Error: "The term 'reg' is not recognized as the name of a cmdlet"

This error may occur when using the GetSoftware call on a Windows device, and it appears in the Automox agent logs (found here: Location of Files Required by Automox).

Example Log Output:

2022/07/23 12:21:56 cmd_windows.go:183: runScript: Error in Wait exit status 90

status: 90

stdOut: Omitted

stdErr: At C:\ProgramData\amagent\execDir887431099\execcmd341723102.ps1:688 char:19

& reg load "HKEY_USERS\$userSID" "C:\Users\$userName\ ...

~~~

System.Management.Automation.CommandNotFoundException: The term 'reg' is not recognized as the name of a cmdlet, function, script file, or operable program. Check the spelling of the name, or if a path was included, verify that the path is correct and try again.

Root Cause:
This error typically occurs because the reg.exe command is not accessible from the current environment. This may happen if the path to C:\Windows\System32\ is missing from the system's environment variables.

Solution: Add the System32 Path to Environment Variables

1. Open System Properties:
   • Right-click the This PC or My Computer icon and choose Properties.
   • Navigate to the Advanced System Settings tab.
   • Click Environment Variables.
2. Edit the Path Variable:
   • In the System Variables section, locate the Path variable and click Edit.

Add the following path to the list:

C:\Windows\System32\

• Ensure each path is separated by a semicolon (;).

3. Save and Exit:
   • Confirm your changes by clicking OK on all windows.
   • Restart your computer to apply the changes.

Additional Troubleshooting Steps

If adding the path does not resolve the issue, try the following:

1. Verify File Existence:
   Confirm that reg.exe exists in the C:\Windows\System32\ directory. If not, you may need to restore it from a backup or perform a system repair.
2. Check PowerShell Execution Policies:
   Ensure your execution policies allow the script to run:
   

   Get-ExecutionPolicy

   • If the policy is restrictive, adjust it:
     

     Set-ExecutionPolicy -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUser

3. Run PowerShell as Administrator:
   Open PowerShell with elevated permissions to ensure there are no restrictions due to user privileges.
4. Inspect User Profile Configuration:
   Some PowerShell profiles may override system-level settings. Temporarily bypass the profile by starting PowerShell with the -NoProfile flag:

powershell.exe -NoProfile

When to Contact Support

If the issue persists after following the above steps, contact Automox Support. Include the following details in your support ticket:

• Device Name and ID.
• Agent Log File (location details available in this article).