Windows 10: Double-click to run .bat - Windows cannot find file

Recently (seemingly out of nowhere) my Windows 10 PC stopped running .bat files when I double-click on them. If I right-click and "Run as administrator" the files run. If I open a command prompt and invoke the bat file it also runs. This is true for every bat file I have tried in all of the different folders and drives I have tried.

For example, I created Test.bat in M:\Downloads\. The content of this file is just one command "pause".
This is the error message I get when double-clicking the file in explorer:




Right-click and "Run as administrator":




And from a command prompt:




I have tried the following:
1. File Association Fixer
2. Checked the system environment variable COMSPEC. It is correct: %SystemRoot%\system32\cmd.exe.
3. sfc /scannow - the result was "Verification 100% complete. Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations."

Any ideas?

:)

 

Double-click to run .bat or .cmd - "Windows cannot find..." the bat/cmd file.

Recently (seemingly out of nowhere) my Windows 10 PC stopped running .bat and .cmd files when I double-click on them. If I right-click and "Run as administrator" the files run. If I open a command prompt
and invoke the files they also run. This is true for every bat and cmd file I have tried in all of the different folders and drives I have tried.

For example, I created Test.bat in M:\Downloads\. The content of this file is just one command "pause".

This is the error message I get when double-clicking the file in explorer:



Right-click and "Run as administrator":



And from a command prompt:



I have tried the following:

1. File Association Fixer

2. Checked the system environment variable COMSPEC. It is correct: %SystemRoot%\system32\cmd.exe.

3. sfc /scannow - the result was "Verification 100% complete. Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations."

Any ideas?

 

Double-click to run .bat or .cmd - "Windows cannot find..." the bat/cmd file.

We recommend starting your PC in safe mode and check if you're able to run these files. This method can help you troubleshoot issues with settings and drivers that can cause the concern you are experiencing. To do this, refer to this article: Start
your PC in safe mode in Windows 10.

Do advise us about the status of your issue so we can help you further.

 

You could try the specific .bat file restorer provided by TenForums: Restore Default File Type Associations in Windows 10 - Windows 10 Customization Tutorials

 

Unfortunately the .bat file restorer did not fix the problem. Thank you for the suggestion.

 

If you right click on the file, select properties and look in the details tab - does it show the correct file name, file type and folder path?

 

Yes, the properties are all correct. This happens with any and all bat files, not just this test file.

 

Hi, this sounds as if it might be a permissions problem.

Also see
Cant run .bat (Batch Files)

 

Change settings in User Account Control.

 

I tried the proposed solutions in the technet thread, none fixed the problem.
User Account Control is set to "Never Notify".

I tried changing the file extension on my Test bat file to .cmd. The same issue occurs. It's not a file extension specific problem.

 

When you right click on a bat file, what is the default action highlighted? Should be Open.

Also check your path environment variable.

 

The default is Open

PATH system variable:

 

Not uncommon, apparently:
Double Clicking Batch File Windows cannot find file - Super User

I tried one logged in as a standard user - location not in system path- worked ok when double clicked.
Here's how to reset it if associated with e.g. Notepad (which isn't your problem, but for interest)
- and note 'batfix' - which may be similar to the one from the Tutorial:
Cant run .bat (Batch Files)

 

Run CMD as admin and copy/paste, then restart.
Code: sc config TrkWks start= auto net start TrkWks fsutil usn deletejournal /d /n c: chkdsk /scan[/quote]

 

Rats, that all looks good.

Since cmd.exe should be executing the batch file, what does where cmd show you in a Command Prompt?
Mine is:
>where cmd
C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe

Also, what is %systemroot% set to?
Mine is:
>echo %systemroot%
C:\WINDOWS