Customizing RUN command to open any application

We often use the RUN command box to open word using command "winword", excel using "excel" etc. Similarly we can open any application through RUN command box using any of the following methods.

• Method 1:
  Create a shortcut to the program you want to launch in the the same directory as the program. Then copy this shortcut file into the WINDOWSdirectory, i.e C:\WINDOWS and rename this file to anything (any shortcut name) you want. Now just type in the name into Run command box and enjoy .

• Method 2:
  This is a registry hack for doing the same thing. It doesn’t need any shortcut thing. Do this at your own risk..
  1. First open the Registry Editor using type regedit in the Run.
  2. Then Navigate to
     HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE –> SOFTWARE –> Microsoft –> Windows –> CurrentVersion –> App Paths
  3. Now create a new key in there as
     [shortcut name].exe (dont forget the .exe extension otherwise it won’t work)
  4. Modify the Default Value to the [path to the program (e.g C:\Program Files\My Program\Me.exe)] of the program.
  5. Alternatively you can add a Path string and also set that up (optional only if you know the values you can see the path name from the properties of the program).

  Now just typing the in the Run command should run the program.