Some programs do not run

[kimsland]

• It opens to a directory under C:\Program Files
• I've already checked and, yes, my userprofile variable is still set to my home directory

Control Panel -> System -> Advanced -> Environment Variables, find or create HOMEPATH, and edit it to point to %userprofile%

Or go to Regedit:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Command Processor

And set AutoRun=%userprofile%


Or to default the reg entry: (but back up the existing one first)

Start->Run-> REG ADD "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Command Processor" /v AutoRun /d "%%userprofile%%" /f

By the way, I don't have a "AutoRun" entry at all (ie non existent key) in my "Command Processor" registry setting

 

[LookinAround]

Thank you for the items to check on... but still a mystery....

1) I checked and my homepath is already equal to userprofile
2) I opened a command shell. It opens into directory C:\Program Files\Support Tools (as usual these last many weeks). I entered set > out.txt to view all the variables and the only place C:\Program Files\Support Tools is defined is buried inside my PATH!
3) My Autorun in registry exists but empty

Maybe i'll try searching my registry for any reference to the Support Tools directory.See if anything pops up (and if that fails will try scanning for the text string in my files)

 

[kimsland]

Or go to Regedit:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Command Processor

And set AutoRun=%userprofile%

Actually adding this entry should work
I know because this is the answer to when users ask me how do I set Start->Run->cmd to some particular folder (like just C: )

ie:

Set Autorun to = CD /D C:\ in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Command Processor
That will make cmd open directly to C drive
You can even add a Title like: CD /D C:\ & TITLE MyCMD

Or set Autorun to = %HOMEDRIVE%%HOMEPATH%
That will make cmd open directly to your %userprofile%

 

[srai]

...still

Srai
Please pardon us as we continue to "steal bandwidth from your thread"! And please post any time to give us an update on how your problem is doing!!! (so we can re-direct our attention - as you will always get our top priority in this thread! ) And with that said.... back to kimsland...


Now i'm not sure that i'm understanding...We're talking about opening a command window, yes? (vs. opening a desktop)??

Also, fyi... Don;t know just when it started (if something i did or maybe some script i downloaded/ran/was playing with) BUT at some point at least 4+ weeks back, whenever i open a command prompt window

1. It opens to a directory under C:\Program Files
2. I've already checked and, yes, my userprofile variable is still set to my home directory
3. I haven't taken the time to figure out why this happening as yet as hasn't been on my priority list
4. In part, as i always use %userprofile% whenever i reference my desktop
5. PLUS, also note!, NOT using %userprofile% still assumes that a user is opening a NEW command window before running the command vs. a user seeing no reason why not to simply run it from an existing command window where they may have already changed the current directory and then they are stumped why the command fails with The system cannot find the path specified.
6. Odds are we're stumped as well.. not learning till much later they used an existing vs. new command window that just happens to point to other then home directory

As for other points, i think we're beginning to get into personal opinion when one tries to strike the balance between
=> Making the command as short and slick as possible for "us geeks" vs.
=> Making the command reasonably bullet proof for users to use

And as for whether cscript command should precede eventquery or not on the command line:
One good reason for including cscript on the command line (vs explicitly invoking and changing to cscript) is exactly so one need not be manually setting/changing their Windows Script Host and then knowing how to set it back to what it was (seems vaguely familiar as i say that )

And as far as whether the command can run outside of cscript entirely, I dunno. I stick to cscript just because that's what the Windows KB said to use.

hello,

no problem,,,,,it's ok. it was actually a learning opportunity for me.

well, there's been no progress yet. i couldn't wait so i formatted my c drive and installed windows xp again.
i was shocked to get the error message again on all those softwares this time too. so reinstalling windows didn't help either.

i'm too sad. currently i am enrolled in CCNA class and packet tracer is very important to me to go any further.

if the problem don;'t get solved, i think i'll have to stop using windows and switch to ubuntu or other OS available.

pls pls help. any other information you want about my system???

thanks

 

[kimsland]

i couldn't wait so i formatted my c drive and installed windows xp again.

Just follow this exactly (I can't remember if you had Home or Pro)

Microsoft's Windows XP Professional Repair Install step by step (* Including Delete Partition)
http://www.windowsxpprofessional.windowsreinstall.com/sp2sp3installxpcdoldhdd/indexfullpage.htm

Microsoft's Windows XP Home Repair Install step by step (* Including Delete Partition)
http://www.windowsxphome.windowsreinstall.com/sp2sp3installxpcdoldhdd/indexfullpage.htm

* Warning deleting the Partition will remove all User data and Windows system files

Then update all your drivers, this thread will help with that: https://www.techspot.com/vb/topic117607.html

Then do all Windows updates

Then test again

 

[srai]

tried

i've already tried with this one too, not only once but twice.....
BTW i use windows XP pro

thanx

 

[kimsland]

Wow if you have tried removing the Partition and re-installing Windows perfectly clean, and it still faults. Then you definitely have a hardware fault

As I've never seen a hardware fault do this ?
Then I can only conclude that it must be you :suspiciou

You will need to take it to someone else to look at it
Hey they can contact us too, pretty sure we'll work out it's likely software though

Good luck :wave:

 

[srai]

H/W ???

hello kim,,

can you please make clear what kind of hardware faults you are trying to hint at?

thanks

 

[kimsland]

If you removed the Partition(s) and installed Windows clean
Plus do all Windows Updates, and driver updates

And still get a fault

You would have to say Hardware wouldn't you?

Can you just describe what's the present fault again?
Because I'm leaning towards software from reading what you posted
This is still about: Some programs do not run isn't it?

... Your response?

Edit:

Oh you're offline now
Ok I'll check when you post back later on (in a couple of days, as is the norm for you )
Try to be very specific on the present error though (I made this red, just in case you missed it)
And again, you have already removed the Partition (and all the rest above)
Oh and no need to quote me, as that's why you're replying, just press "Post Reply"

 

[srai]

....again

yes the problem is same, the ones i mentioned in my first post "some programs do not run"...........i still can't make out whats behind. i don't think it's h/w faults, because, other programs run very well.
it is limited to only some programs like packet tracer and k-lite codec pack......

is it because of bad installers or setup files??? or some viruses/worms executing with the programs???

 

[kimsland]

Microsoft's Windows XP Professional Repair Install step by step (* Including Delete Partition)
http://www.windowsxpprofessional.windowsreinstall.com/sp2sp3installxpcdoldhdd/indexfullpage.htm

* Warning deleting the Partition will remove all User data and Windows system files

Then update all your drivers, this thread will help with that: https://www.techspot.com/vb/topic117607.html

Then do all Windows updates

Then test again

Doing the above will confirm no Virus
And then you should download Packet Tracer 5.1 (Free register signup required)
Then test again

Seeyu in a couple of days :grinthumb

 

[Bobbye]

Since we've wondered so much on this thread, I'll ask: Have you tried uninstalling/reinstalling the problem programs?

 

[srai]

yes yes

yes, i have many times tried uninstalling and reinstalling those programs.

 

[Bobbye]

Well, I don't usually have to go this far to find a resolution, but since there was some unrelated discussion:

Did you deal with the information I gave about the Event Errors? What was the outcome? Were the Errors resolved?

 

[LookinAround]

Well, I don't usually have to go this far to find a resolution, but since there was some unrelated discussion:

Did you deal with the information I gave about the Event Errors? What was the outcome? Were the Errors resolved?

srai..

I think Bobbye is on the right track. Looked over your info again, i suspect the problem is due to an underlying library that's either a) not installed or b) you have installed the wrong version of an underlying library

Recommend
1) First try installing the C++ re-distributable (Bobbye provided the link in a prior post)
2) If that should fail
=> Try starting some of the problem programs again so that they generate new failure messages. Then re-run the Event Log script i provided before and generate a new events.txt file (so we can see the new event entries after your recent re-install). Attach it to next post
3) Next, download and run MyUninstaller This will let me see the version numbers and info about your current installed products (as well as show what you don't have installed)
=> Click Edit->Select All to select all the entries it displays
=> Click File->Save Selected Items
=> Change the Save As Type to tab delimited .txt file then save the file and attach it as well

4) Could you also re-confirm and tell us your current version of XP (home vs. pro, etc.) and your current Service Pack level

 

[LookinAround]

kimsland.. And as for our "side topic" in this thread....

Been travelling and finally back home to test things again on the computer which wasn't starting the command prompt in my home directory.

I was going to try the steps you suggested but before doing so I looked at the PATH displayed in my command window.

• I noticed some old, no-longer-used directories (things i uninstalled but their directory still in PATH)
• Also noticed some things in my Windows' user PATH that i wanted to place in my system PATH
• I edited and cleaned up my user and system PATH environment variables in Windows to the directories of my choice
• I now open a command prompt and it opens correctly in my home directory!! I'm both a little but still :approve:
• Not sure why is working correctly again now but I'll guess the directory search order in my old PATH was picking up a script in one of the directories?? In any case, seems to be working correctly now (as opening in my home directory again)
• If i ever get around to tracking down the root cause of (what was) this problem, will let you know what i find.

In any case, thanks for all the suggestions along the way... before I seemed to have (accidentally!) fixed my own problem.​