Exec: "cmd": executable file not found in %PATH%

Projects Programming
1

I'm having problems compiling sketches with the error "exec: "cmd": executable file not found in %PATH%"

The sketch I'm trying to upload is the Wifi Scan example sketch below. (I'm tying this as the one I actually want to use had the same error ).

Any ideas?

/*
 *  This sketch demonstrates how to scan WiFi networks.
 *  The API is based on the Arduino WiFi Shield library, but has significant changes as newer WiFi functions are supported.
 *  E.g. the return value of `encryptionType()` different because more modern encryption is supported.
 */
#include "WiFi.h"

void setup()
{
    Serial.begin(115200);

    // Set WiFi to station mode and disconnect from an AP if it was previously connected.
    WiFi.mode(WIFI_STA);
    WiFi.disconnect();
    delay(100);

    Serial.println("Setup done");
}

void loop()
{
    Serial.println("Scan start");

    // WiFi.scanNetworks will return the number of networks found.
    int n = WiFi.scanNetworks();
    Serial.println("Scan done");
    if (n == 0) {
        Serial.println("no networks found");
    } else {
        Serial.print(n);
        Serial.println(" networks found");
        Serial.println("Nr | SSID                             | RSSI | CH | Encryption");
        for (int i = 0; i < n; ++i) {
            // Print SSID and RSSI for each network found
            Serial.printf("%2d",i + 1);
            Serial.print(" | ");
            Serial.printf("%-32.32s", WiFi.SSID(i).c_str());
            Serial.print(" | ");
            Serial.printf("%4d", WiFi.RSSI(i));
            Serial.print(" | ");
            Serial.printf("%2d", WiFi.channel(i));
            Serial.print(" | ");
            switch (WiFi.encryptionType(i))
            {
            case WIFI_AUTH_OPEN:
                Serial.print("open");
                break;
            case WIFI_AUTH_WEP:
                Serial.print("WEP");
                break;
            case WIFI_AUTH_WPA_PSK:
                Serial.print("WPA");
                break;
            case WIFI_AUTH_WPA2_PSK:
                Serial.print("WPA2");
                break;
            case WIFI_AUTH_WPA_WPA2_PSK:
                Serial.print("WPA+WPA2");
                break;
            case WIFI_AUTH_WPA2_ENTERPRISE:
                Serial.print("WPA2-EAP");
                break;
            case WIFI_AUTH_WPA3_PSK:
                Serial.print("WPA3");
                break;
            case WIFI_AUTH_WPA2_WPA3_PSK:
                Serial.print("WPA2+WPA3");
                break;
            case WIFI_AUTH_WAPI_PSK:
                Serial.print("WAPI");
                break;
            default:
                Serial.print("unknown");
            }
            Serial.println();
            delay(10);
        }
    }
    Serial.println("");

    // Delete the scan result to free memory for code below.
    WiFi.scanDelete();

    // Wait a bit before scanning again.
    delay(5000);
}

Error log is;

Arduino: 1.8.19 (Windows 10), TD: 1.57-beta3, Board: "ESP32 Wrover Module, Default 4MB with spiffs (1.2MB APP/1.5MB SPIFFS), QIO, 80MHz, 921600, None, Disabled"

C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\arduino-builder -dump-prefs -logger=machine -hardware C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware -hardware C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages -tools C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\tools-builder -tools C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr -tools C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages -built-in-libraries C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\libraries -libraries C:\Users\Nick Kay\Documents\Arduino\libraries -fqbn=esp32:esp32:esp32wrover:PartitionScheme=default,FlashMode=qio,FlashFreq=80,UploadSpeed=921600,DebugLevel=none,EraseFlash=none -vid-pid=1A86_55D4 -ide-version=10819 -build-path C:\Users\NICKKA~1\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_147620 -warnings=all -build-cache C:\Users\NICKKA~1\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_cache_440839 -prefs=build.warn_data_percentage=75 -prefs=runtime.tools.esptool_py.path=C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\esp32\tools\esptool_py\4.5.1 -prefs=runtime.tools.esptool_py-4.5.1.path=C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\esp32\tools\esptool_py\4.5.1 -prefs=runtime.tools.openocd-esp32.path=C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\esp32\tools\openocd-esp32\v0.12.0-esp32-20230419 -prefs=runtime.tools.openocd-esp32-v0.12.0-esp32-20230419.path=C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\esp32\tools\openocd-esp32\v0.12.0-esp32-20230419 -prefs=runtime.tools.mklittlefs.path=C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\esp32\tools\mklittlefs\3.0.0-gnu12-dc7f933 -prefs=runtime.tools.mklittlefs-3.0.0-gnu12-dc7f933.path=C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\esp32\tools\mklittlefs\3.0.0-gnu12-dc7f933 -prefs=runtime.tools.riscv32-esp-elf-gdb.path=C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\esp32\tools\riscv32-esp-elf-gdb\11.2_20220823 -prefs=runtime.tools.riscv32-esp-elf-gdb-11.2_20220823.path=C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\esp32\tools\riscv32-esp-elf-gdb\11.2_20220823 -prefs=runtime.tools.xtensa-esp32-elf-gcc.path=C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\esp32\tools\xtensa-esp32-elf-gcc\esp-2021r2-patch5-8.4.0 -prefs=runtime.tools.xtensa-esp32-elf-gcc-esp-2021r2-patch5-8.4.0.path=C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\esp32\tools\xtensa-esp32-elf-gcc\esp-2021r2-patch5-8.4.0 -prefs=runtime.tools.xtensa-esp32s2-elf-gcc.path=C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\esp32\tools\xtensa-esp32s2-elf-gcc\esp-2021r2-patch5-8.4.0 -prefs=runtime.tools.xtensa-esp32s2-elf-gcc-esp-2021r2-patch5-8.4.0.path=C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\esp32\tools\xtensa-esp32s2-elf-gcc\esp-2021r2-patch5-8.4.0 -prefs=runtime.tools.mkspiffs.path=C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\esp32\tools\mkspiffs\0.2.3 -prefs=runtime.tools.mkspiffs-0.2.3.path=C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\esp32\tools\mkspiffs\0.2.3 -prefs=runtime.tools.dfu-util.path=C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\arduino\tools\dfu-util\0.11.0-arduino5 -prefs=runtime.tools.dfu-util-0.11.0-arduino5.path=C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\arduino\tools\dfu-util\0.11.0-arduino5 -prefs=runtime.tools.xtensa-esp32s3-elf-gcc.path=C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\esp32\tools\xtensa-esp32s3-elf-gcc\esp-2021r2-patch5-8.4.0 -prefs=runtime.tools.xtensa-esp32s3-elf-gcc-esp-2021r2-patch5-8.4.0.path=C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\esp32\tools\xtensa-esp32s3-elf-gcc\esp-2021r2-patch5-8.4.0 -prefs=runtime.tools.xtensa-esp-elf-gdb.path=C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\esp32\tools\xtensa-esp-elf-gdb\11.2_20220823 -prefs=runtime.tools.xtensa-esp-elf-gdb-11.2_20220823.path=C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\esp32\tools\xtensa-esp-elf-gdb\11.2_20220823 -prefs=runtime.tools.riscv32-esp-elf-gcc.path=C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\esp32\tools\riscv32-esp-elf-gcc\esp-2021r2-patch5-8.4.0 -prefs=runtime.tools.riscv32-esp-elf-gcc-esp-2021r2-patch5-8.4.0.path=C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\esp32\tools\riscv32-esp-elf-gcc\esp-2021r2-patch5-8.4.0 -verbose C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\esp32\hardware\esp32\2.0.14\libraries\WiFi\examples\WiFiScan\WiFiScan.ino

C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\arduino-builder -compile -logger=machine -hardware C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware -hardware C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages -tools C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\tools-builder -tools C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr -tools C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages -built-in-libraries C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\libraries -libraries C:\Users\Nick Kay\Documents\Arduino\libraries -fqbn=esp32:esp32:esp32wrover:PartitionScheme=default,FlashMode=qio,FlashFreq=80,UploadSpeed=921600,DebugLevel=none,EraseFlash=none -vid-pid=1A86_55D4 -ide-version=10819 -build-path C:\Users\NICKKA~1\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_147620 -warnings=all -build-cache C:\Users\NICKKA~1\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_cache_440839 -prefs=build.warn_data_percentage=75 -prefs=runtime.tools.esptool_py.path=C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\esp32\tools\esptool_py\4.5.1 -prefs=runtime.tools.esptool_py-4.5.1.path=C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\esp32\tools\esptool_py\4.5.1 -prefs=runtime.tools.openocd-esp32.path=C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\esp32\tools\openocd-esp32\v0.12.0-esp32-20230419 -prefs=runtime.tools.openocd-esp32-v0.12.0-esp32-20230419.path=C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\esp32\tools\openocd-esp32\v0.12.0-esp32-20230419 -prefs=runtime.tools.mklittlefs.path=C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\esp32\tools\mklittlefs\3.0.0-gnu12-dc7f933 -prefs=runtime.tools.mklittlefs-3.0.0-gnu12-dc7f933.path=C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\esp32\tools\mklittlefs\3.0.0-gnu12-dc7f933 -prefs=runtime.tools.riscv32-esp-elf-gdb.path=C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\esp32\tools\riscv32-esp-elf-gdb\11.2_20220823 -prefs=runtime.tools.riscv32-esp-elf-gdb-11.2_20220823.path=C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\esp32\tools\riscv32-esp-elf-gdb\11.2_20220823 -prefs=runtime.tools.xtensa-esp32-elf-gcc.path=C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\esp32\tools\xtensa-esp32-elf-gcc\esp-2021r2-patch5-8.4.0 -prefs=runtime.tools.xtensa-esp32-elf-gcc-esp-2021r2-patch5-8.4.0.path=C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\esp32\tools\xtensa-esp32-elf-gcc\esp-2021r2-patch5-8.4.0 -prefs=runtime.tools.xtensa-esp32s2-elf-gcc.path=C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\esp32\tools\xtensa-esp32s2-elf-gcc\esp-2021r2-patch5-8.4.0 -prefs=runtime.tools.xtensa-esp32s2-elf-gcc-esp-2021r2-patch5-8.4.0.path=C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\esp32\tools\xtensa-esp32s2-elf-gcc\esp-2021r2-patch5-8.4.0 -prefs=runtime.tools.mkspiffs.path=C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\esp32\tools\mkspiffs\0.2.3 -prefs=runtime.tools.mkspiffs-0.2.3.path=C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\esp32\tools\mkspiffs\0.2.3 -prefs=runtime.tools.dfu-util.path=C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\arduino\tools\dfu-util\0.11.0-arduino5 -prefs=runtime.tools.dfu-util-0.11.0-arduino5.path=C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\arduino\tools\dfu-util\0.11.0-arduino5 -prefs=runtime.tools.xtensa-esp32s3-elf-gcc.path=C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\esp32\tools\xtensa-esp32s3-elf-gcc\esp-2021r2-patch5-8.4.0 -prefs=runtime.tools.xtensa-esp32s3-elf-gcc-esp-2021r2-patch5-8.4.0.path=C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\esp32\tools\xtensa-esp32s3-elf-gcc\esp-2021r2-patch5-8.4.0 -prefs=runtime.tools.xtensa-esp-elf-gdb.path=C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\esp32\tools\xtensa-esp-elf-gdb\11.2_20220823 -prefs=runtime.tools.xtensa-esp-elf-gdb-11.2_20220823.path=C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\esp32\tools\xtensa-esp-elf-gdb\11.2_20220823 -prefs=runtime.tools.riscv32-esp-elf-gcc.path=C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\esp32\tools\riscv32-esp-elf-gcc\esp-2021r2-patch5-8.4.0 -prefs=runtime.tools.riscv32-esp-elf-gcc-esp-2021r2-patch5-8.4.0.path=C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\esp32\tools\riscv32-esp-elf-gcc\esp-2021r2-patch5-8.4.0 -verbose C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\esp32\hardware\esp32\2.0.14\libraries\WiFi\examples\WiFiScan\WiFiScan.ino

Using board 'esp32wrover' from platform in folder: C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\esp32\hardware\esp32\2.0.14

Using core 'esp32' from platform in folder: C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\esp32\hardware\esp32\2.0.14

cmd /c if exist "C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\esp32\hardware\esp32\2.0.14\libraries\WiFi\examples\WiFiScan\partitions.csv" COPY /y "C:\Users\Nick Kay\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\esp32\hardware\esp32\2.0.14\libraries\WiFi\examples\WiFiScan\partitions.csv" "C:\Users\NICKKA~1\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_147620\partitions.csv"

exec: "cmd": executable file not found in %PATH%

Error compiling for board ESP32 Wrover Module.

2

It seems that the error has nothing to do with compiling the code. You have a problem with ESP32 board setup on Arduino IDE or with IDE itself.
Try to remove and reinstall first the ESP32 package or Arduino IDE in full

3

Thank you, will do.

4

I have just had this same problem yesterday, and I have searched for answers and tried a few things, except for re-installing the Arduino IDE, and NONE of them worked.
Just by trying it on a hunch, I copied the cmd.exe file from Windows/System32 folder to my Arduino program folder with Arduino.exe (C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino) and my problem was solved.
Try it out and let me know. I think it will fix your problem.
As to exactly why it happens, I don't know. My guess is that some dependencies or pointers get corrupted over time in Arduino IDE, as it used to work for me before yesterday.

5

Thanks, sadly that's not worked for me.

6

An Arduino team member (ptillisch) gave me a working answer, and my problem is now fixed.
I am almost sure it will work for you as well. You should try it.
Here it is:

7

Thank you, that's solved it for me.

One thing to note - after doing it I had to remove ESP32 from the boards manager and reinstall it.

8

Thank you for letting me know. I am happy it worked for you.
I didn't have to do anything else in my case, apparently something in your Arduino installation was bad.

9

I Find the IDE installation is very hit and miss. Some of my computers/laptops take ages, and I mean ages, to compile even the simplest of sketches. One I found to be due to Rapport software but others I'm not sure.