I hope someone can help me out.  I recently installed a an update to Zone Alarm Security Suite and a copy of Shadow 3.  Right afterwards I began having boot problems but I've got that figured out.

Now, when I run "cmd" and enter any command (ping, for examble) I get an error message saying it doesn't exist.

Any ideas?  I don't want to reinstall a Ghost image yet if I don't have to.

Thanks in advance...

B. Holcomb


Quote:

when I run "cmd" and enter any command (ping, for examble) I get an error message saying it doesn't exist

Is that the *only* problem you have using *cmd*--the *ping* command reports back that it did not find a certain network resource and did not get a response from it when *pinged*?

I'll bet you have to configure your ZoneAlarm firewall so it will allow for ping to work properly--the default settings may have been changed by the update.

I should be more clear.  The actual error I get is "ping is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program, or batch file."

It doesn't only happen with ping - ipconfig, rd, md, etc.

B. Holcomb

That is clearer!

Search for where those programs are located (i.e. what sub-directory), change to that sub-directory with your command prompt (if you have the PowerToy *Open Command Window Here*, you can right-click the sub-directory in Windows Explorer and select that menu item to open the Command Window where you want it).

For instance on my WinXP Pro, *ping* is in the *C:\WINDOWS\system32* sub-directory.

Can you type the program command in that Command Window that is focused on that subdirectory, and will the program run now?

If *yes*, then the update may have somehow messed up your *Environment Variables* *Path* statement.  Those settings are found by right-clicking your *My Computer* and selecting *Properties>Advanced tab>Environment Variables* button at the bottom of the tab page.

That works!  So I checked out my environment variables - what exactly needs chaged?

Thanks for the help!

B. Holcomb


Quote:

That works!

Good!  Guess your *path* variable has been changed by your recent updates--the real question is *what* and *why*--however we may not find those answers!

When you go to the *Environment Variables*, in the lower box it says *System variables*--is there a *Path* listed under the *Variable* column?

Here's what's in my *Path* on the *Value* column side:

%SystemRoot%\system32;%SystemRoot%;%SystemRoot%\System32\Wbem;C:\Program Files\Common Files\Roxio Shared\DLLShared;C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adaptec Shared\System;"C:\Program Files\Norton SystemWorks\Norton Ghost\"

Each item between *;* is a separate statement.  I don't know why the "C:\Program Files\Norton SystemWorks\Norton Ghost\" is in *quotes*.

Probably the following was the original *Path* created by Windows:  %SystemRoot%\system32;%SystemRoot%;%SystemRoot%\System32\Wbem

The specific item that is probably missing, at least for *ping* is the:  %SystemRoot%\system32

And the rest was added by various programs that think of themselves as being important enough to require being in the *Path* when they installed themselves!

If there is a *Path* *Variable*, then highlight it and click *Edit* and fix it as needed.  If there is not *Path* *Variable*, click *New* and add one.

The *Path* tells Windows and *DOS* under Windows where to automatically search for items typed in the *Run* box--or at the DOS Prompt in a DOS Command Window.