Windows 7: Adding Directories to Path Failure

How do you actually add directories to path? Every tutorial I've come across just says tack the path on to the end of the PATH variable after the previous variable's semicolon. That doesn't work. For instance if I want to add a path B:\MinGW\bin\ I would just add it to the system variable PATH like so

<other stuff>; B:\MinGW\bin\;



and now anything in the bin directory of MinGW should be in the path. Why doesn't this work? It still pulling the "this is not an internal or external command" nonsense on me. I've also tried adding directories on the C drive to path and ended with the same results.

How are you adding things to PATH, and how are you including the previous PATH statement, specifically? If you're just using SET in a prompt and then opening a new app (that isn't a child of that prompt), you lose that change. If you want a change to be permanent, you need to use the SETX command (or change the PATH via the control panel).

I'll answer my own question. I have absolutely no idea why on earth you would need to do this but here's what I did to get it to work. I had to make a new variable by clicking

1) New
2) Enter the variable name in the name box (doesn't matter what it is)
3) Now enter the directory you want added in variable value
4) Now edit the path variable and add %your_variable_name_here%; to the path.
5) After the variable in %s add the hardcoded path that you already put in variable value for the variable you created.

That's what it took to get it working. Does it make any sense that you would have to essentially add the path twice? No, but I'm sure there's some underlying cause for it O.o. Hope this helps somebody because it took me forever to figure out.