Microsoft KB Archive/93781

= The Path Statement in Windows NT =

PSS ID Number: 93781

Article Last Modified on 11/20/2003

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Windows NT Server 3.1
 * Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 3.1
 * Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server 3.1

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This article was previously published under Q93781



SUMMARY
In a Windows NT path statement, the Windows NT system path always comes first. The string that you specify in &quot;System Environment Variables&quot; is appended to the system path. Then, the string specified in the default AUTOEXEC.NT is appended (this string is commonly found in the \SYSTEM32 directory or in a customized AUTOEXEC.BAT launched from a Program Information File [PIF]).



MORE INFORMATION
The Windows NT path statement is constructed as follows:


 * 1) The Windows NT system path always comes first. For example: path=d:\winnt\system32 The system path can be found in the System option in Control Panel, under System Environment Variables.
 * 2) Next, the user-defined environment variable (if any) is added to the path statement. For example: path=c:\wp51;c:\dos This variable can be found in the System option in Control Panel, under User Environment Variables for {username}.
 * 3) Finally, when a virtual DOS machine (VDM) is started, another specification is added. The VDM can be started by loading an MS-DOS or Windows 16-bit application. - If an MS-DOS application is launched, a customized AUTOEXEC.BAT file can be specified in a PIF for that application. - If an MS-DOS application is launched without a customized PIF, or a Windows 16-bit application is launched, then the default AUTOEXEC.NT found in the \SYSTEM32 directory is executed. Any path found in the AUTOEXEC file is appended to the statement constructed in steps 1 and 2.

Special Case: Os2LibPath
The Os2LibPath statement is appended to the system path statement, as follows:

  Os2LibPath=D:\winnt\system32\os2\dll;

This statement can be found in the System option in Control Panel, under System Environment Variables. This statement allows an OS2 application to find its supporting files, and has no effect on applications that start a VDM (such as Windows 16-bit and MS-DOS applications).

Additional query words: prodnt

Keywords: kbother KB93781

Technology: kbWinNT310Search kbWinNTAdvSerSearch kbWinNTAdvServ310 kbWinNTS310 kbWinNTS310search kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTW310 kbWinNTW310Search kbWinNTWsearch

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