Friday, May 29, 2009

PATH variables not resolving

Just recently I had the problem that I couldn't execute most of the commands in the Windows Command Prompt.

When I tried to ping, ipconfig or similar, the prompt just said something like ""ipconfig" is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable system program or batch file.".


 I checked the path variable under the "Environment Variables" ([WIN] + [Pause] Advanced Environment Variables): %SystemRoot%\system32;%SystemRoot%;%SystemRoot%\system32\WBEM


Okay, this looks good. So tried "echo %systemroot%" in the Command Prompt ([WIN] + [R] cmd) and the variable got correctly resolved: "C:\WINDOWS".

But when I tried "path" in the Command Prompt I got "PATH=%SystemRoot%\system32;%SystemRoot%;%SystemRoot%\system32\WBEM;…". Correctly it should be "PATH=C:\WINDOWS\system32;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\system32\WBEM;…". Apparently the path variables didn't get resolved for some reason.

Not knowing what the problem was I played around a bit with the "path variable" and suddenly it worked again. But not for long, next time I restarted the same problem reappeared. So decided to do a little research through Google and found this helpful blog post.

Solution

The problem is that the path key in the registry should be of the type "Reg_Expand_SZ" and mysteriously it was of type "Reg_SZ".

Here the step-by-step solution:

  1. Go to: Start > Run > Regedit (alt.: [WIN] +[R] > regedit)
  2. Check: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Environment
  3. Make sure that the registry key holding the path is of Reg_Expand_SZ type rather Reg_SZ type
  4. If the holding key is Reg_SZ change it into Reg_Expand_SZ by:
  • Double Click "Path" and copy it's Data Value "…%SystemRoot%\system32;%SystemRoot%; …" to avoid to rewrite it again
  • Delete the "Path"
  • Create New > Expandable String Value
  • Give "Path" as the name, double click it, and Paste the value copied in the previous step to the "Value Data" field
  1. Close the Regedit window and restart your system or just log-off and on

Another step-by-step solution without using the registry and which should do the same:

  1. Go to the "Environment Variables"
  • [WIN] + [Pause] > Advanced > Environment Variables
  1. Under "System variables" double click on "Path"
  2. Copy the the whole path (%SystemRoot%\system32;%SystemRoot%;%SystemRoot%\system32\WBEM;…)
  3. Click Cancel
  4. Delete the "Path" variable
  5. Click New and use the same name "Path" and paste now the old Path variable values
  6. Click OK and OK
  7. Now restart or just log-off and on

Realtek HD Audio Codec Driver R2.25!

All new R2.25!

• WinXP Driver Version: 5.10.0.5859
• Windows Vista Version: 6.0.1.5859

R2.25 | Vista, Windows7 (32/64 bits) Driver only (Executable file) | 34,12 MB | MD5: 3f353602d3545201226c39f845a5d7d7
http://rapidshare.com/files/238548489/Vista_Win7_R225.exe

R2.25 | Vista, Windows7 (32/64 bits) Driver only (ZIP file) | 34,21 MB | MD5: 94d4d95345a9a8e4ace8f40b0277026b
http://rapidshare.com/files/238548512/Vista_Win7_R225.zip

R2.25 | Windows 2000, Windows XP/2003(32/64 bits) Driver only (ZIP file) | 28,7 MB | MD5: 7cf062507113f49f39248bfd6b6c9a10
http://rapidshare.com/files/238548507/WDM_R225.zip

R2.25 | Windows 2000, Windows XP/2003(32/64 bits) Driver only (Executable file) | 28,6 MB | MD5: bf956e660bc2a2e8a96cea8f4abfe20e
http://rapidshare.com/files/238548480/WDM_R225.exe


README R2.25
http://rapidshare.com/files/238548376/R225_Readme.pdf

Linux driver (2.6) | 5.11 | 4,91 MB | MD5: 8df5b8b1dbc5398b6dbec37d454cc803 
http://rapidshare.com/files/207783648/LinuxPkg_5.11.tar.bz2

R2.25 | ATI HDMI Audio Device | 16,3 MB | MD5: 38b5069830da73c5f1060900cd9f04c0
http://rapidshare.com/files/238548413/HDMI_R225.exe

CODE
--------
History:
--------
Driver Package R2.25
    Realtek HD Audio Driver support all of Realtek HD Audio Codec .
    1. Vista/Windows 7 WHQL Supporting: ALC882, ALC883, ALC885, ALC888, ALC889, ALC861VD, ALC660, ALC662, ALC663, ALC665, ALC260, ALC262,ALC267, ALC268, ALC269, ALC272, ALC273, ALC887
    2. Windows 2000/XP WHQL Supporting: ALC880, ALC882, ALC883, ALC885, ALC888, ALC889, ALC861VC, ALC861VD, ALC660, ALC662, ALC663, ALC665, ALC260, ALC262, ALC267,ALC268, ALC269, ALC272, ALC273, ALC887
    3. HDMI Device WHQL Support: ATI HDMI Devices
    4. OS Supporting: Microsoft WindowsXP, Widnows2000, Windows Server 2003, Vista, Windows Server 2008,
Windows7 - x86/x64
    5. Pack with Microsoft High Definition Audio UAAV1.0a(5013)
    6. Add/Fix
        1.) Driver :
            1. Customizations.
            2. Windows 7 WHQL Driver.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Realtek HD Audio Codec Driver R2.24!

All new R2.24!

• WinXP Driver Version: 5.10.0.5854
• Windows Vista Version: 6.0.1.5854

R2.24 | Vista, Windows7 (32/64 bits) Driver only (Executable file) | 34,06 MB | MD5: 02cb223647f317b719c9f720a9335a84
http://rapidshare.com/files/234797785/Vista_R224.exe

R2.24 | Vista, Windows7 (32/64 bits) Driver only (ZIP file) | 34,15 MB | MD5: cabf290d19bbb8ef8236129817ee2f80
http://rapidshare.com/files/234797478/Vista_R224.zip

R2.24 | Windows 2000, Windows XP/2003(32/64 bits) Driver only (ZIP file) | 28,7 MB | MD5: c250bed55a0bab2da669d7905be40611
http://rapidshare.com/files/234797459/WDM_R224.zip

R2.24 | Windows 2000, Windows XP/2003(32/64 bits) Driver only (Executable file) | 28,6 MB | MD5: 09625c1214a8eb92cad2fe2643127d45
http://rapidshare.com/files/234797817/WDM_R224.exe

README R2.24
http://rapidshare.com/files/234797372/R224_Readme.pdf

Linux driver (2.6) | 5.11 | 4,91 MB | MD5: 8df5b8b1dbc5398b6dbec37d454cc803 
http://rapidshare.com/files/207783648/LinuxPkg_5.11.tar.bz2

R2.24 | ATI HDMI Audio Device | 16,8 MB | MD5:1fb8b25dc6d2db4e9671c97484806065
http://rapidshare.com/files/231014672/HDMI_R223.exe


History:
--------
Driver Package R2.24
    Realtek HD Audio Driver support all of Realtek HD Audio Codec .
    1. Vista WHQL Supporting: ALC882, ALC883, ALC885, ALC888, ALC889, ALC861VD, ALC660, ALC662, ALC663, ALC665, ALC260, ALC262,ALC267, ALC268, ALC269, ALC272, ALC273, ALC887
    2. Windows 2000/XP WHQL Supporting: ALC880, ALC882, ALC883, ALC885, ALC888, ALC889, ALC861VC, ALC861VD, ALC660, ALC662, ALC663, ALC665, ALC260, ALC262, ALC267,ALC268, ALC269, ALC272, ALC273, ALC887
    3. HDMI Device WHQL Support: ATI HDMI Devices
    4. OS Supporting: Microsoft WindowsXP, Widnows2000, Windows Server 2003, Vista, Windows Server 2008,
Windows7 - x86/x64
    5. Pack with Microsoft High Definition Audio UAAV1.0a(5013)
    6. Add/Fix
        1.) Driver :
            1. Customizations.