‘javac’ is not recognized as an internal or external command

Posted on January 3, 2009 by pandazen

1. Go to http://java.sun.com and download the latest Version of Java SDK or any Jave SDK that your requirement and install on your system.

2. Accept all of the defaults and suggestions, but make sure that the location where Java will be installed is at the top level of your C: drive.
Click on “Finish.” You should have a directory (folder) named C:\j2sdk1.5.0_04, with subfolders C:\j2sdk1.5.0_04\bin and C:\j2sdk1.5.0_04\lib

3. Modify your system variable called “PATH” (so that programs can find where Java is located).
To do this for Windows 2000 or XP, either right-click on the My Computer icon or select “System” on the control panel.
When the window titled “System Properties” appears, choose the tab at the top named “Advanced.”
Then, click on “Environment Variables.”
In the bottom window that shows system variables, select “Path” and then click on “Edit…” Add C:\j2sdk1.5.0_04\bin as the first item in the list.
Note that all items are separated by a semicolon, with no spaces around the semicolon. You should end up with a path variable that looks something like
C:\j2sdk1.5.0_04\bin;C:\WINNT\system32;C:\WINNT;C:\WINNT\system32\Wbem

For Windows 98 or ME, open the file AUTOEXEC.BAT in Notepad. You should find a line in this file that begins
SET PATH=…
Modify this line to add C:\j2sdk1.5.0_04\bin; immediately after the equals sign.

4. Modify or create a system variable called “CLASSPATH,” as follows.
In the lower “System Variables” pane choose “New…”
and type in Variable Name “CLASSPATH” and value (note that it begins with dot semicolon).;C:\j2sdk1.5.0_04\lib

5. To test Java to see if everything is installed properly, open a command window (a DOS window)
and type the command “javac” The result should be information about the Usage of javac and its options.
If you get a result that “‘javac’ is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file” then there is a problem
and Java will not work correctly.

Filed under: java | Tagged: , |

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35 Responses

  1. nomly, on January 3, 2009 at 2:23 am said:

    its great, thanks

    Reply
  2. aka, on February 20, 2009 at 5:50 am said:

    Thank you a lot, You explain it so clear, I have been to other forum and it didnt work, I come here and in 3 min I fix the problem, thank you

    akab

    Reply
  3. divek, on March 16, 2009 at 4:51 pm said:

    clean and works..

    Add a point..if u open a CMD,,,after doing the steps u need to close it..then only can recoganise the comand!

    Cheers,,

    Reply
  4. Kolton, on April 19, 2009 at 12:28 pm said:

    can you add me to msn mine not working add g-unit62@Live.ca

    Reply
  5. Thanks, on June 8, 2009 at 3:32 pm said:

    dude, finnaly i found something that works, thanks so very much 🙂

    Reply
  6. anie, on July 6, 2009 at 5:33 pm said:

    C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin….i have the same problem..there is no version showing in path…n there is no javc in bin folder..what is the problem .??plz help me out???

    Reply
  7. anita, on July 6, 2009 at 5:34 pm said:

    C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin….i have the same problem..there is no version showing in path…n there is no javc in bin folder..what is the problem .??plz help me out???

    Reply
    • Rocky Flash, on July 12, 2011 at 2:05 am said:

      its not the right version of java you are using. it should be jdk not jre. try downloading it in oracle..name is java SE

      Reply
  8. pandazen, on July 8, 2009 at 3:02 pm said:

    if you install jdk, you can have javac in /bin

    Reply
  9. bhushan, on August 30, 2009 at 5:46 pm said:

    it not work for me I have new version the path is C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.6.0_11\lib so it will work tel me plsssssss

    Reply
    • pandazen, on August 31, 2009 at 8:27 am said:

      it’s in “\bin” not “\lib”

      C:\Documents and Settings\wi>cd C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.6.0_14\bin

      C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.6.0_14\bin>javac -version
      javac 1.6.0_14

      Reply
  10. Praveen, on October 15, 2009 at 6:04 pm said:

    Fentastic answers.

    I follwed the steps above ,Now i can able to compile and run my java program in cmd.

    Reference:
    Path=C:\Sun\SDK\jdk\bin;
    classpath=C:\Sun\SDK\jdk\lib;

    Regards,
    S.Praveen

    Reply
  11. Yankee, on October 19, 2009 at 1:44 am said:

    okay ive done everything said and i tested javac and it works but now it cant find my .java file.

    ive tried saving it to numerous places, ive tried setting the path in cmd, ive basically tried every suggestion ive found on here but it still cant find it….

    any more suggestions would be greatly appreciated…

    -Yankee

    Reply
  12. Utkarsh, on January 29, 2010 at 4:36 pm said:

    Hey thanks. i visited other forums and i couldn’t find the solution. But here, i got the complete solution. Now i can run any java program on my PC. THANKS.

    Reply
  13. majn, on January 31, 2010 at 3:23 am said:

    C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin….i have the same problem..there is no version showing in path…n there is no javac in bin folder..what is the problem…i tried all d suggestions but its not working .??plz help me out???

    Reply
  14. Ruchendra, on June 7, 2010 at 9:06 am said:

    Thanks Man you are a life saver I was finding this method thanks man

    Reply
  15. Tony, on July 15, 2010 at 4:55 pm said:

    Your instructions for Xp are all over the place. When I finally interpereted them, it didn’t work anyway.

    Reply
  16. Rajee, on July 22, 2010 at 7:09 am said:

    Hi,
    Great work which simply gives us the procedure for setting variable for java programmers and lovers.

    Reply
  17. vahid, on November 18, 2010 at 7:48 pm said:

    thanks man
    you explain it fluently
    really thanks

    Reply
  18. Chance Metz, on January 24, 2011 at 12:20 am said:

    same isse I am having. And i am taking a Java Programming class at college so I have to get Java to work properly.

    Reply
  19. Justin, on February 25, 2011 at 10:14 pm said:

    Ive been having the same issue, I haven’t tried the solution I am about to propose yet but it just popped in my head a few minutes ago.
    I see many of you are creating the path to jre6.
    I believe jre6 is just the runtime environment part of the jdk install. If there is another directory in your java folder i.e. \jdk1.6.0_14 try setting the path to the bin sub directory in that folder

    Reply
  20. radhika, on March 5, 2011 at 12:32 pm said:

    i hav installed java…dont have any idea about java…just started learning java…. now when i run cmd….after a couple of commands when i type javac they say ” javac is not recognised as an internal or external command…can any one help me plss

    Reply
  21. Nestor, on March 12, 2011 at 6:57 pm said:

    lovly place ths is…..it worked really well…..

    Reply
  22. kunjal shukla, on May 23, 2011 at 2:05 pm said:

    thanks a lot ….
    worked and understood nicely !

    Reply
  23. payal, on June 3, 2011 at 6:46 am said:

    Thanx a lot

    Reply
  24. Suuual, on June 23, 2011 at 2:18 am said:

    thanks, worked straight-up yo. must have been the /bin and /lib addition, those were the only things I changed.

    Reply
  25. leslie, on June 29, 2011 at 2:22 am said:

    I can’t get Java to run the javac Hello.java, I followed everything you said, but I get the error on the last step saying that: If you get a result that “‘javac’ is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file” then there is a problem
    and Java will not work correctly……please HELP ME, I have a class and I need to get my work done, I am at Lchris292002@yahoo.com is someone can help me, thanks.

    Leslie

    Reply
  26. tom, on July 4, 2011 at 8:47 pm said:

    I’m not sure what you mean by the “top level of the C drive”.
    I installed in C:\Program Files\Java\jre7
    Both the bin and lib sub-directories are installed underneath jre7.
    Do I need to move jre7 above “Program Files” on the C drive?
    Thanks in advance

    Reply
  27. Taylor, on September 13, 2011 at 3:38 am said:

    You stopped explaining right where I am having the problem… I have correctly installed everything, so why is javac not recognized?

    Reply
  28. Abc, on October 11, 2011 at 5:00 pm said:

    jre is run time environment –>if you have only jre you can only run your class files i.e you cannot compile any java class on your machine.

    JDK–>it’s a development kit which contains compiler as well as runtime environment .in this you can compile & run your java classes

    Reply
  29. Nimmi, on November 16, 2011 at 9:37 am said:

    thanku very much.. 🙂

    Reply
  30. Victor, on November 30, 2011 at 6:31 am said:

    Perfect solution. Clear and straight-forward.

    Thank you.

    Reply
  31. Zaw Htet Han, on December 8, 2011 at 7:31 am said:

    Thank you so much :), I didn’t even need to set JDK directory under C: it was under C:\Program Files (x86)

    Reply
  32. Mahesh, on December 18, 2011 at 4:26 am said:

    Hi,

    I installed JDK jdk1.7.0_02. Set the same path in system variables.
    Path = C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.7.0_02\bin
    CLASSPATH = .;C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.7.0_02\lib
    but if i try from javac in command prompt it shows “javac is not recognized as an internal or external command operable program or batch file ”
    I am working on windows 7.
    Please do let me correct if i am doing something wrong.

    Thanks in advacnce
    Mahesh

    Reply
  33. Ciara, on October 16, 2012 at 12:56 pm said:

    THANK YOU

    Reply

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