diff --git a/src/cloudmesh/common/bin/win-setup.bat b/src/cloudmesh/common/bin/win-setup.bat
index ef67a2f..ee80851 100644
--- a/src/cloudmesh/common/bin/win-setup.bat
+++ b/src/cloudmesh/common/bin/win-setup.bat
@@ -1,48 +1,119 @@
 @echo off
-SETLOCAL
+setlocal EnableExtensions EnableDelayedExpansion
 
-REM Check if Chocolatey is installed
-choco --version 2>nul
-if %errorlevel% neq 0 (
-    echo Chocolatey is not installed. Installing Chocolatey...
-    @powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Command "iex ((New-Object System.Net.WebClient).DownloadString('https://chocolatey.org/install.ps1'))"
-) else (
-    echo Chocolatey is already installed.
+REM -------------------------------------------------------------
+REM Resolve Chocolatey path (no reliance on PATH)
+REM -------------------------------------------------------------
+set "CHOCO="
+set "CHOCOROOT="
+
+REM Try Machine scope ChocolateyInstall
+for /f "usebackq delims=" %%I in (`powershell -NoProfile -Command ^
+  "$m=[Environment]::GetEnvironmentVariable('ChocolateyInstall','Machine'); if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($m)){''} else {$m}"`) do (
+  set "CHOCOROOT=%%I"
+)
+
+REM Fallback: User scope ChocolateyInstall
+if not defined CHOCOROOT (
+  for /f "usebackq delims=" %%I in (`powershell -NoProfile -Command ^
+    "$u=[Environment]::GetEnvironmentVariable('ChocolateyInstall','User'); if([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($u)){''} else {$u}"`) do (
+    set "CHOCOROOT=%%I"
+  )
+)
+
+REM Fallback: default install location (use ProgramData, not hard-coded C:)
+if not defined CHOCOROOT set "CHOCOROOT=%ProgramData%\Chocolatey"
+
+REM If choco.exe exists there, use it
+if exist "%CHOCOROOT%\bin\choco.exe" set "CHOCO=%CHOCOROOT%\bin\choco.exe"
+
+REM As a last resort, try PATH (doesn't break if it's already on PATH)
+if not defined CHOCO (
+  for /f "delims=" %%I in ('where choco 2^>nul') do set "CHOCO=%%~fI"
+)
+
+REM -------------------------------------------------------------
+REM Install Chocolatey if still not found
+REM -------------------------------------------------------------
+if not defined CHOCO (
+  echo Chocolatey is not installed. Installing Chocolatey...
+  powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Command ^
+    "iex ((New-Object System.Net.WebClient).DownloadString('https://chocolatey.org/install.ps1'))"
+    REM Re-resolve after install
+    set "CHOCOROOT=%ProgramData%\Chocolatey"
+    if exist "%CHOCOROOT%\bin\choco.exe" (
+    set "CHOCO=%CHOCOROOT%\bin\choco.exe"
+    ) else (
+    for /f "usebackq delims=" %%I in (`
+        powershell -NoProfile -Command "[Environment]::GetEnvironmentVariable('ChocolateyInstall','Machine') ?? ''"
+    `) do set "CHOCOROOT=%%I"
+    if exist "%CHOCOROOT%\bin\choco.exe" set "CHOCO=%CHOCOROOT%\bin\choco.exe"
+    )
 )
 
-REM Check if Python is installed
-python --version 2>nul
-if %errorlevel% neq 0 (
-    echo Python is not installed. Installing Python...
-    choco install python -y
+if not exist "%CHOCO%" (
+  echo ERROR: Could not locate choco.exe after installation.
+  exit /b 1
+)
+
+echo Using Chocolatey: "%CHOCO%"
+echo.
+
+REM -------------------------------------------------------------
+REM Check/install Python
+REM -------------------------------------------------------------
+where python >nul 2>nul
+if errorlevel 1 (
+  echo Python is not on PATH. Installing Python...
+  "%CHOCO%" install python -y
 ) else (
-    echo Python is already installed.
+  echo Python is already available.
 )
 
-REM Check if Git is installed
-git --version 2>nul
-if %errorlevel% neq 0 (
-    echo Git is not installed. Installing Git...
-    choco install git.install --params "/GitAndUnixToolsOnPath /Editor:Nano /PseudoConsoleSupport /NoAutoCrlf" -y
+REM -------------------------------------------------------------
+REM Check/install Git
+REM -------------------------------------------------------------
+where git >nul 2>nul
+if errorlevel 1 (
+  echo Git is not on PATH. Installing Git...
+  "%CHOCO%" install git.install --params "/GitAndUnixToolsOnPath /Editor:Nano /PseudoConsoleSupport /NoAutoCrlf" -y
 ) else (
-    echo Git is already installed.
+  echo Git is already available.
 )
 
-REM Check if cygwin is installed
-cygcheck -V 2>nul
-if %errorlevel% neq 0 (
-    echo cygwin is not installed. Installing cygwin...
-    choco install cygwin -y
+REM -------------------------------------------------------------
+REM Check/install Cygwin (cygcheck in PATH means it's present)
+REM -------------------------------------------------------------
+where cygcheck >nul 2>nul
+if errorlevel 1 (
+  echo Cygwin is not on PATH. Installing Cygwin...
+  "%CHOCO%" install cygwin -y
 ) else (
-    echo cygwin is already installed.
+  echo Cygwin is already available.
 )
 
-REM Countdown from 5
+REM -------------------------------------------------------------
+REM Countdown + refresh environment in THIS window
+REM -------------------------------------------------------------
+echo.
 echo cloudmesh has all required dependencies. Starting in 5 seconds...
-
 for /l %%i in (5,-1,1) do (
-    echo %%i
-    timeout /t 1 >nul
+  echo %%i
+  timeout /t 1 >nul
 )
 
-refreshenv
+if exist "%CHOCOROOT%\bin\refreshenv.cmd" (
+  call "%CHOCOROOT%\bin\refreshenv.cmd"
+) else (
+  set "PATH=%PATH%;%CHOCOROOT%\bin"
+)
+
+REM --- snapshot refreshed values while SETLOCAL is active ---
+set "PATH_SNAP=!PATH!"
+set "CHOCO_SNAP=%CHOCOROOT%"
+
+REM --- propagate to the caller after ENDLOCAL ---
+ENDLOCAL & (
+  set "PATH=%PATH_SNAP%"
+  if not defined ChocolateyInstall set "ChocolateyInstall=%CHOCO_SNAP%"
+)