Environment variables
The environment variables are stored in multiple keys.
Session Manager\Environment key
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Environment
Values:
Name | Data type | Description |
---|---|---|
%NAME% | REG_SZ | Value of an environment variable, where %NAME% contains the name of the environment variable. |
For example the “windir” value that contains “%SystemRoot%”.
Windows\CurrentVersion key
Values of environment variables such as %%ProgramFiles% can be derived from values in the Windows\CurrentVersion key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
Values:
Name | Data type | Description |
---|---|---|
CommonFilesDir | REG_SZ | Value of %CommonProgramFiles% environment variable |
CommonFilesDir (x86) | REG_SZ | Value of %CommonProgramFiles(x86)% environment variable |
CommonW6432Dir | REG_SZ | Value of %CommonProgramW6432% environment variable |
ProgramFilesDir | REG_SZ | Value of %ProgramFiles% environment variable |
ProgramFilesDir (x86) | REG_SZ | Value of %ProgramFiles(x86)% environment variable |
ProgramW6432Dir | REG_SZ | Value of %ProgramW6432% environment variable |
For example the “ProgramFilesDir (x86)” value that contains “C:\Program Files (x86)”.
Windows NT\CurrentVersion key
The %SystemRoot% environment variable can be derived from values in the Windows NT\CurrentVersion key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion
Values:
Name | Data type | Description |
---|---|---|
SystemRoot | REG_SZ | Value of %SystemRoot% environment variable |
For example the “SystemRoot” value that contains “C:\Windows”
CurrentVersion\ProfileList key
Values of environment variables such as %ProgramData% can be derived from values in the CurrentVersion\ProfileList key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList
Values:
Name | Data type | Description |
---|---|---|
AllUsersProfile | REG_SZ | Value of the %AllUsersProfile% environment variable (Seen on Windows XP) |
Default | REG_SZ | (Seen on Windows Vista) |
DefaultUserProfile | REG_SZ | (Seen on Windows XP) |
ProfilesDirectory | REG_EXPAND_SZ | Profiles directory, for example "C:\Documents and Settings" on Windows XP or "C:\Users" on Windows Vista. |
ProgramData | REG_SZ | Value of the %ProgramData% environment variable (Seen on Windows Vista) |
Public | REG_SZ | Value of the %Public% environment variable |
If the AllUsersProfile value does not start with an environment variable or an absolute path, but a relative path, it is currently assumed that the value should be prefixed with the value in ProfilesDirectory.
User specific environment variables
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Environment
Values:
Name | Data type | Description |
---|---|---|
%NAME% | REG_SZ | Value of an user specific environment variable, where %NAME% contains the name of the environment variable. |