
>> m
>>
>>
>
> %system% is not a preset environmental variable in WinXP.
> Maybe someone changed your %path% definition.
>
>

Ah, that's a big difference!

I suspect that the registry entry for your %path%
variable is incorrect. Have a look here:
HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Environment
The Path value must be a reg_expand_sz type, not a reg_sz type.
What do you have?

"Mike W" <thewittmer@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:T2Rbf.54670$5e4.37495@tornado.texas.rr.com...
> Actually I made a mistake. I meant %SystemRoot% instead of %System%
>
> System root is in the path statement for the following locations:
> %SystemRoot%
> %SystemRoot%\System32
> %SystemRoot%\System32\WBEM
>
> I have to manually change these to:
> c:\Windows
> c:\Windows\system32
> c:\windows\system32\WBEM
>
> in order to correct the issue. Where is %SystemRoot% defined in Windows
XP?
>
>
> "Pegasus (MVP)" <I.can@fly.com> wrote in message
> news:%23o71g294FHA.2040@TK2MSFTNGP14.phx.gbl...
> >
> > "Mike W" <thewittmer@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> > news:wKNbf.54299$5e4.26018@tornado.texas.rr.com...
> >> I have a utility that performs some windows customizations to
> >> install/configure XP for an old dos-based program.
> >> After running the tool, references to %system& in the path
environmental
> >> variable seem to be nullified. For example if I go to cmd and type
> >> 'edit'
> > I
> >> get an error that reads 'edit' is not a recognized internal/external
> >> command....If I go into the path variable and change all instances of
> >> %system% to c:\windows\ this resolves the issue. So, where is %system%
> >> defined?
> >>
> >> Thanks,
> >> m
> >>
> >>
> >
> > %system% is not a preset environmental variable in WinXP.
> > Maybe someone changed your %path% definition.
> >
> >
>
>

It is a reg_sz type. How did you know that?
Amazing.
Thanks for the tip.

-m


"Pegasus (MVP)" <I.can@fly.com> wrote in message
news:%23YQKXm$4FHA.1032@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
> Ah, that's a big difference!
>
> I suspect that the registry entry for your %path%
> variable is incorrect. Have a look here:
> HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Environment
> The Path value must be a reg_expand_sz type, not a reg_sz type.
> What do you have?
>
> "Mike W" <thewittmer@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:T2Rbf.54670$5e4.37495@tornado.texas.rr.com...
>> Actually I made a mistake. I meant %SystemRoot% instead of %System%
>>
>> System root is in the path statement for the following locations:
>> %SystemRoot%
>> %SystemRoot%\System32
>> %SystemRoot%\System32\WBEM
>>
>> I have to manually change these to:
>> c:\Windows
>> c:\Windows\system32
>> c:\windows\system32\WBEM
>>
>> in order to correct the issue. Where is %SystemRoot% defined in Windows
> XP?
>>
>>
>> "Pegasus (MVP)" <I.can@fly.com> wrote in message
>> news:%23o71g294FHA.2040@TK2MSFTNGP14.phx.gbl...
>> >
>> > "Mike W" <thewittmer@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>> > news:wKNbf.54299$5e4.26018@tornado.texas.rr.com...
>> >> I have a utility that performs some windows customizations to
>> >> install/configure XP for an old dos-based program.
>> >> After running the tool, references to %system& in the path
> environmental
>> >> variable seem to be nullified. For example if I go to cmd and type
>> >> 'edit'
>> > I
>> >> get an error that reads 'edit' is not a recognized internal/external
>> >> command....If I go into the path variable and change all instances of
>> >> %system% to c:\windows\ this resolves the issue. So, where is
>> >> %system%
>> >> defined?
>> >>
>> >> Thanks,
>> >> m
>> >>
>> >>
>> >
>> > %system% is not a preset environmental variable in WinXP.
>> > Maybe someone changed your %path% definition.
>> >
>> >
>>
>>
>
>

Been there before . . .


"Mike W" <thewittmer@yahoo.com> wrote in message
newsmTbf.54713$5e4.34093@tornado.texas.rr.com...
> It is a reg_sz type. How did you know that?
> Amazing.
> Thanks for the tip.
>
> -m
>
>
> "Pegasus (MVP)" <I.can@fly.com> wrote in message
> news:%23YQKXm$4FHA.1032@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
> > Ah, that's a big difference!
> >
> > I suspect that the registry entry for your %path%
> > variable is incorrect. Have a look here:
> > HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Environment
> > The Path value must be a reg_expand_sz type, not a reg_sz type.
> > What do you have?
> >
> > "Mike W" <thewittmer@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> > news:T2Rbf.54670$5e4.37495@tornado.texas.rr.com...
> >> Actually I made a mistake. I meant %SystemRoot% instead of %System%
> >>
> >> System root is in the path statement for the following locations:
> >> %SystemRoot%
> >> %SystemRoot%\System32
> >> %SystemRoot%\System32\WBEM
> >>
> >> I have to manually change these to:
> >> c:\Windows
> >> c:\Windows\system32
> >> c:\windows\system32\WBEM
> >>
> >> in order to correct the issue. Where is %SystemRoot% defined in
Windows
> > XP?
> >>
> >>
> >> "Pegasus (MVP)" <I.can@fly.com> wrote in message
> >> news:%23o71g294FHA.2040@TK2MSFTNGP14.phx.gbl...
> >> >
> >> > "Mike W" <thewittmer@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> >> > news:wKNbf.54299$5e4.26018@tornado.texas.rr.com...
> >> >> I have a utility that performs some windows customizations to
> >> >> install/configure XP for an old dos-based program.
> >> >> After running the tool, references to %system& in the path
> > environmental
> >> >> variable seem to be nullified. For example if I go to cmd and type
> >> >> 'edit'
> >> > I
> >> >> get an error that reads 'edit' is not a recognized internal/external
> >> >> command....If I go into the path variable and change all instances
of
> >> >> %system% to c:\windows\ this resolves the issue. So, where is
> >> >> %system%
> >> >> defined?
> >> >>
> >> >> Thanks,
> >> >> m
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >
> >> > %system% is not a preset environmental variable in WinXP.
> >> > Maybe someone changed your %path% definition.
> >> >
> >> >
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
>
>