Windows 10: System variables what does path do

Testing a method on a bench machine i have i added my programs folder to the path section of my system variables and programs like iTunes was displayed quicker on the screen.

What is the path section of system variables do?

:)

 

System environment variable won't stick


Running Win10 Home on an Acer Spin 3, 64bit, i7cpu. I try to add a path to the system environment variables by:

1. Control Panel > System > Advanced system settings > Advanced tab > Environment variables

2. The "Environment Variables" window opens.
3. In the "System Variables" pane I select "Path" and click the EDIT button.
4. A list of the current system paths is displayed.
5. I click the NEW button, browse to the path I want to add which is "C:\Python36-32" and click OK. The path "C:\Python36-32" is added to the list of current system paths.
6. I click OK and am returned to the "Environment Variables" window.
7. I click the "X" at the top right to close the "Environment Variables" window.

Now if I click the "Environment Variables" button again (end of step-1) and repeat steps 2-4, the new path I added in step-5 is gone. IOW, adding a new path won't stick.

What am I doing wrong?

 

Enviromnent Variables - adding to system path

I am trying to add in the environment Variable to path the following path address C:\Program Files (x86)\CodeBlocks\MinGW\bin

I have also added this address to user variables ( the top box)

I am have also added this location to the system path so the MinGW compiler (C programming) can work in any directory

I found the path in the system variable environment added the above address (bottom box) at the end but I am still am unable to perform in any directory gcc simpleAge.c unless I use the full directory this file is in.

 

path variables

I am an idiot and deleted all of my path variables. I could make my way around through other videos and stuff, and i have tried, but they all tell me to go through advanced system properties. But guess what, the path variable is missing. I don't have a
CD drive and I'm running windows 10. Can anyone help?