System can't find environment option?

When I try to access a program or a system file, I get the msg:
"The system can't find the environment option that was entered"

I have virtually no access to anything on my computer. No Control Panel, virtually no programs...nothing.

Tried accessing them in Safe Mode, but still no luck.

Your expertise would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Oh, I'm running Vista Business. Please let me know if you need more info...I'm a NOVICE , so go easy.

 

Go to Start, and in the search box, type cmd and hit enter.

Then type path and hit enter. What does it say?

For example:

 

It says PATH=C:\Windows\System32

 

But what does it mean???
Anyone??
Anyone??

Help...(she says...meekly...):confused

 

Also...when I try to access Control Panel, Device Manager, System, Administrative Tools, etc. I get a message that says
"System can't find %windir%\system32\etc...etc...

I even tried to access the Registry Editor via the Cmd Prompt, but it says 'regedit' is not recognized as an internal or external command.
and...
the right side of my keyboard is all screwed up. At one time, it only worked when I was logged in as the Administrator, then only when I was in Safe Mode. When I logged off as Administrator and logged back on under my usual account, the keyboard worked fine, for about a week, now it's screwed up again, and no, I didn't spill anything on it.
and...
Every time I boot up, the volume icon tells me there is no audio detected. Previously, I could access Device Manager where I would have to go in and manually enable it, but I had to do this every time I rebooted, now I can't even access devmgr.
and...
Sometimes when I boot up, I am told to reconnect the fingerprint reader
and...
I no longer have any restore points and am unable to create any
and...
Internet Explorer hasn't worked for the past several months. The message says Internet Explorer has stopped working and that it has something to do with DEP. Yesterday, I tried getting online with Internet Explorer in Safe Mode and it worked.
and...
I am constantly losing my internet connection
and...
I don't know if any of this info is related or even helpful, but just in case...

Thanks again...this really IS a great forum, and so friendly too. Thanks also for all the welcomes!

 

Sorry, been terribly busy.

Ok, so click start, right click Computer, go to Properties.. On the left, click Advanced System Settings and open that up. Click on the Advanced tab, and then Environment Variables button.

Highlight path. Click edit..

Clear out the entire variable value line, and re-enter EXACTLY this:

C:\windows\system32;C:\windows;C:\windows\system32\Wbem


Click OK all the way out. Reboot the machine, and see how that works out for ya.

 

No need to apologize, really. I totally understand and am grateful for any help offered. Being new to this forum, I'm not familiar with it's protocols so I didn't know if I should wait for another reply or ask for one. Thank you for helping when I asked.

Ok, so I followed your instructions and got as far as Advanced System Settings. Once I clicked on it, the same ol' problem appeared: "The system can't find the environment option that was entered"

I have absolutely NO idea what this means as it appears to be written in Greek, I mean Geek (ha ha, a little humor/pun there!) but I wonder if this is relative at all..?

I clicked the start button, clicked Computer, right clicked properties advanced tools, system info, components, problem devices and without typing all of the numbers following, there were 7 isatap entries. Under PNP Device ID, ROOT/*ISATAP/0004, 010, 011, etc.

Is it related to my problem/does it help you at all or what other info can I offer?

Please let me know and of course, THANK YOU again for all your help!
p.

 

check add/remove programs for something like Perl.

 

I hate to self bump, but am following up. Do you have anything like the above installed?

 

No, I don't.

 

Oh, and did I mention that the right side of my keyboard doesn't work properly, for instance, the i key will type the number 5, the p key will be the asterisk, etc. Also, sometimes when I reboot, it says to reconnect the fingerprint reader and the I am told I have no audio devices installed, yet I have sound!
Tried to use the onscreen keyboard but when I clicked on it, nothing happened.

Wassup widdat?

Thanks,
p.

 

Num lock is on that's why you get the strange displays.
for example m=0 j=1 k=2 l=3 u=4 i=5 o=6 with num lock on, you get numbers not letters. Turn off num lock and the prolem is gone.

 

OMG...Boy, do I feel like an idiot now!

Thank you sooo much! Man, the keyboard feels so strange now since I've been using the wireless keyboard for the past couple of months.

You rock...such a simple fix, yet it stumped me for months.

Thanks Again!
(yep, head kinda hanging low...in embarrassment. hee hee!

 

Don't be embarassed. The only reason we know some of these things is because once upon a time it happened to us.

 

Wow...so simply put, yet such a statement. Thanks for that, really.

Now that I have your attention, any idea what's causing my original problem?
That being that the system can't find environment option entered?

Any help from anyone would really be appreciated!

Thanks Much

 

Sorry, your's is the only topic that comes up with "system can't find the environmental option that was entered".

I'm searching MS to see what a translation of that might be and found this

Now if your keyboard wasn't working properly, you may have pressed a key but it wasn't recognized. Have you tried booting into safe mode or last known good configuration since the keyboard is fixed?