Article ID: 832978
Article Last Modified on 5/14/2007
APPLIES TO
- Microsoft Windows XP Professional
- Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
SYMPTOMS
When you try to run a program on a Microsoft Windows XP-based computer, the program may not run because Windows XP cannot find the program's executable files or DLL files.
CAUSE
This problem may occur if the system PATH environment variable is longer than 1024 characters when the program is installed. The system PATH environment variable is limited to 1023 characters, plus the terminating null character, for a total of 1024 characters. When you start the program, the path is truncated to 1024 characters, and this truncated version is then written back to the registry.
RESOLUTION
Service pack information
To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Microsoft Windows XP. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
322389 How to obtain the latest Windows XP service pack
Hotfix information
A supported hotfix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to correct the problem that is described in this article. Only apply it to systems that are experiencing this specific problem. This hotfix may receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, Microsoft recommends that you wait for the next Windows XP service pack that contains this hotfix.
To resolve this problem immediately, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services phone numbers and information about support costs, visit the following Microsoft Web site:
Note In special cases, charges that are ordinarily incurred for support calls may be canceled if a Microsoft Support Professional determines that a specific update will resolve your problem. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for the specific update in question.
File information
The English version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in coordinated universal time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time tool in Control Panel.
Windows XP, 64-bit editions
Date Time Version Size File name Platform --------------------------------------------------------------------- 27-Apr-2004 00:00 6.0.2800.1515 130,560 Fldrclnr.dll IA-64 27-Apr-2004 00:00 5.1.2600.1520 1,272,320 Msgina.dll IA-64 27-Apr-2004 00:00 6.0.2800.1520 14,377,984 Shell32.dll IA-64 27-Apr-2004 00:00 5.1.2600.1515 2,018,816 Sxs.dll IA-64 27-Apr-2004 00:00 5.1.2600.1520 497,664 Sysdm.cpl 27-Apr-2004 00:00 5.1.2600.1520 1,714,176 Userenv.dll IA-64 27-Apr-2004 00:13 6.0.2800.1515 82,432 Wfldrclnr.dll x86 26-Apr-2004 22:52 5.1.2600.1520 646,144 Winlogon.exe IA-64 27-Apr-2004 00:13 5.1.2600.1520 995,328 Wmsgina.dll x86 27-Apr-2004 00:13 6.0.2800.1520 8,349,184 Wshell32.dll x86 27-Apr-2004 00:13 5.1.2600.1515 676,864 Wsxs.dll x86 27-Apr-2004 00:13 5.1.2600.1520 275,456 Wsysdm.cpl 27-Apr-2004 00:13 5.1.2600.1520 675,840 Wuserenv.dll x86 11-Apr-2004 04:04 5.1.2600.1515 593,408 Wxpsp2res.dll x86 11-Apr-2004 03:33 5.1.2600.1515 592,896 Xpsp2res.dll IA-64 11-Apr-2004 02:18 6.0.2800.1515 2,639,360 Comctl32.dll IA-64 27-Apr-2004 00:00 1,813 Controls.man 27-Apr-2004 00:00 623 Comctl.man
Windows XP, 32-bit editions
Date Time Version Size File name Platform --------------------------------------------------------------------- 27-Apr-2004 00:13 6.0.2800.1515 82,432 Fldrclnr.dll x86 27-Apr-2004 00:13 5.1.2600.1520 995,328 Msgina.dll x86 27-Apr-2004 00:13 6.0.2800.1520 8,349,184 Shell32.dll x86 27-Apr-2004 00:13 5.1.2600.1515 676,864 Sxs.dll x86 27-Apr-2004 00:13 5.1.2600.1520 275,456 Sysdm.cpl x86 27-Apr-2004 00:13 5.1.2600.1520 675,840 Userenv.dll x86 26-Apr-2004 23:52 5.1.2600.1520 519,168 Winlogon.exe x86 11-Apr-2004 04:04 5.1.2600.1515 593,408 Xpsp2res.dll x86 27-Apr-2004 00:13 6.0.2800.1515 921,600 Comctl32.dll x86 27-Apr-2004 00:13 1,812 Controls.man 27-Apr-2004 00:13 621 Comctl.man
STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section. This problem was first corrected in Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2.
MORE INFORMATION
After you install this hotfix or Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2), the PATH environment variable limit is increased to 2,048 characters. For additional information about the standard terminology that is used to describe Microsoft software updates, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
824684 Description of the standard terminology that is used to describe Microsoft software updates
Note Even after you apply the hotfix applied, the ENVIRONMENT management alias (Win32_Environment provider) in WMI will fail if the PATH statement has more than 1023 characters.
Keywords: kbhotfixserver kbqfe kbwinxpsp2fix kbwinxppresp2fix kbbug kbfix kbqfe KB832978
