I am trying to change the icon that shows for the System Root, C:\Windows. I can't customize it like you normally would a Windows folder. I have looked for a registry entry I could add a DefaultIcon key too, but I haven't found anything.
I have tried using a desktop.ini file to do it, but it won't work:
[.ShellClassInfo]
IconResource=icon.ico,-0
The desktop.ini file and that icon were both in the Windows directory and it didn't change it, but those same pieces worked fine in the Downloads folder, so the code works.
Whatever the solution, I would like to avoid using any program to accomplish this.
I also would like to add a custom Icon to the "Program Files" folder and encounter the same issues.
Edit: I assumed, but in case there is a question: I am running Windows 7 (32 Bit)
Just copy the desktop.ini file into C:\WINDOWS like you did, then run Command Prompt as Administrator to type below command.
ATTRIB +R C:\WINDOWS
Related
When the Java runtime is installed on a Windows PC, a folder C:\ProgramData\Oracle\Java\javapath is created. It contains javaw.exe a SYSMLINK (not a .lnk file) to javaw.exe for the current verion of Java, such as C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.8.0_51\bin\javaw.exe.
This link can be used from the command line, and also in the registry (handy to add right click actions on files in explorer).
However if I create a shortcut (.lnk) file and set the properties/target to run a java program, I have to use the proper path to javaw, for example:
"C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.8.0_51\bin\javaw.exe" -cp S:\JavaClasses\production\WindowsTools Clippo /NS
If I use the SYMLINK file, when I double click on the .lnk shortcut a dialog asks me which program I would like to use to open the file.
Keeping the proper path in the shortcut is a pain, because when a new version of Java is installed and the old version removed, I have to update the links.
I could make my own hard link, and then I would only have to change that after updating Java, but is there a way to use the links provided by Oracle?
I realise I could use cmd /C, but I don't want a console flashing up (hence I am using javaw.exe and not java.exe
It appears that as well as the SYMLINK, a direct exe is placed in C:\Windows\System32 so I can just use:
C:\Windows\System32\javaw.exe -cp S:\JavaClasses\production\WindowsTools Clippo /NS
as the target in the .lnk shortcut file.
EDIT
Having read Harry Johnston's comment below this is not an ideal answer, thus if anyone knows the answer to the original question of using a SYMLINK, I'd be interested to know.
Hi can some one suggest me how to delete below folder(abc) using a batch file?
%UserProfile%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\abc
I tried like RD %UserProfile%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\abc /Q /S
But it is not deleting and when I execute the same command in command line it is giving a message like "The System cannot find the file specified" even though it is exists.
Any solution?
I used "rm -rf PATH_TO_FOLDER" command line on Git Bash (not cmd), then I can delete the similar folder.
Note: Tested on Windows 10 (latest version).
Use 7-zip to "move" them.
When facing an inability to delete a file because of "the system cannot find the file specified" I've tried all the common tricks (verify permissions, command line, free unlocker tools, etc).
What finally got rid of them for me was 7-zip. Using 9.20 "7-zip File Manager" interface (not just the right click on file options) I was able to "Move" the folder which contained the problem files. Sure, that just moves the problem but there is the beauty, you move them to a disk you can format: a VMDK, a thumb drive, etc... problem solved ;)
Inspired by one of the answers, but instead of using 7-zip I used WinRAR to archive the empty folder. Before archiving the folder there is an option to delete the folder after archiving, select that option and once the folder is a zip file, the folder should be deleted, and you can go ahead and delete the zip file. I am not sure if it will work for you but it worked for me after spending hours on the internet trying to find a solution.
Here is what worked for me.
Open command prompt
Browse to parent directory of the folder you want to delete
run 'dir /x' (displays short names - xxxxxx~1)
run 'rd xxxxxx~1' substituting the folder name you want to delete.
I had a problem where two Pictures folders would show under my user profile, and windows wouldn't let me delete the second folder.
Try putting the directory name in quotes:
rmdir /q /s "%UserProfile%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\abc"
Otherwise the spaces in the directory name will be interpreted as argument separators.
The only solution that worked for me was to put \\?\ in front of the path when running rd in command prompt.
For example, to delete D:\bad\folder
Open CMD and then type:
rd /s "\\?\D:\bad\folder"
At a command line run:
ECHO %UserProfile%
What does it return?
Open that directory in Windows Explorer and double check that a folder called AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\abc exists in it.
I'm thinking that maybe it doesn't exist, and the folder you're looking at that you said does exist, is in a directory with a root that is different from %UserProfile%.
Update
Open a new command window by doing the following, which ensures that it's in Administrator mode.
On a Shortcut to a command window, Right Click > Properties > Shortcut > Advanced and check the "Run As Administrator" checkbox, and click OK twice. Then run the command prompt via the shortcut. You'll know it worked if it looks like this, with the word "Administrator" in the title, see screenshot below. Then try running your RD command again.
I'm in Windows 7. I have an executable. I put it somewhere. I put this location in my path. Now I can start it from anywhere using cmd. I have a different location where I work containing files the .exe will process. I shift right-click to open cmd in the work location. I can run the exe, but the exe starts in its own location and can't find the files. If I were to create a windows shortcut to it, I would get a "start in" field, which would work. But I do this a lot from many different locations and I don't want to create a shortcut in each location. How do I do this on the command line without creating a shortcut? It would be great if I could just run something like
progam /startin .
What is the actual syntax?
#echo off
setlocal
pushd "c:\where\you\want\to\start"
programname
popd
This is the basic structure.
I have created a shortcut for my program (under Windows 7), whose target is in a sub-directory. But when I zip everything and send it to my colleague, the shortcut wont work because it the target directory cannot be found, it is like:
Target: C:\Users\my_user_name\Desktop\my_program\sub_directory\my_program.exe
and the shortcut is in C:\Users\my_user_name\Desktop\my_program\
When I send it to another PC, my_user_name directory cannot be found and shortcut doesnt work. How to solve this?
Create a batch file that launches the program. You can then use a relative path.
e.g.
C:\Users\my_user_name\Desktop\my_program\launch.cmd
cd sub_directory
start my_program.exe
possible solutions:
place the program with the exe on disk like c:\program\programname\ Location must be the same on all computers.
place the program with the exe on the network where you can both access, shortcut is the same
edit the shortcut in notepad and change the user
My goal is to add a few executables to my PATH (for example, chrome), so that I can call
> chrome
from the command prompt and it will launch Chrome.
I know I could add Chrome's containing directory to my path (set PATH=%PATH%<chrome_path_here>;), but since I have a few executables I want to add, I'd rather make a new bin directory that contains symbolic links to the actual executables and just add that single directory to my PATH.
The Chrome executable is located at
C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe
So I tried
> mklink chrome.exe "C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe"
That successfully creates a symbolic link for the files (says so in output, and upon examining with > dir). I know my PATH is set up correctly, b/c when I run > where chrome it finds my new symbolic link.
However, when I try to execute chrome with my new link, nothing happens. A new empty window should appear, but nothing happens. No error message in the command prompt or anything.
What am I doing wrong? Am I misunderstanding symlinks in Windows? This is the approach I use in Linux all the time, but I'm new to Windows Cmd.
Thanks!
Most programs will not run from places other than they install location - which is exactly what happens when you try to run it from symlink.
It would be much easier to create CMD/BAT files in that folder with matching names which will launch programs from locations you want:
REM chrome.cmd
start /b cmd /c "C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" %*
With Windows 7 I confirm that symlinks do not work, are simply ignored as reported in the original question.
As Harry states in his comment, shortcuts do work, and to me are simpler and easier than writing a separate script for each new command I want to enable under CMD.
He states that you need to add .lnk to your PATHEXT variable in order to do this. I affirm that this does work, and with .lnk added to PATHEXT I can simply enter the name portion of the shortcut to run the command. For example if my shortcut is named "sublime.lnk" and PATHEXT includes .lnk, I can execute the link with the simple command "sublime". Nice!
As an alternative I found that PATHEXT need not be modified if I simply type in the full name of the shortcut, including the .lnk, at my CMD prompt. E.g., I created a shortcut named "sublime.lnk" under %HOMEPATH%/bin, pointing to "C:\Program Files\Sublime Text 2\sublime_text.exe".
Now by placing %HOMEPATH%\bin in my %PATH% I can run sublime via the command "sublime.lnk".
Either of the above are the best way I know of giving access to various commands from around Windows' filesystem from a CMD prompt. I'm not a Windows expert though, and welcome a better or more standardized solution to this problem.
P.S.: I just found out the hard way that you need to ensure the "Start in:" property of any shortcut you use in this fashion is blanked out, or your program will not start in the directory you invoke the shortcut from.
P.P.S.: On a related note, I discovered how to run Windows Explorer (or its replacement) on the directory your CMD session is logged in to: start ..