title: Ant exec - cannot run program 'start' CreateProcess error=2
body: <p>I can't run the windows 'start' using ant exec. Ant version 1.7.1.</p>
  
  <p>Here is sample build.xml to recreate the problem</p>
  
  <pre><code>&lt;project name="test"  basedir="." default="test-target"&gt;
  &lt;target name="test-target"&gt;
          &lt;exec executable="start"&gt;
              &lt;arg line="cmd /c notepad" /&gt;  
          &lt;/exec&gt;      
  &lt;/target&gt;
  &lt;/project&gt;
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>getting the following error when I execute this build file:</p>
  
  <pre><code>Execute failed: java.io.IOException: Cannot run program "start": Cre
  ateProcess error=2, The system cannot find the file specified
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>My env is Windows XP, Ant 1.7.1
  I am trying to run this from DOS prompt.
  I rule out any PATH related issues, as I could run 'start cmd /c notepad' from DOS promt manually.</p>
  
  <p>Any suggestions on how to fix this?</p>
  
  <p>cheers
  a s</p>