Part 1: Helpful Command-Line Commands (Windows)

By Kyle Reasons
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews

Windows 2000/XP/Server 2003

General

• assoc

• Used to view and change file extension associations in Windows

at

• Enables you to schedule one or more programs to run at a designated date and time

attrib

• Enables you to view the attributes set for a file and to change one or more attributes

break

• Causes the system to check for a break key only during standard operations, such as while making input or output (break off) or during all program execution options (break on)

cacls

• Enables you to set, edit, or view the security permissions associated with a directory or file

cd or chdir

• Enables you to change to a different folder or to view the name of the current folder

chcp

• Used to view the currently active code page number or to set a different code page number

chkdsk

• Used to report the disk file system statistics and to correct file system errors such as lost clusters (for FAT and NTFS)

chkntfs

• Used to report the disk file system statistics and to correct file system errors such as lost clusters (only NTFS)

cls

• Clears the information currently displayed on the screen

cmd

• Used to start a new NT DOS Virtual Machine (NTDVM) session; a new command line session

color

• Sets up the foreground and background screen colors

comp or fc

• Enables you to compare the information in two files or in two sets of files to determine the difference in content

compact

• Compress files and subfolders within a folder or removes the compression attribute

convert

• Converts a FAT formatted volume to NTFS at the time a server is booted

copy

• Copies files from one disk location to another

date

• Enables you to view the date to reset it

del or erase

• Deletes specified files on a volume

• dir

• List files and subfolders within a folder

diskcomp

• Checks the contents of one floppy disk against the contents of another

diskcopy

• Copies information on a floopy disk to another floppy disk

diskperf

• Installs, starts, or stops the Performance/System Monitor disk counters

doskey

• Starts the recall of previously used MS-DOS commands and is used to create command macros

echo

• Shows an associated message or turns screen messages on or off

exit

• Used to close the Command Prompt windows session

find

• Used to find a designated set of characters contained in one or more files

findstr

• Used to find one ore more sets of characters within a set of files

format

• Formats a floppy disk

ftype

• Provides detailed information about file extension associations and it is used to change associations so as to link them with a designated program

graftabl

• Displays characters and code-page switching for a color display monitor

help

• Provides a list of command-line commands and is used to display help about a particular command

keyb

• Enables you to set the keyboard language or layout

label

• Modifies the label on a disk volume

md or mkdir

• Used to set up a new folder

mode

• Sets up parameters for a device or communications port

more

• Used to limit the display to one screen at a time so that information does not rush by faster than it can be read

move

• Enables you to move files from one disk to another on the same volume

path

• Used to establish the path or list of folders to search in order to run a program or command

popd

• Deletes a specified drive letter that was temporarily created by pushd

print

• Prints a designated file

prompt

• Modifies the format of the command prompt shown in the Command Prompt window

pushd

• Changes the path and directory specified and stores the current path and directory for later reference

rd or rmdir

• Deletes a folder or subfolder

recover

• Enables you to try recovering files and data from a damaged unreadable disk

regedit or reged32

• Starts the GUI-based registry editor

ren or rename

• Renames a file or a group of files

replace

• Compares files in two disks or folders and synchronizes the files in one to those on another

set

• Shows a list of currently set environment variables and is used to modify those variables

setlocal

• Used to start command process extensions via a batch file, such as for detecting error-level information

sort

• Sorts lines input into a file, written to the screen, or sent to a printer from a file

start

• Starts a new Command Prompt window in which to run a program or a command

subst

• Used to link a path or volume with a designated drive letter

systeminfo

• Provides a wealth of information about hardware and software (not available in 2000)

time

• Used to view the time of day and to reset it

title

• Modifies the title bar of the Command Prompt window

tree

• Used to show a graphic of the folder and subfolder tree structure

type

• Shows a file’s contents on the screen or sends teh contents of a file

ver

• Shows the current version of the operating system

verify

• Instructs the operating system to verify the each file is accurately written to disk at time it is created, copied, moved, or updated

vol

• Used to view the volume label, if there is one, and the volume serial number

xcopy

• Designed as a fast copy program for files, folders, and subfolders

Network Commands

• ipconfig

• Displays information about the TCP/IP setup

net accounts

• Used to change account policy settings and to synchronize BDCs

net computer

• Adds or removes a computer in a domain

net config

• Shows the started services that can be configured from this command, such as the Server and Workstation services

net continue

• Resumes a service that has been paused

net file

• Shows the currently open shared files and file locks and is used to close designated files or to remove file locks

net group

• Shows the existing global groups and is used to modify those groups

net help

• Displays help information for the net command

net helpmsg

• Used to determine the meaning of a numeric network error message

netlocalgroup

• Shows the exisiting local groups and is used to modify those groups

net name

• Used to display, add, or remove computer names that can participate in the Messenger service

net pause

• Pauses a service

net print

• Used to view and manage queued print jobs by computer, share name, and job number

net send

• Sends a message to designated users or to all users currently connected to the server

net session

• Shows the users currently connected to the server and is used to disconnet designated user sessions or all user sessions

net share

• Used to create, delete, or show information about a shared resource

net start

• Shows the started services or is used to start a designated service

net statistics

• Shows the accumulated statistics about the Server or Workstation service

net stop

• Stops a network service on a server

net time

• Used to synchronoize the server’s clock with that of another computer in the same or in a different domain, or to view the time as set on another computer in the same or in a different domain

net use

• Shows information about shared resources or is used to configure, connect, and disconnect shared resources

net user

• Used to view, add, or modify a user account set up on the server or in a domain

net view

• Presents a list of domains, the computers and servers in a domain, and all resources shared by a computer in a domain

nbstat

• Shows the server and domain names registered to the network (used only on server versions)

netstat

• Used to display information about the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) session at the server

ping

• Used to poll TCP/IP node to verify you can communicate with it

tracert

• Used to view the number of hops and other routing information on the path to the specifeid server or host

Later this week: Linux and Mac OS X commands

Windows 2000/XP/Server 2003
General

• assoc

• Used to view and change file extension associations in Windows

at

• Enables you to schedule one or more programs to run at a designated date and time

attrib

• Enables you to view the attributes set for a file and to change one or more attributes

break

• Causes the system to check for a break key only during standard operations, such as while making input or output (break off) or during all program execution options (break on)

cacls

• Enables you to set, edit, or view the security permissions associated with a directory or file

cd or chdir

• Enables you to change to a different folder or to view the name of the current folder

chcp

• Used to view the currently active code page number or to set a different code page number

chkdsk

• Used to report the disk file system statistics and to correct file system errors such as lost clusters (for FAT and NTFS)

chkntfs

• Used to report the disk file system statistics and to correct file system errors such as lost clusters (only NTFS)

cls

• Clears the information currently displayed on the screen

cmd

• Used to start a new NT DOS Virtual Machine (NTDVM) session; a new command line session

color

• Sets up the foreground and background screen colors

comp or fc

• Enables you to compare the information in two files or in two sets of files to determine the difference in content

compact

• Compress files and subfolders within a folder or removes the compression attribute

convert

• Converts a FAT formatted volume to NTFS at the time a server is booted

copy

• Copies files from one disk location to another

date

• Enables you to view the date to reset it

del or erase

• Deletes specified files on a volume

• dir

• List files and subfolders within a folder

diskcomp

• Checks the contents of one floppy disk against the contents of another

diskcopy

• Copies information on a floopy disk to another floppy disk

diskperf

• Installs, starts, or stops the Performance/System Monitor disk counters

doskey

• Starts the recall of previously used MS-DOS commands and is used to create command macros

echo

• Shows an associated message or turns screen messages on or off

exit

• Used to close the Command Prompt windows session

find

• Used to find a designated set of characters contained in one or more files

findstr

• Used to find one ore more sets of characters within a set of files

format

• Formats a floppy disk

ftype

• Provides detailed information about file extension associations and it is used to change associations so as to link them with a designated program

graftabl

• Displays characters and code-page switching for a color display monitor

help

• Provides a list of command-line commands and is used to display help about a particular command

keyb

• Enables you to set the keyboard language or layout

label

• Modifies the label on a disk volume

md or mkdir

• Used to set up a new folder

mode

• Sets up parameters for a device or communications port

more

• Used to limit the display to one screen at a time so that information does not rush by faster than it can be read

move

• Enables you to move files from one disk to another on the same volume

path

• Used to establish the path or list of folders to search in order to run a program or command

popd

• Deletes a specified drive letter that was temporarily created by pushd

print

• Prints a designated file

prompt

• Modifies the format of the command prompt shown in the Command Prompt window

pushd

• Changes the path and directory specified and stores the current path and directory for later reference

rd or rmdir

• Deletes a folder or subfolder

recover

• Enables you to try recovering files and data from a damaged unreadable disk

regedit or reged32

• Starts the GUI-based registry editor

ren or rename

• Renames a file or a group of files

replace

• Compares files in two disks or folders and synchronizes the files in one to those on another

set

• Shows a list of currently set environment variables and is used to modify those variables

setlocal

• Used to start command process extensions via a batch file, such as for detecting error-level information

sort

• Sorts lines input into a file, written to the screen, or sent to a printer from a file

start

• Starts a new Command Prompt window in which to run a program or a command

subst

• Used to link a path or volume with a designated drive letter

systeminfo

• Provides a wealth of information about hardware and software (not available in 2000)

time

• Used to view the time of day and to reset it

title

• Modifies the title bar of the Command Prompt window

tree

• Used to show a graphic of the folder and subfolder tree structure

type

• Shows a file’s contents on the screen or sends teh contents of a file

ver

• Shows the current version of the operating system

verify

• Instructs the operating system to verify the each file is accurately written to disk at time it is created, copied, moved, or updated

vol

• Used to view the volume label, if there is one, and the volume serial number

xcopy

• Designed as a fast copy program for files, folders, and subfolders

Network Commands

• ipconfig

• Displays information about the TCP/IP setup

net accounts

• Used to change account policy settings and to synchronize BDCs

net computer

• Adds or removes a computer in a domain

net config

• Shows the started services that can be configured from this command, such as the Server and Workstation services

net continue

• Resumes a service that has been paused

net file

• Shows the currently open shared files and file locks and is used to close designated files or to remove file locks

net group

• Shows the existing global groups and is used to modify those groups

net help

• Displays help information for the net command

net helpmsg

• Used to determine the meaning of a numeric network error message

netlocalgroup

• Shows the exisiting local groups and is used to modify those groups

net name

• Used to display, add, or remove computer names that can participate in the Messenger service

net pause

• Pauses a service

net print

• Used to view and manage queued print jobs by computer, share name, and job number

net send

• Sends a message to designated users or to all users currently connected to the server

net session

• Shows the users currently connected to the server and is used to disconnet designated user sessions or all user sessions

net share

• Used to create, delete, or show information about a shared resource

net start

• Shows the started services or is used to start a designated service

net statistics

• Shows the accumulated statistics about the Server or Workstation service

net stop

• Stops a network service on a server

net time

• Used to synchronoize the server’s clock with that of another computer in the same or in a different domain, or to view the time as set on another computer in the same or in a different domain

net use

• Shows information about shared resources or is used to configure, connect, and disconnect shared resources

net user

• Used to view, add, or modify a user account set up on the server or in a domain

net view

• Presents a list of domains, the computers and servers in a domain, and all resources shared by a computer in a domain

nbstat

• Shows the server and domain names registered to the network (used only on server versions)

netstat

• Used to display information about the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) session at the server

ping

• Used to poll TCP/IP node to verify you can communicate with it

tracert

• Used to view the number of hops and other routing information on the path to the specifeid server or host

Later this week: Linux and Mac OS X commands

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