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System environment variable is not resolved correctly in Windows Server 2008 SP2

View products that this article applies to.

Symptoms

Consider the following scenario:
  • You use a user account (user account A) to log on to a Windows Server 2008 SP2-based computer. 
  • You create a system environment variable that refers to the COMPUTERNAME environment variable. For example, you create the system environment variable by following these steps:
    1. In the search box in Control Panel, you type Advanced system settings. Then, you click System Properties.
    2. On the Advanced tab, you click Environment Variables.
    3. You create a new system variable by using the name "sample" and the variable value "%computername%."
  • You press Ctrl+Alt+Del to switch to another user account on the computer.
  • You switch back to user account A.
  • You open a command prompt from the Start menu or by running cmd.exe from the Search programs and files search box. Then, you try to verify the system variable by running the following command:
    echo %sample%
In this scenario, the system environment variable is not resolved correctly. More specifically, the command unexpectedly returns the following message:

%computername%

Notes
  • You expect the command to return the computer name.
  • This issue occurs only when you open the command prompt from the Start menu or by running cmd.exe from the Search programs and files search box. For example, if you open a command prompt from Windows Task Manager, this issue does not occur.

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Resolution

Hotfix information

A supported hotfix is available from Microsoft. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing the problem described in this article. This hotfix might receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next software update that contains this hotfix.

If the hotfix is available for download, there is a "Hotfix download available" section at the top of this Knowledge Base article. If this section does not appear, contact Microsoft Customer Service and Support to obtain the hotfix.

Note If additional issues occur or if any troubleshooting is required, you might have to create a separate service request. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for this specific hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Customer Service and Support telephone numbers or to create a separate service request, visit the following Microsoft website:
http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support
Note The "Hotfix download available" form displays the languages for which the hotfix is available. If you do not see your language, it is because a hotfix is not available for that language.

Prerequisites

To apply this hotfix, you must be running Windows Server 2008 SP2.

For more information about how to obtain a Windows Server 2008 service pack, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

968849 How to obtain the latest service pack for Windows Server 2008

Registry information

To apply this hotfix, you do not have to make any changes to the registry.

Restart requirement

You must restart the computer after you apply this hotfix.

Hotfix replacement information

This hotfix does not replace a previously released hotfix.
File information
The global version of this hotfix installs files that have the attributes that are listed in the following tables. The dates and the times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). The dates and the times for these files on your local computer are displayed in your local time together with your current daylight saving time (DST) bias. Additionally, the dates and the times may change when you perform certain operations on the files.
Windows Server 2008 file information notes
Important Windows Vista hotfixes and Windows Server 2008 hotfixes are included in the same packages. However, only "Windows Vista" is listed on the Hotfix Request page. To request the hotfix package that applies to one or both operating systems, select the hotfix that is listed under "Windows Vista" on the page. Always refer to the "Applies To" section in articles to determine the actual operating system that each hotfix applies to.
  • The files that apply to a specific product, SR_Level (RTM, SPn), and service branch (LDR, GDR) can be identified by examining the file version numbers as shown in the following table.
    VersionProductSR_LevelService branch
    6.0.600
    2.
    23xxx    		Windows Server 2008SP2LDR
  • The MANIFEST files (.manifest) and the MUM files (.mum) that are installed for each environment are

    listed separately  in the "Additional file information for Windows Server 2008" section. MUM files and MANIFEST files, and the associated security catalog (.cat) files, are extremely important to maintaining the state of the updated component. The security catalog files, for which the attributes are not listed, are signed with a Microsoft digital signature.
For all supported x86-based versions of Windows Server 2008
File nameFile versionFile sizeDateTimePlatform
Shell32.dll6.0.6002.2315411,589,63208-Jul-201302:53x86
For all supported x64-based versions of Windows Server 2008 
File nameFile versionFile sizeDateTimePlatform
Shell32.dll6.0.6002.2315412,904,96008-Jul-201303:35x64
For all supported IA-64-based versions of Windows Server 2008
File nameFile versionFile sizeDateTimePlatform
Shell32.dll6.0.6002.2315419,095,04008-Jul-201302:18IA-64

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Status

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

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More Information

For more information about software update terminology, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

824684 Description of the standard terminology that is used to describe Microsoft software updates

Additional file information

Additional file information for Windows Server 2008

Additional files for all supported x86-based versions of Windows Server 2008
File nameX86_microsoft-windows-shell32_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6002.23154_none_6e671a072864e4d4.manifest
File versionNot applicable
File size904,280
Date (UTC)08-Jul-2013
Time (UTC)03:35
PlatformNot applicable
Additional files for all supported x64-based versions of Windows Server 2008
File nameAmd64_microsoft-windows-shell32_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6002.23154_none_ca85b58ae0c2560a.manifest
File versionNot Applicable
File size906,212
Date (UTC)08-Jul-2013
Time (UTC)04:24
PlatformNot applicable
File nameWow64_microsoft-windows-shell32_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6002.23154_none_d4da5fdd15231805.manifest
File versionNot Applicable
File size899,183
Date (UTC)08-Jul-2013
Time (UTC)03:30
PlatformNot applicable
Additional files for all supported IA-64-based versions of Windows Server 2008
File nameIa64_microsoft-windows-shell32_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6002.23154_none_6e68bdfd2862edd0.manifest
File versionNot applicable
File size906,144
Date (UTC)08-Jul-2013
Time (UTC)03:07
PlatformNot applicable
File nameWow64_microsoft-windows-shell32_31bf3856ad364e35_6.0.6002.23154_none_d4da5fdd15231805.manifest
File versionNot applicable
File size899,183
Date (UTC)08-Jul-2013
Time (UTC)03:30
PlatformNot applicable

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Keywords: kb, kbautohotfix, kbqfe, kbhotfixserver, kbfix, kbsurveynew, kbexpertiseadvanced

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Article Info
Article ID : 2858686
Revision : 1
Created on : 1/7/2017
Published on : 10/9/2013
Exists online : False
Views : 247