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Using the good ol’ msconfig in Windows 10 is very, very simple; read our basic advice to learn how easy it is to access this useful function.
In today’s guide, we’re going to show you the best ways to access it on your PC, so let’s get started.
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Forget login; your PC might even start and throw up a BSOD error. MSCONFIG is a Windows built-in tool that lets you manage startup processes and troubleshoot associated issues. In this guide, we will talk about how you can enable all services in MSCONFIG if you have accidentally disabled them.
Key Takeaways
- The “Not Recognized as an Internal or External Command” error in Command Prompt can occur due to incorrect command execution or issues with Windows Environment Variables.
- To fix the error, you can change the working directory to System32, verify if the program is correctly installed, or use the full file path to execute the command.
- Additionally, you can add the file path to the Windows Environment Variables or move the program files to the System32 folder for a temporary solution.
The Command Prompt in Windows is a handy utility. It allows you to perform many tasks quickly; however, the command processor may show the “not recognized as an internal or external command” error when you try to execute a command.
It is a common error and usually occurs due to incorrect command execution. This article explains the causes and a few troubleshooting steps to help you fix this error in Windows.
OK. Wow! I’m used to responding with such thoroughn answers to questions but I rarely find myself on the asking side and wasn’t clear with the issue described. I’ve never received such a thorough response before on anything in the what? 30 years since Win 3.1? lol It’s a shame that I wasn’t more clear with my question. I think I”m going to like this place. lolIt’s funny that I use Explorer and UltraSearch almost precisely in an opposing manner to the way that you do.
So year, there are essentially three places where I search an all three are used in fairly specific ways.Explorer is used primarily for images, video, and of course getting real work done. Finding things within the tree structure that I’m working within on any project. Usually I’m somewhat making attempts at being organized. So in those cases I’m browsing images for a website for example and there’s no need to locate some random file. So if I type *.exe, search in explorer works perfectly fine.
When I need to grab a file that I know I have but I’m unsure of where it is in the directory structure or if I need to look for content within files I’ll use Ultrasearch.
It’s the search on the taskbar that has me puzzled. That gets used almost exclusively for machine management tasks. I can usually do as you did above. Control Panel would show up by the time I get the letters “cont” typed and I can just click it. Same for Msconfig, disk management, temp files, etc. I disabled the indexing and now it’s working again but just a tad slower. But what was happening is that I could type out “msconfig” and I would get web links to info on how to use it but it would be several minutes before I would even see msconfig appear to click on it if it bothered showing up at all.
This is despite numerous things that should have corrected it. I even made sure that the files themselves weren’t listed as hidden or anything like that.
So right now for example, if I open explorer right now and go to C:\Windows and type msconfig, I get just two results. Two files called MigLog.xml. Ultrasearch returns 24 files, two of which are msconfig.exe., one in the System32 folder and another in WinSxs folder. It takes about two minutes to complete the search but never finds it.Now if in Explorer I go into the System32 folder and type msconfig in the search box, it does pull it up after about 12 seconds in the 20 seconds it takes to search the one folder.
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- [Solved] System32 Folder Keeps Popping Up at Startup
What to do if you encounter the System32 folder keeps popping up at startup on File Explorer? Why does System 32 keep popping up? Don’t worry. In this post, MiniTool Partition Wizard provides you with several ways to fix this issue.
System32 Folder Keeps Popping Up at Startup
The System32 folder is located within the “Windows” folder and contains important information and configurations that are critical to the operating system. This folder contains important “.dll” files and “.exe” files.
Why does System 32 open randomly? According to our investigation, the main cause of the problem is service or application interference. Sometimes, a service or application may interfere with important system functions running in the background and trigger System 32 randomly opening at startup.
How to Fix System32 Folder Keeps Popping Up at Startup
Here we summarize several feasible ways to fix the “Windows System 32 pop up” issue.
Fix 1. Check the Startup Path
Our first approach to solve the “System 32 keeps popping up” issue should be to check the boot path.

Step 2: In the Startup folder, if you find a shortcut to Libraries, delete it.
Fix 2. Identifying and Deleting Faulty Applications
Step 1: Open the Run dialog, type msconfig in it, and press Enter. In the System Configuration window, switch to the Services tab, uncheck the Hide all Microsoft Services option, and then click on the Disable all button.

Step 2: Go to the Startup tab, and click on Open Task Manager. In the Task Manager window, click on an app listed there and click on Disable. Then repeat this process and disable all apps on the list.

Once done, restart your computer and check if the problem goes away. If yes, open the Services tab in the System Configuration and enable the services.
Fix 3. Check Your System for Viruses and Malware
Step 1: Press the Win + I key to open Settings. Then go to Update & Security > Windows Security > Virus & threat protection.
Step 2: Tap Scan Options and then choose a scan option based on your demands.
Step 3: Click on Scan now to start the operation.

Fix 4. Run SFC Scan
Step 2: In the Command Prompt window, type sfc /scannow and press Enter.

If the above solutions don’t work this issue, then you can try to restore the system to an earlier date.
Bottom Line
Besides, if you want to clone a hard drive to SSD in Windows 11/10/8/7, you can try to use MiniTool Partition Wizard. Its Copy Disk feature can copy all partitions on the hard drive to a larger SSD/HDD without the wrong disk size problem. It is worth a try!
MiniTool Partition Wizard DemoClick to DownloadClean & Safe
About The Author
Vega joined MiniTool as an editor after graduation. She enjoys helping people with computer problems, including disk management, data recovery, and more. She is constantly expanding her knowledge in related fields. And she will continue to bring more easy-to-understand professional articles to help people solve various problems on the PC. In her daily life, Vega enjoys hanging out with friends, shopping online and listening to music. She is someone who knows how to enjoy life.
Verify if the Program Is Installed

Command Prompt can’t run a program that does not exist. If you are trying to execute a newly installed program, ensure it is correctly installed.
To verify the installation:
- Press Win + R to open Run. Then, type control and click OK.
- Then, in the Control Panel, go to Programs > Programs and Features.
- Scroll through the list of installed apps and locate the app you want to run.
Alternatively, you can also view installed apps by accessing Apps and Features in Settings. To do this, press Windows key + I, click on Apps and locate the installed app.
By default, when you try to launch a program or a script from CMD, the command processor looks for the related files and paths in the System32 folder or environment variables. If the file is missing, it will return the not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program, or batch file error.
This is likely because Windows does not install most apps in the System32 folder, but C:\Program Files instead.
You can resolve this issue in three ways:
- First, use the full path of the executable file to launch the program.
- Second, add the program path to Windows environment variables.
- Finally, move the files to the System32 folder.
Change the Working Directory in the Command Prompt

A change in the working directory instructs Command Prompt to look for the specified command in the System32 directory. This method should work if the error occurs with any of the system commands.
To change the working directory in Command Prompt:
- Press Win + R to open Run.
- Type cmd and click OK to open Command Prompt.
- In Command Prompt, type cd c:\windows\system32 and press Enter. This will change the current working directory to C:\Windows\System32.
- Now try to run the command, and it should run without any error.
This is a temporary workaround and should work if you encounter the error with a few specific commands or use them occasionally. A long-term solution will involve looking at issues with the program and configuring Windows Environment Variable to include the file path for the affected program.
Move Files to System32 Folder

If you still want to run the program from CMD and don’t want to type a full file path, you can move the program files to the System32 folder.
To move program files to the System32 folder:
- Navigate to the installation directory for your program and copy all the files in the folder. Here, we will move Google Chrome files located in C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application to the System32 folder.
- Next, navigate to the C:\Windows\System32 folder and paste the copied files. Click Yes if a UAC prompt appears.
- Next, open the Command Prompt as administrator, type chrome, and hit enter. CMD will instantly open the Google Chrome browser.
What happens when you disable all services in MSConfig?
Services are essential for your PC to work correctly. Each service has a DWORD value to start. However, if this Start value is changed to disabled, then your PC will not run properly, and it might even crash.
Here are a few things you won’t be able to do if you have disabled all services in MSCONFIG.
- Your system will become unstable.
- You won’t be able to access the login screen.
- Your PC can throw BSOD error messages.
- You won’t be able to access the Accessibility option.
- The BIOS menu won’t be accessible.
Use the Full File Path Within Double Quotes

Command Prompt reads the white spaces as the end of a command and treats anything after the space as a separate command.
Let’s say you want to launch the Internet Explorer app located in C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe via CMD. However, running this file path will return an error due to the space between Program Files and Internet Explorer.
To avoid this, you can insert the file path within a double quote. Here, the command to launch Internet Explorer will look like this:
"C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe"
What can I do if I accidentally disabled all services MSCONFIG?
1. Perform Startup Repair
- Turn off your PC.
- Turn on your PC and press the F10 key when the first screen appears. The key could be different for different brands of PCs.
- Select Troubleshoot.
- Choose Advanced Options.
- Select Startup Repair.
- Wait for the process to complete, and do not interrupt the process.
Startup Repair or Automatic Repair is an inbuilt tool that fixes startup-related problems of your PC automatically.
It fixes missing or damaged system files preventing your PC from booting up. Once the process completes, your PC should boot up normally.
2. Enable MSCONFIG services using a different account
- Sign in to your other account that doesn’t require any password.
- Press Win + R keys to open the Run dialogue.
- Type msconfig and press Enter.
- Switch to the Services tab.
- Click on Enable all.
- Click Apply and OK.
3. Replace the on-screen keyboard with CMD
4. Perform a System Restore
- Turn off your PC.
- Turn on your PC and press the F10 key when the first screen appears.
- Choose Troubleshoot.
- Select Advanced Options.
- Select the System Restore option.
- Select the restore point.
- Click Next.
- Wait for the process to complete and check whether this resolves the issue.
Do note that for System Restore or this method to work, you should already create a system restore point on your PC.
If you do not know how to do that, you should check out our guide that explains 3 methods to create a restore point on your PC.
5. Reset your PC
- Turn off your PC.
- Turn on your PC and press the F10 key when the first screen appears.
- Choose Troubleshoot.
- Select the Reset this PC option.
- Choose Keep my files.
- Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the reset process.
- Wait for the process to complete.
That is it from us in this guide. You can check out our guide that lists different ways to access MSCONFIG on your PC.
We have also correctly explained how to use the System Configuration tool on Windows 10. Feel free to let us know in the comments below which one of the above solutions resolved your problem.
Sagar is a web developer and technology journalist. Currently associated with WindowsReport and SamMobile. When not writing, he is either at the gym sweating it out or playing country music on his guitar.
He is an avid traveler and has been to 15 countries, going to more places soon. TRAVEL and WORK is his mantra for a peaceful life.
Use the Full File Path to Execute the Command

First, let’s try the full path method. Here, we will use the full file path instead of the app name to launch programs from Command Prompt. Here’s how to do it:
- First, open the Command Prompt as administrator.
- Next, type the full path of the application you want to launch. For example, if you want to open the ESBCalc Port located in the C:\ directory, then the command to open the app with the full path will look something like this:
:\
- That said, this will only work if the file path does not have any white spaces. If your file path has a space, type the file path inside double-quotes.
How to Fix the “Not Recognized as an Internal or External Command” Error
This error is often triggered when you run a program or CMD command, but the Command Prompt fails to find the command or executable in the system’s PATH environment variable. If your entered command is correctly formatted, then the issue is likely stems from a missing directory path in the system’s PATH environment variable.
Why the “Not Recognized as an Internal or External Command” Error Occurs
Windows OS keeps a list of paths known as Windows Environment Variables to launch and execute programs quickly. Any issues with it can cause the error.
Potential issues that cause this error include:
- Incorrect commands.
- Registry entries interrupting the functioning of commands and more.
- Executable programs or scripts not installed.
- An incorrectly specified path or filename.
- A missing file directory in Windows Environment Variables.
Fixing the CMD Not Recognized as an Internal or External Command Error
Command Prompt commands are not case-sensitive, but it does not forgive the use of extra spaces. To resolve this error, check if the commands are correct and use file paths with spaces within double-quotes. For the programs not installed in the System32 folder, add an environment variable with your application’s full file path to launch apps through CMD.
How can I access MsConfig in Windows 10?
1. Use the Run command
- Press Windows key + R.
- Run window will now open.
- Enter msconfig.msc and press Enter or click OK.
2. Use Windows Search
- Press Windows key + S to open Windows Search.
- Type msconfig. Now select System Configuration from the list.
- The System Configuration window will now open.
3. Use CMD
- Go to Search, type command prompt, and select Run as administrator.
- Enter msconfig and press Enter.
- System Configuration window will now open.
You can also use PowerShell to start msconfig, so you’re not limited just to Command Prompt.
4. Use File Explorer
- Open File Explorer with Windows key + E.
- In the address bar, enter msconfig and press Enter.
- System Configuration window will now appear.
5. Use Task Manager
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
- Next, go to File and choose Run new task.
- Enter msconfig and click OK or press Enter.
As you can see, accessing MsConfig in Windows 10 is very simple. You have more than one way to open it, so you can choose which works best for you.
You can also use MSConfig to remove startup programs on Windows 7, so don’t hesitate to do that.
As always, if you have any other suggestions or questions, don’t hesitate to leave them in the comments section below and we’ll surely check them out.
Windows Toubleshooting Expert
Milan has been enthusiastic about technology ever since his childhood days, and this led him to take interest in all PC-related technologies. He’s a PC enthusiast and he spends most of his time learning about computers and technology.
Before joining WindowsReport, he worked as a front-end web developer. Now, he’s one of the Troubleshooting experts in our worldwide team, specializing in Windows errors & software issues.
Add the File Path to the Windows Environment Variables
You can edit the Environment Variables and add the file path of your application to its directory. This way, Command Prompt will identify the path for the entered command and execute it without the error.
Adding a full file path to the Windows Environment Variable can help you resolve the not recognized as an internal or external command error for the Flex, nmake, make, cobra, Is, terraform, gcc, code, Android Studio, Python, Fastboot, and ADB commands.
To edit Windows Environment Variable:
- Press Win + R to open Run.
- Next, type control and click OK to open the Control Panel.
- In Windows 10, Go to System and Security > System. In the left pane, click on Advanced System Settings.
- On newer versions of Windows 10 and Windows 11, go to Settings > System > About. Then, click on Advanced system settings under the Related settings section.
- In the Advanced tab, click on the Environment Variables button.
- In the new window, under System variables, select the Path variable.
- Click the Edit button.
- In the Edit window, click on New.
- Here, you have to paste the program’s file path you want to run from CMD. For example, if you want to run the Chrome browser located in C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application, then the full file path will look like this:
C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application
- Click OK to add it to the Environment Variables.
- Then, click OK again.
- Next click OK and Apply to save the changes.
Once you have added the new environment variable, restart your PC to apply the changes. After the PC restarts, open Command Prompt, enter the program’s name, and CMD will open it without any error.
If you experience issues with the commands like ipconfig, netsh, cipher, etc., then add the Windows system root folder file path in the Environment Variable dialog. Here’s how to do it.
- Open the Environmental Variables dialog.
- Next, select the Path variable under the System variables section and click on Edit.
- Click New and paste the following:
%SystemRoot%\system32
- Click OK to save the changes.
- Click OK, and then click OK and Apply to save the changes.
In some instances, the error may persist even after adding the executable directory to the Path environmental variable, especially when you are working with tools like Git or Python. This happens when you try to execute a command or script that is located in a different folder of the same path.