Shell function strange behaviour

>I have come across a strange issue whilst trying to use a shell
>command call from Access and have spent some time trying to figure
>this out but can't find the cause as yet.
>
>The issue is: I need to execute a command call from within Access to
>execute a batch file (sample.bat). To do this, we use the Shell
>function, something like:
>
>Shell "cmd /c sample.bat"
>
>sample.bat is located in C:\WINDOWS\system32 and this directory is set
>in the PATH variable.
>
>The issue is that when I attempt to execute the Shell call, I get the
>following message:
>'sample.bat' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
>operable program or batch file.
>
>My environment is Windows XP SP2 and Access 2003.
>
>So I jump to my Start Run cmd to invoke command line, then execute
>sample.bat and it works!
>
>To further debug this issue, this is what I've done and found so far:
>a) On Access, perform a Shell call that looks like: Shell "cmd /k".
>This opens up a Command window.
>b) I also open a Command window by going to Start Run cmd.
>
>PATH
>* On both (a) and (b) I verify that 'C:\WINDOWS\system32' is
>definitely in the PATH, so sample.bat can be executed without
>prefixing its location (yes, I anyways tried to prefix the location
>but didn't help)
>DIR
>* On (b), I go to the directory C:\WINDOWS\system32 and then execute a
>'dir sample.bat' and find the file
>* On (a), I go to the directory C:\WINDOWS\system32 and then execute a
>'dir sample.bat' and can't find the file!!!
>CHANGE THE LOCATION OF sample.bat to C:\
>* On (b), I set the PATH to C:\ and execute sample.bat and it works
>* On (a), I set the PATH to C:\ and execute sample.bat and it
>works!!!! Of course, I can now do a DIR and find the file
>
>Even though I found a workaround to my issue, I am baffled as to why
>the Command interpreter behaves differently when called from within
>Access compared to when it's called from the Start Run option.
>
>The workaround is less attractive if, for example, you need to run
>some other commands (like CSVDE) that should actually be in the
>directory C:\WINDOWS\system32 and it doesn't work (which is also
>happening to me).
>
>I log on as a local admin, I even opened up the permissions on the
>root C:\WINDOWS to Everyone and have it propagated to all the
>subfolders but I still get that on (a); I can't see sample.bat or
>CSVDE.exe and, therefore, I can't execute the file.
>
>Any clues would be highly appreciated!

>Hi Chris - This is what i have tried:
>
>Shell "cmd /k c:\WINDOWS\System32\sample.bat"
>-AND-
>Shell "c:\WINDOWS\System32\cmd /k sample.bat"
>-AND-
>Shell "c:\WINDOWS\System32\cmd /k c:\WINDOWS\System32\sample.bat"
>
>The result is still the same :-(
>
'c:\WINDOWS\System32\sample.bat' is not recognized as an internal or
>external command, operable program or batch file.
>
>I use the '/k' so the command windows is kept open; and on every
>instance, doing a DIR on C:\WINDOWS\System32 for sample.bat brings no
>results even though the file is there.

>It looks that there must be some permission issue for sample.bat when
>it is placed on the System32 folder; so when Shell "cmd /k" is
>executed somehow it is not authorised to 'see' that sample.bat is in
>System32.
>
>However, if I place sample.bat on i.e. C:\ then the problem is gone.