I cant even type help in command prompt without it telling me it has no idea what help is. i dont understand how the computer runs without that thing working but microsoft continues to amaze me daily. So i was wandering what i can do about it? I need to use ipconfig to get some info ....but other than that i like all my microsoft files to be in working order, not asking ME what help is.

What happens if you type set path

http://www.ss64.com/nt/

Razor: C:\Users\Adam Richards>set path Path=C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jdk1.6.0_01\bin;C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsof t SQL Server\80\Tools\Binn\;C:\Program Files (x86)\Autodesk\Backburner\;C:\Progr am Files (x86)\Common Files\Autodesk Shared\ PATHEXT=.COM;.EXE;.BAT;.CMD;.VBS;.VBE;.JS;.JSE;.WSF;.WSH;.MSC that link doesn't really fix my problem though i dont want the instructions i want some of the functions fixed.

The problem is that your PATH variable is screwed up. It should also point to a few WINDOWS directories, but it doesn't. I don't have much experience with Vista, so I can't tell you where to go to change it, or what it should be. I can tell you on WinNT4 through WinXP, you could change it somewhere in the System Properties. I can also tell you on WinXP, the PATH usually points to C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32

Razor you were a big help, i had the same problem, but on my WinXP. just so everyone knows how to fix this problem i figured it out. this is how you do it. go into control panel and have it on classic view so you have a ton of icons and their all specific. double click system to get the System Properties. Click the Advanced tab and then click a button called Environment Variables. it should open up a new window with user variables and system variables. we want the system variables which is the lower section with the list of different variables. find the 'Path' variable and click edit. now in the variable value box type in the extension razor gave us, which is. C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32 click ok and you should be done :D all commands should work in command prompt now.

Ok. i now have another question. if i change my path back to the original one. how do i set up the path for me to be able to compile with java via Batch files. cause i script in java and compile. i had to change it like that for me to do it with batch files. anyone have any idea?