#works (note extra space required) "H:\TEST\ActivePerl-5.10.0.1001-MSWin32-x86-283495\perl\bin\perl.exe" -e "my $fn = ' \"C:\img\del me\three (3\00000253.jpg\"'; system($fn)" #Doesn't work "H:\TEST\ActivePerl-5.10.0.1001-MSWin32-x86-283495\perl\bin\perl.exe" -e "my $fn = '\"C:\img\del me\three (3\00000253.jpg\"'; system($fn)" 'C:\img\del' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.