BleepingComputer.com: what should i set my path environmentvariable?

I use windows xp

I am trying to open my eclipse ide.

it says "A java runtime environment (Jre) or a java development kit(jdk) must be available inorder to run eclipse. no java virtual machine was found after searching the following locations. D:\eclipse\jre\bin\javaw.exe
javaw.exe in your current path.

i googled for the solution.

it said i had to set my environment variable path for it.

i checked if it was modified. earlier it was E:\jdk\bin

To my surprise it was modified and it looked like this.
[b]C:\Program Files\ImageConverter Plus;C:\Program Files\ImageConverter Plus\Microsoft.VC80.CRT;C:\Program Files\ImageConverter Plus\Microsoft.VC80.MFC;[/b]
i installed image converter plus software only yesterday..

Please explain to me:

1) how did my path variable change?
2)could that be because of installing image converter plus software?
3)is there any way i could get back my old environment path variable?
4)How do i ensure that my default "environment variable path" does not change?

or

if some application tries to change it, i should be notified...

that would be a lot of help as it would prevent the unwanted modification of my environment variables.

Thanks and Regards.

This post has been edited by abcd_1: 19 August 2009 - 12:03 PM

1) It looks as though the install of the software borked the path.
2) See above.
3) The place to add to the path is the exact same place that you go to view the path. This article is for XP, and it is the same in Vista and Windows 7.
4) You can't. The fact that the path got screwed up was due to the software that you installed.

Thanks for the help groovicus.

But is there any way that i could get back my previous PATH?

I suppose you could use system restore to go back to before you installed the software that messed it up. That's the only place it would be saved.

Hi groovicus,

I am a newbie..

i dont know much about system restore.

i have a few doubts about system resote....they are as follows....

1) on doing system restore can i get my pc status back to the status of 18th august 2009 morning 6:00 Am.(i mean exactly)...?

2)if i am able to do so...then will i lose all the softwares, data that i have installed after 18th august till date...?(or will i lose only softwares installed ..but not new documents created?)

3) Any good link on how to do a system restore?


Thanks groovicus for being so patient..

Thanks a laot