Python os.system command not working?

Question

Earlier I used to code in python well, but after I formatted my computer and reinstalled the same python setup, my os.system command stopped working, as well as subprocess.Popen.

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hmmm... that's strange. It looks like you have 64bit python installed? Are you on Win32? Or 64? It appears from your screenshot that you might be on a 32bit os. Just a guess. — David S
– David S, Commented Sep 24, 2012 at 19:45
Do these commands work if you run them from the command line? — Kevin
– Kevin, Commented Sep 24, 2012 at 19:45
Have you checked your environment variables to make sure they are setup correctly? — serk
– serk, Commented Sep 24, 2012 at 19:50

John Gaines Jr. · Accepted Answer · 2012-09-24 20:16:20Z

1

Looks like a path issue. The only way I could reproduce that -1 error was by setting my path to nothing so that Python couldn't find cmd.exe.

Here's a link I ran across by searching for "set windows path" in stack exchange:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310519

It tells how to set it for Winddows XP, the procedure is pretty much the same in later versions in that you're basically setting up environment variables which are stored in the registry.

edited Sep 24, 2012 at 20:16

answered Sep 24, 2012 at 19:52

John Gaines Jr.

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3 Comments

jooks Over a year ago

Set the path in the environment settings by right clicking on your computer, as he mentioned above. See link: geekswithblogs.net/renso/archive/2009/10/21/…

Suhird Singh Over a year ago

i have already added python to my PATH variable, that's wahy the python is running in cmd prompt

John Gaines Jr. Over a year ago

The error you're getting is either due to cmd.exe not being on path or cmd.exe is corrupted. That -1 appears to be thrown when the os.system function can't start the cmd.exe (the shell) program.

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