Missing Commands in cmd window

When I run ipconfig, chkdsk, ping, trace etc. I get this message.
C:\Documents and Settings\Merrill S. Harkey.SLOUTH.000>ipconfig
'ipconfig' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.
Many other commands will work. Just seems to be one associated with intenet.

Oh, while trying to find post on this, found how to copy off of cmd window.
Thanks.

Baldy

 

Do a search for the file ipconfig.exe and verify it is located in the Windows\system32 folder. Then open a command window and type path and press enter. Verify that the windows\system32 folder is in the path statement.

Post back your findings.

 

Thanks, tried suggestion and it shows to be as
"C:\Documents and Settings\Merrill S. Harkey.SLOUTH.000>path
PATH=%SYSTEMROOT%\SYSTEM32;%SYSTEMROOT%;%SYSTEMROOT%\SYSTEM32\WBEM;C:\WINDOWS\Sy
stem32\Wbem "

Baldy

 

The path looks good.

Did you verify that the file ipconfig.exe is located in the windows\system32 folder? If you find it there, double click it and see if it runs.

 

Hi,
This may sound like an obvious question but are you running Windows Xp ?

 

When I double clicked on it in c:\windows\system32\ it just through up a blank black box for second and disapeared.
I'm Running XP Home SP2.

Thanks
Baldy

 

That's good.

Now open a command session and type path=C:\windows\system32 and press enter. Then type ipconfig and press enter. Does it run properly now?

 

Thanks, that did the trick. Wonder how it got lost. Thanks again. Don't use that much, but when I discovered it missing, blew my mind.
Thanks again
Baldy

 

That's not the final resolution however. That only works in that session. There is an obvious problem with your path statement.

I would suggest that you re-enter the path statement to clean up any possible corruption.

In your case, enter the following string to replace what is presently shown:

Code:

%SYSTEMROOT%\SYSTEM32;%SYSTEMROOT%;%SYSTEMROOT%\SYSTEM32\WBEM;C:\WINDOWS\System32\Wbem

Note that there are no spaces in that string.

 

I went there and checked it looked the same, but I replaced it anyway by copy and past. Tried it again and it's not working. Have to enter c:\windows\system32 again to get it to work. Once closing the cmd prompt and reopening it won't work.
Something is still off.
Baldy

 

OK, thanks for the update.

FYI, I copy/pasted your string into my system path and the command worked fine for me.

Apparently your system is not resolving the path command properly. One thing that bothers me is the way your system is reporting the Path when you run the PATH command. You get %systemroot% whereas I get c:\windows in the various paths. That surely is a clue.

Is your system folder named Windows?

Perhaps if you substitute C:\Windows for each occurence of %systemroot% in your path string it will cure your problem. That should not be necessary under normal circumstances but it might be a proper work around.

Other than that, I would suggest running sfc /scannow and see if it does any good. I'll stop short of suggesting a repair install since this problem doesn't warrant that much effort.

 

Also try this, instead of typing path=c:\windows\system32 type path=%systemroot%\system32 and see if that works the same to allow the ipconfig command to run.

 

It worked right after trying it, but after closing the cmd promp and re-opening it it didn't.
Baldy

 

Curiouser and curiouser.

Replace you path statement with this one:

Code:

C:\windows\SYSTEM32;C:\windows;C:\WINDOWS\System32\Wbem

I have a germ of an idea now! Report back if that did the trick.

 

Well, that looks like it really did it. I've closed the cmd promp several times, restarted and it still works.
Thanks a lot.
Baldy
Sorry couldn't get back quicker, having to go out and do "Honey Do's ".

 

It was interesting. Thanks for the feedback so others can benefit.

All the best.