I have recently downloaded and unzipped Maven 3.3.1 in Windows 7. I updated my path environment variable to include C:\Apache\Maven\apache-maven-3.3.1\bin. I also added a JAVA_HOME environment variable that points to my Java 8 JDK. And created both an M2_HOME and M2 environment variable.
When I enter mvn - -version on the command line I get the following: H:\>mvn --version Usage: java [-options] class [args...] (to execute a class) or java [-options] -jar jarfile [args...] (to execute a jar file) where options include: -d32 use a 32-bit data model if available -d64 use a 64-bit data model if available -server to select the "server" VM The default VM is server. -cp <class search path of directories and zip/jar files> -classpath <class search path of directories and zip/jar files> A ; separated list of directories, JAR archives, and ZIP archives to search for class files. -D<name>=<value> set a system property -verbose:[class|gc|jni] enable verbose output -version print product version and exit -version:<value> require the specified version to run -showversion print product version and continue -jre-restrict-search | -no-jre-restrict-search include/exclude user private JREs in the version search -? -help print this help message -X print help on non-standard options -ea[:<packagename>...|:<classname>] -enableassertions[:<packagename>...|:<classname>] enable assertions with specified granularity -da[:<packagename>...|:<classname>] -disableassertions[:<packagename>...|:<classname>] disable assertions with specified granularity -esa | -enablesystemassertions enable system assertions -dsa | -disablesystemassertions disable system assertions -agentlib:<libname>[=<options>] load native agent library <libname>, e.g. -agentlib:hprof see also, -agentlib:jdwp=help and -agentlib:hprof=help -agentpath:<pathname>[=<options>] load native agent library by full pathname -javaagent:<jarpath>[=<options>] load Java programming language agent, see java.lang.instrument -splash:<imagepath> show splash screen with specified image See http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/documentation/index.html for more details. However, when I change to any of the following three directories: C:\Windows C:\Windows\System32 C:\Apache\Maven\apache-maven-3.3.1\bin and enter mvn - -version on the command line I get the following: C:\Apache\Maven\apache-maven-3.3.1\bin>mvn --version Apache Maven 3.3.1 (cab6659f9874fa96462afef40fcf6bc033d58c1c; 2015-03-13T16:10:27-04:00) Maven home: C:\Apache\Maven\apache-maven-3.3.1\bin\.. Java version: 1.8.0_31, vendor: Oracle Corporation Java home: C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.8.0_31\jre Default locale: en_US, platform encoding: Cp1252 OS name: "windows 7", version: "6.1", arch: "amd64", family: "dos" If I run mvn - -version from any other directory I get the same results as reported when I run from H:\. Michael Tarullo Contractor (Engility Corp) Enterprise Architect NSRR System Administrator FAA WJH Technical Center (609)485-5294