Do you remember the days of dos or the use if Computer Commands? Well dos is still alive in today's XP edition. If you want to check-out the dos black screen and use command prompts to control your machine, try using some of the command-line tools. You will not find them listed in any system files, but they are always available. In order to use them, you have to open the command prompt window ( »» click Start, »» click All Programs , »» click Accessories, »» click Command Prompt).
Or you can simply use the Run window (»» click Start,»» click Run). When using the Run window, they must be executed at the prompt of the command interpreter (»» type cmd and »» click OK).
Some command-line tools require the user to have administrator-level privileges on the source and/or target computers.
Some of these are very powerful tools that should be used with caution.
This section will provide a list of the commands. For the complete story on all of the different uses, please visit Microsoft's Command Line website. The purpose of this page is to promote credible information on the tools and resources Microsoft has included with your operating system.
A
» arp.exe ~ Displays and modifies entries in the Address Resolution
Protocol (ARP) cache, which contains one or more tables that are
used to store IP addresses and their resolved Ethernet or Token Ring
physical addresses. There is a separate table for each Ethernet or
Token Ring network adapter installed on your computer. Used without
parameters, arp displays help.
» attrib.exe ~ Displays, sets, or removes the read-only, archive,
system, and hidden attributes assigned to files or directories. Used
without parameters, attrib displays attributes of all files in the
current directory.
B
» bootcfg.exe ~ Configures, queries, or changes Boot.ini file
settings.
C
» chcp.exe ~ Displays the number of the active console code page, or
changes the console's active console code page. Used without
parameters, chcp displays the number of the active console code
page.
» chdir.exe ~ Displays the name of the current directory or changes
the current folder. Used with only a drive letter (for example,
chdir C:), chdir displays the names of the current drive and folder.
Used without parameters, chdir displays the current drive and
directory.
» chkdsk.exe ~ Creates and displays a status report for a disk based
on the file system. Chkdsk also lists and corrects errors on the
disk. Used without parameters, chkdsk displays the status of the
disk in the current drive.
» chkntfs.exe ~
» cipher.exe ~
» cls.exe ~
» cmd.exe ~
» compact.exe ~
D
» date.exe ~
» defrag.exe ~
» del.exe ~
» dir.exe ~
» diskcomp.exe ~
» diskcopy.exe ~
» diskPart.exe ~
» doskey.exe ~
» driverquery.exe ~
E
» echo.exe ~
» endlocal.exe ~
» eventcreate.exe ~
» eventquery.exe ~
» eventtriggers.exe ~
» evntcmd.exe ~
» exit.exe ~
» expand.exe ~
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F
» fc.exe ~
» find.exe ~
» findstr.exe ~
» finger.exe ~
» flattemp.exe ~
» for.exe ~
» format.exe ~
» fsutil.exe ~
» ftp.exe ~
» ftype.exe ~
G
» getmac.exe ~
» goto.exe ~
» gpresult.exe ~
» gpupdate.exe ~
» graftabl.exe ~
H
» help.exe ~
» helpctr.exe ~
» hostname.exe ~
I
» if.exe ~
» ipconfig.exe ~
» ipconfig/flushdns.exe ~
» ipseccmd.exe ~
» ipxroute.exe ~
» irftp.exe ~
L
» label.exe ~
» lodctr.exe ~
» logman.exe ~
» lpq.exe ~
» lpr.exe ~
M
» macfile.exe ~
» mkdir.exe ~
» mmc.exe ~
» mode.exe ~
» more.exe ~
» mountvol.exe ~
» move.exe ~
» msconfig.exe ~
» msiexec.exe ~
» msinfo32.exe ~
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N
» nbtstat.exe ~
» netstat.exe ~
» nslookup.exe ~
» ntbackup.exe ~
» ntcmdprompt.exe ~
» ntsd.exe ~
O
» openfiles.exe ~
P
» pagefileconfig.exe ~
» path.exe ~
» pathping.exe ~
» pause.exe ~
» pbadmin.exe ~
» pentnt.exe ~
» perfmon.exe ~
» ping.exe ~
» popd.exe ~
» print.exe ~
» prncnfg.exe ~
» prndrvr.exe ~
» prnjobs.exe ~
» prnmngr.exe ~
» prnport.exe ~
» prnqctl.exe ~
» prompt.exe ~
» pushd.exe ~
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Q
» query.exe ~
R
» rasdial.exe ~
» rcp.exe ~
» recover.exe ~
» reg.exe ~
» regedit.exe ~
» regsvr32.exe ~
» relog.exe ~
» rem.exe ~
» rename.exe ~
» replace.exe ~
» rexec.exe ~
» rmdir.exe ~
» route.exe ~
» rsh.exe ~
» rsm.exe ~
» runas.exe ~
S
» sc.exe ~
» schtasks.exe ~
» secedit.exe ~
» set.exe ~
»setlocal.exe ~
» System File Checker ~ Windows will verify that all protected
Windows files are intact and in their original versions. If the
dllcache folder becomes corrupt or unusable, use this tool to repair
the contents of the Dllcache directory. You must type exactly as
below, including the space after sfc:
sfc /scannow : Scans all protected system files immediately.
sfc /scanonce : Scans all protected system files once.
sfc /scanboot : Scans all protected system files every time the
computer is restarted.
sfc /revert : Returns the scan to its default operation.
sfc /purgecache : Purges the Windows File Protection file cache and
scans all protected system files immediately.
sfc /cachesize=x : Sets the size, in MB, of the Windows File
Protection file cache.
sfc /? : Displays help at the command prompt.
» shift.exe ~
» shutdown.exe ~
» sort.exe ~
» start.exe ~
» subst.exe ~
» systeminfo.exe ~
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T
» taskkill.exe ~ Ends one or more tasks or processes. Processes can
be killed by process ID or image name.
» tasklist.exe ~ Displays a list of applications and services with
their Process ID (PID) for all tasks running on either a local or a
remote computer.
» tcmsetup.exe ~ Sets up or disables the TAPI client.
» Terminal Services commands ~ There are twenty different TSC tools
to use for a wide range of services.
» tftp.exe ~ Transfers files to and from a remote computer,
typically a computer running UNIX, that is running the Trivial File
Transfer Protocol (TFTP) service or daemon. Used without parameters,
tftp displays help.
» time.exe ~ Displays or sets the system time. Used without
parameters, time displays the system time and prompts you to enter a
new time.
» title.exe ~ Creates a title for the command prompt window.
» tracerpt.exe ~ Processes event trace logs or real-time data from
instrumented event trace providers and allows you to generate trace
analysis reports and CSV (comma-delimited) files for the events
generated.
» tracert.exe ~ Determines the path taken to a destination by
sending Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) Echo Request
messages to the destination with incrementally increasing Time to
Live (TTL) field values. The path displayed is the list of near-side
router interfaces of the routers in the path between a source host
and a destination. The near-side interface is the interface of the
router that is closest to the sending host in the path. Used without
parameters, tracert displays help.
» tree.exe ~ Graphically displays the directory structure of a path
or of the disk in a drive.
» type.exe ~ Displays the contents of a text file. Use the type
command to view a text file without modifying it.
» typeperf.exe ~ Writes performance counter data to the command
window, or to a supported log file format.
U
» unlodctr.exe ~ Removes Performance counter names and Explain text
for a service or device driver from the system registry.
V
» ver.exe ~ Displays the Windows XP version number.
» vol.exe ~ Displays the disk volume label and serial number, if
they exist. A serial number is displayed for a disk formatted with
MS-DOS version 4.0 or later.
» vssadmin.exe ~ Displays current volume shadow copy backups and all
installed shadow copy writers and providers in the command window.
W
» w32tm.exe ~ A tool used to diagnose problems occurring with
Windows Time.
» winnt.exe ~ Performs an installation of or upgrade to Windows XP.
If you have hardware that is compatible with Windows XP, you can run
winnt at a Windows 3.x or MS-DOS command prompt.
» winnt32.exe ~ Performs an installation of or upgrade to Windows
XP. You can run winnt32 at the command prompt on a computer running
Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows NT,
Windows 2000, or Windows XP.
» WMIC overview ~ The Windows Management Instrumentation
Command-line (WMIC) is a command-line and scripting interface that
simplifies the use of Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) and
systems managed through WMI.
X
» xcopy.exe ~ Copies files and directories, including
subdirectories.