How to set user environment variables in Windows Server 2008 R2 as a normal user?

In older versions of Windows, it was just open the Control Panel, select the System applet, select the Advanced tab, and then hit the Environment variables button. As a normal user, you could edit the "User variables" but not the "System variables".

In Windows Server 2008 R2, if I try to hit the Advanced System settings option in the System applet, it prompts for the Administrator password.

Solution 1:

You can also use this direct command line to open the Advanced System Properties:

sysdm.cpl

Then go to the Advanced Tab -> Environment Variables

Solution 2:

OK I found it. Arg, an exercise in frustration. They left the old window menu traversal path for changing environment variables in there, but limited access to administrators only. As a normal user, if you want to change it, you need to go through a different set of options to arrive at the same frigging window.

Control Panel -> User Accounts -> User Accounts -> Change my environment variables.

Solution 3:

Step by step instructions:

• Go to Control Panel \System and Security\System
• Click on Change Settings
• Go to “Advance” tab
• Click on Environment Variables

Solution 4:

Under "Start" enter "environment" in the search field. That will list the option to change the system variables directly in the start menu.

Solution 5:

This can be done from the command line using the SETX command. For example to 'move' your temporary files to another disk:

SETX TEMP d:\tmp