Restoring Windows XP PATH variable
Got the answer on Experts Exchange. Here is the excerpt:
Start regedit
and check for the "Path" value in HKLM\System\ControlSet<xx>\Control\Session Manager\Environment
(replace <xx>
with all numbered ControlSet
entries that are present. No need to check CurrentControlSet
, it's one of the ControlSetxx
keys, and you won't find anything under there.)
These are the "Last Know Good" configurations; if you're lucky, there's still one left that has a path variable.
If not, the bare minimum required is this:
C:\WINNT\system32;C:\WINNT;C:\WINNT\System32\Wbem
The default environment variables are stored in the registry under following key
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Environment
Set the path variable to its default value here:
"C:\Windows\System32\;C:\Windows\;C:\Windows\System32\Wbem"
A system restore should restore the PATH variable.