I posted this a while back but I am getting that problem again after I thought I fixed it. I did for one user but another one has this after insalling NT. Please, only info on NT here, no Win98. My original post plus another comment by a reader, I would like for somewone to continue to help me: Comment: I understand that the external DOS commands can either com from your command.com or if you put the c:\dos path in your autoexec. For winnt, there is no dos directory, so how do I get DOS to recognize .exe files? I tried putting c:\winnt\system32, c:\winnt, c:\ in the autoexec.bat. It worked when trying to start the cdm.exe in c:\winnt\system32 and opened notepad like I wanted it to but the external commands still aren't working 100% yet. what am I missing? Report Offensive Message For Removal Response Number 1 Name: ITGuy Date: October 25, 2001 at 09:04:40 Pacific Subject: External DOS commands for NT 4.0 Reply: I already solved it with the autoexec.bat no need for comments Report Offensive Follow Up For Removal Response Number 2 Name: fred6008 Date: October 25, 2001 at 19:39:44 Pacific Subject: External DOS commands for NT 4.0 Reply: Internal commands like copy are contained IN the Command.Com file. External commands are in the DOS directory when you are running DOS or are in the Windows or \Windows\Command directories in Windows 98. Your problem was that in Windows NT some of the external files were not in the path. I know you said you had it worked out already. The thing is all the other people who read this want to learn too. Report Offensive Follow Up For Removal Response Number 3 Name: ITGuy Date: November 16, 2001 at 19:49:27 Pacific Subject: External DOS commands for NT 4.0 Reply: Ok, got the same problem. You say in NT, it isn't in the path. What Path? Everyone seems to talk about Win 98. So what path should NT look at to find those external files, c:\winnt\system32? I tried putting that path in the autoexec.bat and System Environment variables and it still doesn't recognize external commands. I got it to recognize ping commange but then got a error saying it can't find the 1486_nt\nms\nmsd.exe, I have no idea what that is. So what external files, the names is it looking for and to what path for NT? What places to I need to check (autoexec, Winnt\system32, etc. and what files do I need to check? I need specifics from someone who knows

Windows NT (at least 4.0 and 2000) doesn't have an AUTOEXEC.BAT file. But you can modify the environment including PATH. Press The Windows key and the Pause/Intr key simultaneosly to show the System properties window, select the environment tab, search in the "system variables" section for the variable PATH (this variable affect to all users and you need Aministrator privileges to modify it). You can add a new variable named PATH to your user variables if do not want to modify it systemwide (you need at least Advanced User privileges to do this). Hope this helps.

I agree... Right click on the my computer option, choose properties. Then choose the environment tab. In the middle of the window there should be a system variables section. Scroll down until you find the path variable, click on it. Go to the bottom of the window and the path should be expanded out. If you cursor down to the end of the path you can add a semicolon and then include the path of your program you're trying to run. IE if your path was c:\winnt you could add ;c:\myprogram to the end of the path making it c:\winnt;c:\myprogram , then all you do is press the set button at the bottom of the window and it's done. You may have to reboot to get it take effect but I think the next time you open a dos box it will work. HTH, -Michael

I know about the environment path, that is nothing new to me. I just don't know what path to put in there for DOS, I have no idea what path will lead to DOS. I have done a search on DOS in the c\WINNT folder and I can't find much. So I have no idea what path to put there.