Setting Path Environment Variables In Vista

This is a quick tutorial explaining how to set Path Environment Variables in Windows Vista. It will take you through a step by step guide that will allow you to run all the Java SDK programs from the windows command line.

1. Locate your Java SDK. It will normally be located in a directory such as:
C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_07\bin

If you are using the 64 bit version of Windows Vista it will be located in the Program Files (x86) folder.

If you can't locate your Java director it can be found by opening your control panel and double clicking on the Java icon. Go to the Java tab and then click on the either of the buttons marked 'view'. In the location tab is the path to your Java director although you have to add '\bin' to the end.

2. Next open the control panel and then system. Click on the Advanced System Settings. You should now see the System Properties window and be under the Advanced tab. Right at the bottom you should see a button marked “Environment Variables”. Click on the button.

You should now see the Environmental Variables tab. This window is divided into two sections. The bottom section is called 'System Variables'. Scroll down until bottom list until you find a Variable called 'path'. Select it and then click on the lower edit button. You will get yet another window. Now, under the Variable Value box, add the path of your Java director to the end of the line. The end the line should read something like:

;C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre1.6.0_07\bin

3. Reset your computer.

4. When Windows opens hit the Windows button and then type 'CMD' into the search bar. This will launch the command line. Type 'java -version' into the command line. This should hopefully bring up information about the version of Java your using.