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Open MSconfig from command prompt

Msconfig is a system configuration utility in Windows OS. Using this utility we can configure system boot options,  services and startup programs.

If you want to launch msconfig from windows command line you can run the below command.

Start msconfig

You can use ‘msconfig‘  from Run command but it does not work from command prompt.

MSconfig location:

In Windows XP and Server 2003, Msconfig.exe can be found in the folder C:\WINDOWS\pchealth\helpctr\binaries\.

Windows cant’ find Msconfig?

If you just run’msconfig’ command, Windows won’t be able to find the executable. Environment variable PATH(which points to all the directories windows should look for to launch a command) does not have the location of msconfig.exe. So when we run just msconfig from command prompt, we get the below error message.

C:\>msconfig
'msconfig' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.
15 comments… add one
  • David

    Not sure I get the point of this article? Is it or is it not possible to launch msconfig from command prompt? Article incomplete

    • admin

      It says that start msconfig works but config does not work.

  • Ivan Rocha

    I’m trying to start msconfig from a recovery screen before windows loads, to see if i can revert some changes i made that aren’t allowing windows to boot up, but command prompt doesn’t recognize it. Any help on how i can access msconfig when windows isn’t booting, or how can i reset msconfig?

    • Alex D

      I’m having exactly the same pb. Have you found a solution yet?
      Thank you.

  • Manoharan Thangavelu

    I am using HCL desktop with windows 10 operating system. Found it takes long to boot tried to go to safe mode to troubleshoot but instead clicked on debugging mose. At present windows lock screen opens but no promt to sign in option. Tried to restart pressing shift key along. Tried pressing control + alter + del keys and clicked the power button, then used shift + restart. But found no change in windows lock screen that is no prompt for log in. Find the power button,ease to access, connect to net and the language button alone on left bottom corner and no option for logging in. Can’t find anyway to make it work. Can someone help me with a solution?

    • Steve

      I’m having same problem.

  • Robert Kushner

    I also need to start msconfig from a DOS prompt and I am having the same problem.
    I tried c:\>start msconfig but the system cannot find the file.

  • I Snort Flour

    Just get to command prompt using a usb drive or installation disk then type “bcdedit /set {default} bootmenupolicy legacy” this will give you the ability to run safe mode by pressing f8 while booting. Once in safe mode you can change your msconfig back to a working order and once that is done open a command prompt with admin privileges and type “bcdedit /set {default} bootmenupolicy standard” hit the enter key followed by a reboot after it’s done executing the command and your machine will be back up and running like it was before. I screwed up my msconfig to where it would load the login screen without any login information and after hours of trying this and that in the end this was the only thing that would work just shy of reinstalling windows and losing all my saved data.

    • Steve

      /set {default}….. so what is the default? Drive?

    • JohnRich

      This problem has to be the most ridiculous thing I have ever encountered from Microsoft. It used to be that just pressing F8 at startup brought forth the Safe Mode. Now you have to do a song and dance and if you manage to do it thru msconfig you mess up your system. This aggravation is unnecessary. I am going back to Windows 7 64 bit. I am too old for this garbage.

  • Shay

    I’m haveing a problem where I changed settings in msconfig and now windows fails to start up. I have tried everything from restoring to trying to open maconfog from the command prmt that they give you. I have windows 10 for the record. I’ve tried msconfig, msconfig.exe, start msconfig, start msconfig.exe. Then I came to the command “C:/windows/system32/msconfig.exe” and it seemed recognize the command. But then it said I have to run cmd as an admin before I could open msconfig. I’m in automatic repair!! How am I supposed to do that?? ANYONE HAVE ANY IDEAS?????

    • Jean

      I did me the same trick on a surface Book in Win10. After 3 restarting, I decided to stop the computer via the stop sign at bottom right. After retsarting it, the login was available.
      Hope it helped someone.

  • Richard Peterson

    I had problem using wd 10 loading PC Matic & utorrent. e mail PC Matic they told me to try safe mode to see if was a program proble or something else. I ran mscofig click on boot check safe mode with internet. did a restrat and the log in screen came up needing a pass word input my adm p/w it was rejected tried all my p/w none work. when formam page and found out this has beed a problem with wd 10 sence 2015. doses and know to get to msconfig when i can not get pass the log in screen. [email protected]

  • Robert_Of_Whitenby

    My other laptop has the X: drive as the Boot devise.
    All configuration files point to X: in each line.
    All I get is the Blue Screen with Bad Boot Config Info on start up.
    This example was tried with all mixed case combinations given the same results.
    When I Start MsConfig, in command prompt this is what happens.
    C:\Windows\System32>Start MsConfig
    C:\Windows\System32>
    or
    X:\Windows\System32>Start MsConfig,

    Windows cannot find ‘msconfig’. Make sure you typed the name correctly, and try again.

    How do I get out of this Catch 22? More importantly, how do get my other computer to Boot?

  • Meysam

    My laptop is 2cores+2logic cores .after that to I set it on 4 cores and set ram on maximum by msconfig my windows don’t come up . please help me .

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