Define SYSTEMROOT variable in WinME

I have a program that needs to have the SYSTEMROOT variable defined
inorder to install correctly. Is there a way to do this manually in
winME? If so, how? I know that this variable is only generally
defined on NT based OS's.

Thanks,
Cathy

It's the same as windir. Use %windir%. It's in the msdos.sys file at
the Windir= line.

John

dook wrote:

I have a program that needs to have the SYSTEMROOT variable defined
inorder to install correctly. Is there a way to do this manually in
winME? If so, how? I know that this variable is only generally
defined on NT based OS's.

Thanks,
Cathy

The application specifically looks for the SYSTEMROOT variable.
Without changing the application already deployed - is there anyway to
manually add this to a winME machine?

John John wrote:
It's the same as windir. Use %windir%. It's in the msdos.sys file at
the Windir= line.

John

dook wrote:

I have a program that needs to have the SYSTEMROOT variable defined
inorder to install correctly. Is there a way to do this manually in
winME? If so, how? I know that this variable is only generally
defined on NT based OS's.

Thanks,
Cathy

Not that I know of. You can try the SET command like so:

SET WINDIR=%SYSTEMROOT%

but I have not tried this and it might not work at all or it might blow
up in your face! I cannot guarantee what sort of results might come
from using the command, the ME installation might not boot, I don't
know, worse case scenario the installation might have a meltdown! I
accept no responsibility for the outcome... unless of course if it's a
total genial success ;-)

For all it's worth, if the application's installer can't figure that
basic install routine it probably won't run on Windows 9x/ME.

John

dook wrote:

The application specifically looks for the SYSTEMROOT variable.
Without changing the application already deployed - is there anyway to
manually add this to a winME machine?

John John wrote:

It's the same as windir. Use %windir%. It's in the msdos.sys file at
the Windir= line.

John

dook wrote:


I have a program that needs to have the SYSTEMROOT variable defined
inorder to install correctly. Is there a way to do this manually in
winME? If so, how? I know that this variable is only generally
defined on NT based OS's.

Thanks,
Cathy

John John wrote:

Not that I know of. You can try the SET command like so:

SET WINDIR=%SYSTEMROOT%


I think you have reversed the entries in the above command.

windir is an already existing variable.
systemroot is the new variable you need to add.

The command should therefore be:

set systemroot = %windir%

or

set systemroot = c:\windows

If you add either of these lines to the autoexec.bat file then Windows
Me will detect it on the next bootup, give you an advisory message,
and incorporate it into the startup configuration.

Good luck

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP (1997 - 2006)
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"Anyone who thinks that they are too small to make a difference
has never been in bed with a mosquito."

PS. If that were to work maybe it should be: set SYSTEMROOT=%WINDIR%

You could also try to have the application/installer called or started
from a batch file where the set command was issued before the call.

John

John John wrote:

Not that I know of. You can try the SET command like so:

SET WINDIR=%SYSTEMROOT%

but I have not tried this and it might not work at all or it might blow
up in your face! I cannot guarantee what sort of results might come
from using the command, the ME installation might not boot, I don't
know, worse case scenario the installation might have a meltdown! I
accept no responsibility for the outcome... unless of course if it's a
total genial success ;-)

For all it's worth, if the application's installer can't figure that
basic install routine it probably won't run on Windows 9x/ME.

John

dook wrote:

The application specifically looks for the SYSTEMROOT variable.
Without changing the application already deployed - is there anyway to
manually add this to a winME machine?

John John wrote:

It's the same as windir. Use %windir%. It's in the msdos.sys file at
the Windir= line.

John

dook wrote:


I have a program that needs to have the SYSTEMROOT variable defined
inorder to install correctly. Is there a way to do this manually in
winME? If so, how? I know that this variable is only generally
defined on NT based OS's.

Thanks,
Cathy

Thanks Ron. Our posts must have been seconds apart!

John

Ron Martell wrote:
John John wrote:


Not that I know of. You can try the SET command like so:

SET WINDIR=%SYSTEMROOT%



I think you have reversed the entries in the above command.

windir is an already existing variable.
systemroot is the new variable you need to add.

The command should therefore be:

set systemroot = %windir%

or

set systemroot = c:\windows

If you add either of these lines to the autoexec.bat file then Windows
Me will detect it on the next bootup, give you an advisory message,
and incorporate it into the startup configuration.

Good luck

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada

Thanks guys, That information is helpful. Do you think putting
anything in the registry would help.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Sessio nManager\Environment\Systemroot
??

Or would it just be ignored because the OS does not expect that
variable to even exist.

Cathy

John John wrote:
Thanks Ron. Our posts must have been seconds apart!

John

Ron Martell wrote:
John John wrote:


Not that I know of. You can try the SET command like so:

SET WINDIR=%SYSTEMROOT%



I think you have reversed the entries in the above command.

windir is an already existing variable.
systemroot is the new variable you need to add.

The command should therefore be:

set systemroot = %windir%

or

set systemroot = c:\windows

If you add either of these lines to the autoexec.bat file then Windows
Me will detect it on the next bootup, give you an advisory message,
and incorporate it into the startup configuration.

Good luck

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada

Yeah, that would be the one. I installed ME on a spare drive to check
it out and here is what I found out.

You can use the set command in a DOS session and the systemroot variable
will only be valid for the duration of the DOS session. As soon as you
exit the session the variable is extinct. You can test it for
yourself, start a command.com session and do:

set SYSTEMROOT=%WINDIR%

or set systemroot=c:\windows

and then use the cd command to verify the variable; ie:

cd\
cd %systemroot%
cd\
cd %windir%

You will see that the cd command with the systemroot variable doesn't
work when you exit and start a new DOS session but it will after you use
the set command.

Following Ron's instructions I added the line SET SYSTEMROOT=C:\WINDOWS
to the autoexec.bat file, rebooted Windows ME and a before and after
regsnap confirmed that the systemroot entry was added to the registry at:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\SessionManager\Environment

Repeating the cd verification commands in a DOS session confirmed that
the variable was in effect.

John


dook wrote:

Thanks guys, That information is helpful. Do you think putting
anything in the registry would help.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Sessio nManager\Environment\Systemroot
??

Or would it just be ignored because the OS does not expect that
variable to even exist.

Cathy

John John wrote:

Thanks Ron. Our posts must have been seconds apart!

John

Ron Martell wrote:

John John wrote:



Not that I know of. You can try the SET command like so:

SET WINDIR=%SYSTEMROOT%



I think you have reversed the entries in the above command.

windir is an already existing variable.
systemroot is the new variable you need to add.

The command should therefore be:

set systemroot = %windir%

or

set systemroot = c:\windows

If you add either of these lines to the autoexec.bat file then Windows
Me will detect it on the next bootup, give you an advisory message,
and incorporate it into the startup configuration.

Good luck

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada

Thanks, this is perfect. Appreciate the help!

-Cathy

John John wrote:
Yeah, that would be the one. I installed ME on a spare drive to check
it out and here is what I found out.

You can use the set command in a DOS session and the systemroot variable
will only be valid for the duration of the DOS session. As soon as you
exit the session the variable is extinct. You can test it for
yourself, start a command.com session and do:

set SYSTEMROOT=%WINDIR%

or set systemroot=c:\windows

and then use the cd command to verify the variable; ie:

cd\
cd %systemroot%
cd\
cd %windir%

You will see that the cd command with the systemroot variable doesn't
work when you exit and start a new DOS session but it will after you use
the set command.

Following Ron's instructions I added the line SET SYSTEMROOT=C:\WINDOWS
to the autoexec.bat file, rebooted Windows ME and a before and after
regsnap confirmed that the systemroot entry was added to the registry at:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\SessionManager\Environment

Repeating the cd verification commands in a DOS session confirmed that
the variable was in effect.

John


dook wrote:

Thanks guys, That information is helpful. Do you think putting
anything in the registry would help.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Sessio nManager\Environment\Systemroot
??

Or would it just be ignored because the OS does not expect that
variable to even exist.

Cathy

John John wrote:

Thanks Ron. Our posts must have been seconds apart!

John

Ron Martell wrote:

John John wrote:



Not that I know of. You can try the SET command like so:

SET WINDIR=%SYSTEMROOT%



I think you have reversed the entries in the above command.

windir is an already existing variable.
systemroot is the new variable you need to add.

The command should therefore be:

set systemroot = %windir%

or

set systemroot = c:\windows

If you add either of these lines to the autoexec.bat file then Windows
Me will detect it on the next bootup, give you an advisory message,
and incorporate it into the startup configuration.

Good luck

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada