CMD Commands
The Command Prompt in Windows provides access to over
280 commands! These commands are used to do certain operating
system tasks from
a command
line interface instead of the
graphical Windows interface we use most of the time.
Note: It's important to know that the commands in Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, and XP are called CMD commands or Command Prompt commands and the commands in Windows 98/95 and MS-DOS are called DOS commands.
Note: It's important to know that the commands in Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, and XP are called CMD commands or Command Prompt commands and the commands in Windows 98/95 and MS-DOS are called DOS commands.
Below is a complete
list of Command Prompt commands, often called CMD commands (and sometimes
incorrectly as Command
Prompt codes) available from the
Command Prompt in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP. There were a few minor command changes in
Windows 10 and those will be reflected in an update to this list that's still
in the works.
As mentioned above,
we've also included DOS commands from MS-DOS and early versions of Windows:
Command
|
Description
|
Append
|
The append command can be used by
programs to open files in another directory as if they were located in the
current directory. The append command is available in MS-DOS as well as in
all 32-bit versions of Windows. The append command is not available in 64-bit
versions of Windows.
|
Arp
|
The arp command is used to display
or change entries in the ARP cache. The arp command is available in all
versions of Windows.
|
Assoc
|
The assoc command is used to
display or change the file type associated with a particular file
extension. The assoc command is available
in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
|
The at command is used to schedule
commands and other programs to run at a specific date and time. The at
command is available in Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP. Beginning
in Windows 8, command line task scheduling should instead be completed with
the schtasks command.
|
|
Atmadm
|
The atmadm command is used to
display information related to asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) connections
on the system. The atmadm command is available in Windows XP. Support for ATM
was removed beginning in Windows Vista, making the atmadm command
unnecessary.
|
The attrib command is used to
change the attributes of a single file or a directory. The attrib command is
available in all versions of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
|
|
Auditpol
|
The auditpol command is used to
display or change audit policies. The auditpol command is available in
Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista.
|
Bcdboot
|
|
Bcdedit
|
The bcdedit command is used to
view or make changes to Boot Configuration Data. The bcdedit command is
available in Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista. The bcdedit command
replaced the bootcfg command beginning in Windows Vista.
|
Bdehdcfg
|
The bdehdcfg command is sued to
prepare a hard
drive for BitLocker Drive
Encryption. The bdehdcfg command is available in Windows 8 and Windows 7.
|
Bitsadmin
|
The bitsadmin command is used to
create, manage, and monitor download and upload jobs. The bitsadmin command
is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista. While the bitsadmin
command is available in both Windows 8 and Windows 7, it is being phased out.
The BITS PowerShell cmdlets should be used instead.
|
Bootcfg
|
The bootcfg command is used to
build, modify, or view the contents of the boot.ini file, a hidden
file that is used to identify in
what folder, on which partition, and on which hard drive Windows is located.
The bootcfg command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and
Windows XP. The bootcfg command was replaced by the bcdedit command beginning
in Windows Vista. Bootcfg is still available in Windows 8, 7, and Vista, but
it serves no real value since boot.ini is not used in these operating
systems.
|
Bootsect
|
The bootsect command is used to
configure the master
boot code to one compatible with BOOTMGR (Vista and later) or NTLDR (XP and earlier). The bootsect command is available
in Windows 8. The bootsect command is also available in Windows 7 and Windows
Vista but only from the Command Prompt available in System
Recovery Options.
|
Break
|
The break command sets or clears
extended CTRL+Cchecking on DOS systems. The break command is available in
all versions of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS. The break command is available
in Windows XP and later versions of Windows to provide compatibility with
MS-DOS files but it has no effect in Windows itself.
|
Cacls
|
The cacls command is used to
display or change access control lists of files. The cacls command is
available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP. The cacls
command is being phased out in favor of the icacls command, which should be
used instead in all versions of Windows after Windows XP.
|
Call
|
The call command is used to
run a script or batch program from within another script or batch program.
The call command is available in all versions of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
The call command has no effect outside of a script or batch file. In other
words, running the call command at the Command Prompt or MS-DOS prompt will
do nothing.
|
Cd
|
The cd command is the shorthand
version of the chdir command. The cd command is available in all versions of
Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
|
Certreq
|
The certreq command is used to
perform various certification authority (CA) certificate functions. The
certreq command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista.
|
Certutil
|
The certutil command is used to
dump and display certification authority (CA) configuration information in
addition to other CA functions. The certutil command is available in Windows
8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista.
|
Change
|
The change command changes various
terminal server settings like install modes, COM port mappings, and logons.
The change command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista.
|
Chcp
|
The chcp command displays or
configures the active code page number. The chcp command is available in all
versions of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
|
Chdir
|
The chdir command is used to
display the drive letter and folder that you are currently in. Chdir can also
be used to change the drive and/or directory that you want to work in. The
chdir command is available in all versions of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
|
Checknetisolation
|
The checknetisolation command is
used to test apps that require network capabilities. The
checknetisolation command is available in Windows 8.
|
Chglogon
|
The chglogon command enables,
disables, or drains terminal server session logins. The chglogon command is
available in Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista. Executing the chglogon
command is the same as executing change logon.
|
Chgport
|
The chgport command can be used to
display or change COM port mappings for DOS compatibility. The chgport
command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista. Executing
the chgport command is the same as executing change port.
|
Chgusr
|
The chgusr command is used to
change the install mode for the terminal server. The chgusr command is
available in Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista. Executing the chgusr
command is the same as executing change user.
|
Chkdsk
|
The chkdsk command, often referred
to as check disk, is used to identify and correct certain hard drive errors.
The chkdsk command is available in all versions of Windows, as well as in
MS-DOS.
|
Chkntfs
|
The chkntfs command is used to
configure or display the checking of the disk drive during the Windows boot
process. The chkntfs command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows
Vista, and Windows XP.
|
Choice
|
The choice command is used within
a script or batch program to provide a list of choices and return the value
of that choice to the program. The choice command is available in MS-DOS and
all versions of Windows except Windows XP. Use the set command with the /p
switch in place of the choice command in batch files and scripts that you
plan to use in Windows XP.
|
Cipher
|
The cipher command shows or
changes the encryption status of files and folders on NTFS partitions. The cipher command is available in
Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
|
Clip
|
The clip command is used to redirect
the output from any command to the
clipboard in Windows. The clip command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7,
and Windows Vista.
|
Cls
|
The cls command clears the screen
of all previously entered commands and other text. The cls command is
available in all versions of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
|
Cmd
|
The cmd command starts a new
instance of the cmd.execommand
interpreter. The cmd command is available in
Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
|
Cmdkey
|
The cmdkey command is used to
show, create, and remove stored user names and passwords. The cmdkey command
is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista.
|
Cmstp
|
The cmstp command installs or
uninstalls a Connection Manager service profile. The cmstp command is
available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
|
Color
|
The color command is used to
change the colors of the text and background within the Command Prompt
window. The color command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows
Vista, and Windows XP.
|
Command
|
The command command starts a new
instance of the command.com command interpreter. The command command
is available in MS-DOS as well as in all 32-bit versions of Windows. The
command command is not available in 64-bit versions of Windows.
|
Comp
|
The comp command is used to
compare the contents of two files or sets of files. The comp command is available
in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
|
Compact
|
The compact command is used to
show or change the compression state of files and directories on NTFS partitions.
The compact command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and
Windows XP.
|
Convert
|
The convert command is used to
convert FAT
or FAT32formatted volumes to the NTFS
format. The convert command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows
Vista, and Windows XP.
|
Copy
|
The copy command does simply that
- it copies one or more files from one location to another. The copy command
is available in all versions of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS. The xcopy
command is considered to be a more "powerful" version of the copy
command.
|
Cscript
|
The cscript command is used to
execute scripts via Microsoft Script Host. The cscript command is available
in all versions of Windows. The cscript command is most popularly used to
manage printers from the command line using scripts
like prncnfg.vbs, prndrvr.vbs, prnmngr.vbs, and others.
|
Ctty
|
The ctty command is used to change
the default input and output devices for the system. The ctty command is
available in Windows 98 and 95 as well as in MS-DOS. The functions provided
by the ctty command were no longer necessary beginning in Windows XP because
the command.com interpreter (MS-DOS) is no longer the default
command line interpreter.
|
Date
|
The date command is used to show
or change the current date. The date command is available in all versions of
Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
|
Dblspace
|
The dblspace command is used to
create or configure DoubleSpace compressed drives. The dblspace command is
available in Windows 98 and 95, as well as in MS-DOS. DriveSpace, executed
using the drvspace command, is an updated version of DoubleSpace. Windows
natively handles compression beginning in Windows XP.
|
Debug
|
The debug command starts Debug, a
command line application used to test and edit programs. The debug command is
available in MS-DOS as well as in all 32-bit versions of Windows. The debug
command is not available in 64-bit versions of Windows.
|
Defrag
|
The defrag command is used to
defragment a drive you specify. The defrag command is the command line
version of Microsoft's Disk Defragmenter. The defrag command is available in
all versions of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
|
Del
|
The del command is used to delete
one or more files. The del command is available in all versions of Windows,
as well as in MS-DOS. The del command is the same as the erase command.
|
Deltree
|
The deltree command is used to
delete a directory and all the files and subdirectories within it. The
deltree command is available in Windows 98 and 95, as well as in MS-DOS.
Beginning in Windows XP, a folder and its files and subfolders can be removed
using the /s function of the rmdir command. Deltree was no longer needed with
this new rmdir ability so the command was removed.
|
Diantz
|
The diantz command is used to
losslessly compress one or more files. The diantz command is sometimes called
Cabinet Maker. The diantz command is available in Windows 7, Windows Vista,
and Windows XP. The diantz command is the same as the makecab command.
|
The dir command is used to display
a list of files and folders contained inside the folder that you are
currently working in. The dir command also displays other important
information like the hard drive's serial number, the total number of files listed, their combined size,
the total amount of free space left on the drive, and more. The dir command
is available in all versions of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
|
|
Diskcomp
|
The diskcomp command is used to
compare the contents of two floppy disks. The diskcomp command is available
in all versions of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
|
Diskcopy
|
The diskcopy command is used to
copy the entire contents of one floppy disk to another. The diskcopy command
is available in all versions of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
|
Diskpart
|
The diskpart command is used to
create, manage, and delete hard drive partitions. The diskpart command is
available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP. The
diskpart command replaced the fdisk command beginning in Windows XP.
|
Diskperf
|
The diskperf command is used to
manage disk performance counters remotely. The diskperf command is available
in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
|
Diskraid
|
The diskraid command starts the
DiskRAID tool which is used to manage and configure RAID arrays. The diskraid
command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista.
|
Dism
|
The dism command starts the
Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool (DISM). The DISM tool is used
to manage features in Windows images. The dism command is available in
Windows 8 and Windows 7.
|
Dispdiag
|
The dispdiag command is used to
output a log of information about the display system. The dispdiag command is
available in Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista.
|
Djoin
|
The djoin command is used to
create a new computer account in a domain. The djoin command is available in
Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista.
|
Doskey
|
The doskey command is used to edit
command lines, create macros, and recall previously entered commands. The
doskey command is available in all versions of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
|
Dosshell
|
The dosshell command starts DOS
Shell, a graphical file management tool for MS-DOS. The dosshell command is
available in Windows 95 (in MS-DOS mode) and also in MS-DOS version 6.0 and
later MS-DOS versions that were upgraded from previous versions that
contained the dosshell command. A graphical file manager, Windows Explorer,
became an integrated part of the operating system beginning in Windows 95.
|
Dosx
|
The dosx command is used to
start DOS Protected Mode Interface (DPMI), a special mode designed to
give MS-DOS applications access to more than the normally allowed 640 KB. The
dosx command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows
XP. The dosx command is not available in 64-bit versions of Windows. The dosx
command and DPMI is only available in Windows to support older MS-DOS
programs.
|
Driverquery
|
The driverquery command is used to
show a list of all installed drivers. The driverquery command is available in Windows 8,
Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
|
Drvspace
|
The drvspace command is used to
create or configure DriveSpace compressed drives. The drvspace command is
available in Windows 98 and 95, as well as in MS-DOS. DriveSpace is an
updated version of DoubleSpace, executed using the dblspace command. Windows
natively handles compression beginning in Windows XP.
|
Echo
|
The echo command is used to show
messages, most commonly from within script or batch files. The echo command
can also be used to turn the echoing feature on or off. The echo command is available
in all versions of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
|
Edit
|
The edit command starts the MS-DOS
Editor tool which is used to create and modify text files. The edit command
is available in MS-DOS as well as in all 32-bit versions of Windows. The edit
command is not available in 64-bit versions of Windows.
|
Edlin
|
The edlin command starts the Edlin
tool which is used to create and modify text files from the command line. The
edlin command is available in all 32-bit versions of Windows but is not
available in 64-bit versions of Windows. In MS-DOS, the edlin command is only
available up to MS-DOS 5.0 so unless your later version of MS-DOS was
upgraded from 5.0 or prior, you won't see the edlin command.
|
Emm386
|
The emm386 command is used to give
MS-DOS access to more than 640 KB of memory. The emm386 command is available in Windows 98 and 95, as
well as in MS-DOS. Windows itself has access to extended and expanded memory
beginning in Windows 95.
|
Endlocal
|
The endlocal command is used to
end the localization of environment changes inside a batch or script file.
The endlocal command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and
Windows XP.
|
Erase
|
The erase command is used to
delete one or more files. The erase command is available in all versions of
Windows, as well as in MS-DOS. The erase command is the same as the del
command.
|
Esentutl
|
The esentutl command is used to
manage Extensible Storage Engine databases. The esentutl command is available
in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
|
Eventcreate
|
The eventcreate command is used to
create a custom event in an event log. The eventcreate command is available
in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
|
Eventtriggers
|
The eventtriggers command is used
to configure and display event triggers. The eventtriggers command is
available in Windows XP. Beginning in Windows Vista, event triggers are
created using the Attach Task To This Event feature in Event Viewer, making
the eventtriggers command unnecessary.
|
Exe2bin
|
The exe2bin command is used to
convert a file of the EXE file type (executable file) to a binary file. The
exe2bin command is available in 32-bit versions of Windows 8, Windows 7,
Windows Vista, and Windows XP. The exe2bin command is not available in any
64-bit version of Windows.
|
Exit
|
The exit command is used to end
the cmd.exe (Windows) or command.com (MS-DOS) session
that you're currently working in. The exit command is available in all versions
of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
|
Expand
|
The expand command is used to
extract the files and folders contained in Microsoft Cabinet (CAB) files. The
expand command is available in MS-DOS as well as in all versions of Windows.
The expand command is not available in the 64-bit version of Windows XP.
|
Extrac32
|
The extrac32 command is used to
extract the files and folders contained in Microsoft Cabinet (CAB) files. The
extrac32 command is available in all versions of Windows. The extrac32
command is actually a CAB extraction program for use by Internet Explorer but
can be used to extract any Microsoft Cabinet file. Use the expand command
instead of the extrac32 command if possible.
|
Extract
|
The extract command is used to
extract the files and folders contained in Microsoft Cabinet (CAB) files. The
extract command is available in Windows 98 and 95. The extract command was
replaced by the expand command beginning in Windows XP.
|
Fasthelp
|
The fasthelp command provides more
detailed information on any of the other MS-DOS commands. The fasthelp
command is only available in MS-DOS. The help command replaced the fasthelp
command beginning in Windows 95.
|
Fastopen
|
The fastopen command is used to
add a program's hard drive location to a special list stored in memory,
potentially improving the program's launch time by removing the need for
MS-DOS to locate the application on the drive. The fastopen command is
available in MS-DOS as well as in all 32-bit versions of Windows. The
fastopen command is not available in 64-bit versions of Windows. Fastopen is
only available in Windows 8, 7, Vista, and XP to support older MS-DOS files.
|
Fc
|
The fc command is used to compare
two individual or sets of files and then show the differences between them.
The fc command is available in all versions of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
|
Fdisk
|
The fdisk command is used to
create, manage, and delete hard drive partitions. The fdisk command is
available in Windows 98 and 95, as well as in MS-DOS. The fdisk command was
replaced by the diskpart command beginning in Windows XP. Partition
management is also available from Disk
Management in Windows 8, 7, Vista, and
XP.
|
Find
|
The find command is used to search
for a specified text string in one or more files. The find command is
available in all versions of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
|
Findstr
|
The findstr command is used to
find text string patterns in one or more files. The findstr command is
available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
|
Finger
|
The finger command is used to
return information about one or more users on a remote computer that's
running the Finger service. The finger command is available in Windows 8,
Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
|
Fltmc
|
The fltmc command is used to load,
unload, list, and otherwise manage Filter drivers. The fltmc command is
available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
|
Fondue
|
The fondue command, short for
Features on Demand User Experience Tool, is used to install any of the
several optional Windows features from the command line. The fondue
command is available in Windows 8. Optional Windows features can also be
installed from the Programs and Features applet in Control Panel.
|
For
|
The for command is used to run a
specified command for each file in a set of files. The for command is most
often used within a batch or script file. The for command is available in all
versions of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
|
Forcedos
|
The forcedos command is used to
start the specified program in the MS-DOS subsystem. The forcedos command is
only available in 32-bit versions of Windows XP. The forcedos command is only
used for MS-DOS programs that are not recognized as such by Windows XP.
|
Forfiles
|
The forfiles command selects one
or more files to execute a specified command on. The forfiles command is most
often used within a batch or script file. The forfiles command is available
in Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista.
|
The format command is used
to format a drive in the file system that you specify. The
format command is available in all versions of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
Drive formatting is also available from Disk Management in Windows 8, 7,
Vista, and XP.
|
|
Fsutil
|
The fsutil command is used to
perform various FAT and NTFS file system tasks like managing reparse points
and sparse files, dismounting a volume, and extending a volume. The fsutil
command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
|
Ftp
|
The ftp command can used to
transfer files to and from another computer. The remote computer must be
operating as an FTP server. The ftp command is available in all versions of
Windows.
|
Ftype
|
The ftype command is used to
define a default program to open a specified file type. The ftype command is
available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
|
Getmac
|
The getmac command is used to
display the media access control (MAC) address of all the network controllers
on a system. The getmac command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows
Vista, and Windows XP.
|
Goto
|
The goto command is used in a
batch or script file to direct the command process to a labeled line in the
script. The goto command is available in all versions of Windows, as well as
in MS-DOS.
|
Gpresult
|
The gpresult command is used to
display Group Policy settings. The gpresult command is available in Windows
8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
|
Gpupdate
|
The gpupdate command is used to
update Group Policy settings. The gpupdate command is available in Windows 8,
Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
|
Graftabl
|
The graftabl command is used to
enable the ability of Windows to display an extended character set in
graphics mode. The graftabl command is available in all versions of Windows
and in MS-DOS up to version 5.0. The graftabl command is not available in
64-bit versions of Windows.
|
Graphics
|
The graphics command is used to
load a program that can print graphics. The graphics command is available in
MS-DOS as well as in all 32-bit versions of Windows. The graphics command is
not available in 64-bit versions of Windows.
|
The help command provides more
detailed information on any of the other Command Prompt or MS-DOS commands.
The help command is available in all versions of Windows, as well as in
MS-DOS.
|
|
Hostname
|
The hostname command displays the name of the current host. The
hostname command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows
XP.
|
Hwrcomp
|
The hwrcomp command is used to
compile custom dictionaries for handwriting recognition. The hwrcomp command
is available in Windows 8 and Windows 7.
|
Hwrreg
|
The hwrreg command is used to
install a previously compiled custom dictionary for handwriting recognition.
The hwrreg command is available in Windows 8 and Windows 7.
|
Icacls
|
The icacls command is used to
display or change access control lists of files. The icacls command is
available in Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista. The icacls command is
an updated version of the cacls command.
|
If
|
The if command is used to perform
conditional functions in a batch file. The if command is available in all
versions of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
|
Interlnk
|
The interlnk command is used to connect
two computers via a serial or parallel connection to share files and
printers. The interlnk command is only available in MS-DOS. The ability to
directly connect two computers is handled by the networking functions in all
versions of Windows.
|
Intersvr
|
The intersvr command is used to
start the Interlnk server and to copy Interlnk files from one computer to
another. The intersvr command is only available in MS-DOS. The ability to
directly connect two computers is handled by the networking functions in all
versions of Windows.
|
Ipconfig
|
The ipconfig command is used to
display detailed IP information for each network adapter utilizing TCP/IP.
The ipconfig command can also be used to release and renew IP
addresses on systems configured to
receive them via a DHCPserver. The ipconfig command is available in all versions
of Windows.
|
Ipxroute
|
The ipxroute command is used to
display and change information about IPX routing tables. The ipxroute command
is available in Windows XP. Microsoft removed their native NetWare client
beginning in Windows Vista, removing the associated ipxroute command as well.
|
Irftp
|
The irftp command is used to
transmit files over an infrared link. The irftp command is available in
Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista.
|
Iscsicli
|
The iscsicli command starts the
Microsoft iSCSI Initiator, used to manage iSCSI. The iscsicli command is
available in Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista.
|
Kb16
|
The kb16 command is used to
support MS-DOS files that need to configure a keyboard for a specific
language. The kb16 command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows
Vista, and Windows XP. The kb16 command is not available in 64-bit versions
of Windows. The kb16 command replaced the keyb command beginning in Windows
XP but only exists to support older MS-DOS files.
|
Keyb
|
The keyb command is used to
configure a keyboard for a specific language. The keyb command is available
in Windows 98 and 95, as well as in MS-DOS. See the kb16 command for an
equivalent command in later versions of Windows. Keyboard language settings
are handled by the Region and Language or Regional and Language Options
(depending on the version of Windows) Control
Panel appletsin Windows beginning in Windows
XP.
|
Klist
|
The klist command is used to list
Kerberos service tickets. The klist command can also be used to purge Kerberos
tickets. The klist command is available in Windows 8 and Windows 7.
|
Ksetup
|
The ksetup command is used to
configure connections to a Kerberos server. The ksetup command is available
in Windows 8 and Windows 7.
|
Ktmutil
|
The ktmutil command starts the Kernel
Transaction Manager utility. The ktmutil command is available in Windows 8,
Windows 7, and Windows Vista.
|
Label
|
The label command is used to
manage the volume label of a disk. The label command is available in all
versions of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
|
Lh
|
The lh command is the shorthand
version of the loadhigh command. The lh command is available in Windows 98
and 95, as well as in MS-DOS.
|
Licensingdiag
|
The licensingdiag command is a
tool used to generate a text-based log and other data files that
contain product
activationand other Windows licensing
information. The licensingdiag command is available in Windows 8.
|
Loadfix
|
The loadfix command is used to
load the specified program in the first 64K of memory and then runs the
program. The loadfix command is available in MS-DOS as well as in all 32-bit
versions of Windows. The loadfix command is not available in 64-bit versions
of Windows.
|
Loadhigh
|
The loadhigh command is used to
load a program into high memory and is usually used from within
the autoexec.bat file. The loadhigh command is available in Windows
98 and 95, as well as in MS-DOS. Memory usage is handled automatically
beginning in Windows XP.
|
Lock
|
The lock command is used to lock a
drive, enabling direct disk access for a program. The lock command is only
available in Windows 98 and 95. Drive locking is no longer available as of
Windows XP.
|
Lodctr
|
The lodctr command is used to
update registry values related to performance counters. The lodctr command is
available in all versions of Windows.
|
Logman
|
The logman command is used to
create and manage Event Trace Session and Performance logs. The logman
command also supports many functions of Performance Monitor. The logman
command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
|
Logoff
|
The logoff command is used to
terminate a session. The logoff command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7,
Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
|
Lpq
|
The lpq command displays the
status of a print queue on a computer running Line Printer Daemon (LPD). The
lpq command is available in all versions of Windows. The lpq command is not
available by default in Windows 8, 7, or Vista, but can be enabled by turning
on the LPD Print Service and LPR Port Monitor features from Programs and
Features in Control Panel.
|
Lpr
|
The lpr command is used to send a
file to a computer running Line Printer Daemon (LPD). The lpr command is
available in all versions of Windows. The lpr command is not available by
default in Windows 8, 7, or Vista, but can be enabled by turning on the LPD
Print Service and LPR Port Monitor features from Programs and Features in
Control Panel.
|
Makecab
|
The makecab command is used to
losslessly compress one or more files. The makecab command is sometimes
called Cabinet Maker. The makecab command is available in Windows 8, Windows
7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP. The makecab command is the same as the
diantz command, a command that was removed after Windows 7.
|
Manage-bde
|
The manage-bde command is used to
configure BitLocker Drive Encryption from the command line. The manage-bde
command is available in Windows 8 and Windows 7. A script by the name
of manage-bde.wsf exists in Windows Vista and can be used with the
cscript command to perform BitLocker tasks from the command line in that
operating system.
|
Md
|
The md command is the shorthand
version of the mkdir command. The md command is available in all versions of
Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
|
Mem
|
The mem command shows information
about used and free memory areas and programs that are currently loaded into
memory in the MS-DOS subsystem. The mem command is available in MS-DOS as
well as in all 32-bit versions of Windows. The mem command is not available
in 64-bit versions of Windows.
|
Memmaker
|
The memmaker command is used to
start MemMaker, a memory optimization tool. The memaker command is available
in Windows 98 and 95, as well as in MS-DOS. Memory usage is automatically
optimized beginning in Windows XP.
|
Mkdir
|
The mkdir command is used to
create a new folder. The mkdir command is available in all versions of
Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
|
Mklink
|
The mklink command is used to
create a symbolic link. The mklink command is available in Windows 8, Windows
7, and Windows Vista.
|
Mode
|
The mode command is used to
configure system devices, most often COM and LPT ports. The mode command is
available in all versions of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
|
Mofcomp
|
The mofcomp command properly
displays the data within a Managed Object Format (MOF) file. The mofcomp
command is available in all versions of Windows.
|
The more command is used to
display the information contained in a text file. The more command can also
be used to paginate the results of any other Command Prompt or MS-DOS
command. The more command is available in all versions of Windows, as well as
in MS-DOS.
|
|
Mount
|
The mount command is used to mount
Network File System (NFS) network shares. The mount command is available in
Windows 7 and Windows Vista. The mount command is not available by default in
Windows Vista or Windows 7 but can be enabled by turning on the Services for
NFS Windows feature from Programs and Features in Control Panel. The mount command
is not available in Windows 8 because Service for UNIX (SFU) was
discontinued.
|
Mountvol
|
The mountvol command is used to
display, create, or remove volume mount points. The mountvol command is
available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
|
Move
|
The move command is used to move
one or files from one folder to another. The move command is also used to
rename directories. The move command is available in all versions of Windows,
as well as in MS-DOS.
|
Mrinfo
|
The mrinfo command is used to
provide information about a router's interfaces and neighbors. The mrinfo command is
available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
|
Msav
|
The msav command starts Microsoft
Antivirus. The msav command is only available in MS-DOS. Microsoft Antivirus
was designed for MS-DOS and Windows 3.x only. Microsoft provides an optional
virus protection suite called Microsoft Security Essentials for Windows XP
and later operating systems and third party antivirus tools are available for
all versions of Windows.
|
Msbackup
|
The msbackup command starts
Microsoft Backup, a tool used to back up and restore one or more files. The
msbackup command is only available in MS-DOS. The msbackup command was
replaced with Microsoft Backup beginning in Windows 95 and then Backup and
Restore in later versions of Windows.
|
Mscdex
|
The mscdex command is used to
provide CD-ROM access to MS-DOS. The mscdex command is available in
Windows 98 and 95, as well as in MS-DOS. Windows provides access to CD-ROM
drives for the MS-DOS subsystem beginning in Windows XP so the mscdex command
is unnecessary in this and later operating systems.
|
Msd
|
The msd command starts Microsoft
Diagnostics, a tool used to display information about your computer. The msd
command is only available in MS-DOS. The msd command was replaced with System
Information beginning in Windows 95.
|
The msg command is used to send a
message to a user. The msg command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7,
Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
|
|
Msiexec
|
The msiexec command is used to
start Windows Installer, a tool used to install and configure software. The
msiexec command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and
Windows XP.
|
Muiunattend
|
The muiunattend command starts the
Multilanguage User Interface unattended setup process. The muiunattend
command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista.
|
Nbtstat
|
The nbtstat command is used to
show TCP/IP information and other statistical information about a remote
computer. The nbtstat command is available in all versions of Windows.
|
The net command is used to
display, configure, and correct a wide variety of network settings. The net
command is available in all versions of Windows.
|
|
The net1 command is used to
display, configure, and correct a wide variety of network settings. The net1
command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
The net command should be used instead of the net1 command. The net1 command
was made available in Windows NT and Windows 2000 as a temporary fix for a
Y2K issue that the net command had, which was corrected before the release of
Windows XP. The net1 command remains in later versions of Windows only for
compatibility with older programs and scripts that utilized the command.
|
|
Netcfg
|
The netcfg command is used to
install the Windows Preinstallation Environment (WinPE), a lightweight
version of Windows used to deploy workstations. The netcfg command is
available in Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista.
|
Netsh
|
The netsh command is used to start
Network Shell, a command-line utility used to manage the network
configuration of the local, or a remote, computer. The netsh command is
available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
|
The netstat command is most
commonly used to display all open network connections and listening ports.
The netstat command is available in all versions of Windows.
|
|
Nfsadmin
|
The nfsadmin command is used to
manage Server for NFS or Client for NFS from the command line. The nfsadmin
command is available in Windows 7 and Windows Vista. The nfsadmin command is
not available by default in Windows Vista or Windows 7 but can be enabled by
turning on the Services for NFS Windows feature from Programs and Features in
Control Panel. The nfsadmin command is not available in Windows 8 because
Service for UNIX (SFU) was discontinued.
|
Nlsfunc
|
The nlsfunc command is used to
load information specific to a particular country or region. The nlsfunc
command is available in MS-DOS as well as in all 32-bit versions of Windows.
The nlsfunc command is not available in 64-bit versions of Windows. Nlsfunc
is only available in Windows 8, 7, Vista, and XP to support older MS-DOS
files.
|
Nltest
|
The nltest command is used to test
secure channels between Windows computers in a domain and between domain
controllers that are trusting other domains. The nltest command is available
in Windows 8 and Windows 7.
|
Nslookup
|
The nslookup is most commonly used
to display the hostname of an entered IP address. The nslookup command
queries your configured DNS server to discover the IP address. The nslookup
command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
|
Ntbackup
|
The ntbackup command is used to
perform various backup functions from the Command Prompt or from within a
batch or script file. The ntbackup command is available in Windows XP. The
ntbackup command was replaced with the wbadmin beginning in Windows Vista.
|
Ntsd
|
The ntsd command is used to
perform certain command line debugging tasks. The ntsd command is available
in Windows XP. The ntsd command was removed beginning in Windows Vista due to
the addition of dump file support in Task Manager.
|
Ocsetup
|
The ocsetup command starts the
Windows Optional Component Setup tool, used to install additional Windows
features. The ocsetup command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, and
Windows Vista. Beginning in Windows 8, Microsoft is depreciating the ocsetup
command in favor of the dism command.
|
Openfiles
|
The openfiles command is used to
display and disconnect open files and folders on a system. The openfiles
command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
|
Path
|
The path command is used to
display or set a specific path available to executable files. The path
command is available in all versions of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
|
Pathping
|
The pathping command functions
much like the tracert command but will also report information about network
latency and loss at each hop. The pathping command is available in Windows 8, Windows
7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
|
Pause
|
The pause command is used within a
batch or script file to pause the processing of the file. When the pause
command is used, a "Press any key to continue…" message displays in
the command window. The pause command is available in all versions of
Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
|
Pentnt
|
The pentnt command is used to
detect floating point division errors in the Intel Pentium chip. The pentnt
command is also used to enable floating point emulation and disable floating
point hardware. The pentnt command is available in Windows XP. The
pentnt command was removed beginning in Windows Vista due to the lack of
Intel Pentium CPU use at the time of this operating system release.
|
The ping command sends an Internet
Control Message Protocol (ICMP) Echo Request message to a specified remote
computer to verify IP-level connectivity. The ping command is available in
all versions of Windows.
|
|
Pkgmgr
|
The pkgmgr command is used to
start the Windows Package Manager from the Command Prompt. Package Manager
installs, uninstalls, configures, and updates features and packages for
Windows. The pkgmgr command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows
Vista.
|
Pnpunattend
|
The pnpunattend command is used to
automate the installation of hardware device drivers. The pnpunattend command
is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista.
|
Pnputil
|
The pnputil command is used to
start the Microsoft PnP Utility, a tool used to install a Plug and Play
device from the command line. The pnputil command is available in Windows 8,
Windows 7, and Windows Vista.
|
Popd
|
The popd command is used to change
the current directory to the one most recently stored by the pushd command.
The popd command is most often utilized from within a batch or script file.
The popd command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and
Windows XP.
|
Power
|
The power command is used to
reduce the power consumed by a computer by monitoring software and hardware
devices. The power command is available in Windows 98 and 95, as well as in
MS-DOS. The power command was replaced by operating system integrated power
management functions beginning in Windows XP.
|
Powercfg
|
The powercfg command is used to
manage the Windows power management settings from the command line. The
powercfg command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and
Windows XP.
|
Print
|
The print command is used to print
a specified text file to a specified printing device. The print command is
available in all versions of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
|
Prompt
|
The prompt command is used to
customize the appearance of the prompt text in Command Prompt or MS-DOS. The
prompt command is available in all versions of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
|
Pushd
|
The pushd command is used to store
a directory for use, most commonly from within a batch or script program. The
pushd command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and
Windows XP.
|
Pwlauncher
|
The pwlauncher command is used to
enable, disable, or show the status of your Windows To Go startup options.
The pwlauncher command is available in Windows 8.
|
Qappsrv
|
The qappsrv command is used to
display all Remote Desktop Session Host servers available on the network. The
qappsrv command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and
Windows XP.
|
Qbasic
|
The qbasic command starts QBasic,
the MS-DOS based programming environment for the BASIC programming language.
The qbasic command is available in Windows 98 and 95, as well as in MS-DOS.
The qbasic command is not installed by default with Windows 98 or 95 but is
available from the installation disc or disks.
|
Qprocess
|
The qprocess command is used to
display information about running processes. The qprocess command is
available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
|
Query
|
The query command is used to
display the status of a specified service. The query command is available in
Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista.
|
Quser
|
The quser command is used to
display information about users currently logged on to the system. The quser
command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista.
|
Qwinsta
|
The qwinsta command is used to
display information about open Remote Desktop Sessions. The qwinsta command
is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
|
Rasautou
|
The rasautou command is used to
manage Remote Access Dialer AutoDial addresses. The rasautou command is
available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
|
Rasdial
|
The rasdial command is used to
start or end a network connection for a Microsoft client. The rasdial command
is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
|
Rcp
|
The rcp command is used to copy
files between a Windows computer and a system running the rshd daemon. The
rcp command is available in Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP. The rcp
command is not available by default in Windows Vista or Windows 7 but can be
enabled by turning on the Subsystem for UNIX-based Applications Windows
feature from Programs and Features in Control Panel and then installing the
Utilities and SDK for UNIX-based Applications available here for Windows
Vista and here for Windows 7. The rcp command is not available in Windows 8
because Service for UNIX (SFU) was discontinued.
|
Rd
|
The rd command is the shorthand
version of the rmdir command. The rd command is available in all versions of
Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
|
Rdpsign
|
The rdpsign command is used to
sign a Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) file. The rdpsign command is available
in Windows 7.
|
Reagentc
|
The reagentc command is used to
configure the Windows Recovery Environment (RE). The reagentc command is
available in Windows 8 and Windows 7.
|
Recimg
|
The recimg command is used to
create a custom refresh image. The recimg command is available in Windows 8.
|
Recover
|
The recover command is used to
recover readable data from a bad or defective disk. The recover command is
available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
|
Reg
|
The reg command is used to manage
the Windows
Registryfrom the command line. The reg
command can perform common registry functions like adding registry
keys, exporting the registry, etc. The
reg command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows
XP.
|
Regini
|
The regini command is used to set
or change registry permissions and registry
values from the command line. The
regini command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and
Windows XP.
|
Register-cimprovider
|
The register-cimprovider command
is used to register a Common Information Model (CIM) Provider in Windows. The
register-cimprovider command is available in Windows 8.
|
Regsvr32
|
The regsvr32 command is used
to register
a DLL file as a command component in
the Windows Registry. The regsvr32 command is available in Windows 8, Windows
7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
|
Relog
|
The relog command is used to
create new performance logs from data in existing performance logs. The relog
command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
|
Rem
|
The rem command is used to record
comments or remarks in a batch or script file. The rem command is available
in all versions of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
|
Ren
|
The ren command is the shorthand
version of the rename command. The ren command is available in all versions
of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
|
Rename
|
The rename command is used to
change the name of the individual file that you specify. The rename command
is available in all versions of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
|
Repair-bde
|
The repair-bde command is used to
repair or decrypt a damaged drive that's been encrypted using BitLocker. The
repair-bde command is available in Windows 8 and Windows 7.
|
Replace
|
The replace command is used to
replace one or more files with one or more other files. The replace command
is available in all versions of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
|
Reset
|
The reset command, executed
as reset session, is used to reset the session subsystem software
and hardware to known initial values. The reset command is available in
Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
|
Restore
|
The restore command is used to
restore files that were backed up using the backup command. The restore
command is only available in MS-DOS. The backup command was only available up
to MS-DOS 5.00 but the restore command was included by default with later
versions of MS-DOS to provide a way to restore files that were backed up in
previous versions of MS-DOS.
|
Rexec
|
The rexec command is used to run
commands on remote computers running the rexec daemon. The rexec command is
available in Windows Vista and Windows XP. The rsh command is not available
by default in Windows Vista but can be enabled by turning on the Subsystem
for UNIX-based Applications Windows feature from Programs and Features in
Control Panel and then installing the Utilities and SDK for UNIX-based
Applications available here. The rexec command is not available in Windows 7
but can be executed in Windows XP via Windows XP Mode if need be.
|
Rmdir
|
The rmdir command is used to
delete an existing or completely empty folder. The rmdir command is available
in all versions of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
|
Robocopy
|
The robocopy command is used to
copy files and directories from one location to another. This command is also
called Robust File Copy. The robocopy command is available in Windows 8,
Windows 7, and Windows Vista. The robocopy command is superior to the both
the copy command and the xcopy command because robocopy supports many more
options.
|
Route
|
The route command is used to
manipulate network routing tables. The route command is available in all
versions of Windows.
|
Rpcinfo
|
The rpcinfo command makes a remote
procedure call (RPC) to an RPC server and reports what it finds. The rpcinfo
command is available in Windows 7 and Windows Vista. The rpcinfo command is
not available by default in Windows Vista or Windows 7 but can be enabled by
turning on the Services for NFS Windows feature from Programs and Features in
Control Panel. The rpcinfo command is not available in Windows 8 because
Service for UNIX (SFU) was discontinued.
|
Rpcping
|
The rpcping command is used to
ping a server using RPC. The rpcping command is available in Windows 8,
Windows 7, and Windows Vista.
|
Rsh
|
The rsh command is used to run
commands on remote computers running the rsh daemon. The rsh command is
available in Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP. The rsh command is not
available by default in Windows Vista or Windows 7 but can be enabled by
turning on the Subsystem for UNIX-based Applications Windows feature from
Programs and Features in Control Panel and then installing the Utilities and
SDK for UNIX-based Applications available here for Windows Vista and here for
Windows 7. The rsh command is not available in Windows 8 because Service for
UNIX (SFU) was discontinued.
|
Rsm
|
The rsm command is used to manage
media resources using Removable Storage. The rsm command is available in
Windows Vista and Windows XP. The rsm command was optional in Windows Vista
and then removed in Windows 7 due to Removable Storage Manager being removed
from the operating system. Search for the rsm command in the
C:\Windows\winsxs folder in Windows Vista if you're having trouble executing
the command.
|
Runas
|
The runas command is used to
execute a program using another user's credentials. The runas command is
available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
|
Rwinsta
|
The rwinsta command is the
shorthand version of the reset session command. The rwinsta command is
available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
|
Sc
|
The sc command is used to
configure information about services. The sc command communicates with the
Service Control Manager. The sc command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7,
Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
|
Scandisk
|
The scandisk command is used to
start Microsoft ScanDisk, a disk repair program. The scandisk command is
available in Windows 98 and 95, as well as in MS-DOS. The scandisk command
was replaced by the chkdsk command beginning in Windows XP.
|
Scanreg
|
The scanreg command starts Windows
Registry Checker, a basic registry repair program and backup utility. The
scanreg command is available in Windows 98 and Windows 95. The functions
provided by the scanreg command were no longer necessary beginning in Windows
XP due to changes in how the Windows Registry functions.
|
Schtasks
|
The schtasks command is used to
schedule specified programs or commands to run a certain times. The schtasks
command can be used to create, delete, query, change, run, and end scheduled
tasks. The schtasks command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows
Vista, and Windows XP.
|
Sdbinst
|
The sdbinst command is used to
deploy customized SDB database files. The sdbinst command is available in
Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
|
Secedit
|
The secedit command is used to
configure and analyze system security by comparing the current security
configuration to a template. The secedit command is available in Windows 8,
Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
|
Set
|
The set command is used to
display, enable, or disable environment variables in MS-DOS or from the
Command Prompt. The set command is available in all versions of Windows, as
well as in MS-DOS.
|
Setlocal
|
The setlocal command is used to
start the localization of environment changes inside a batch or script file.
The setlocal command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and
Windows XP.
|
Setspn
|
The setspn command is used to
manage the Service Principal Names (SPN) for an Active Directory (AD) service
account. The setspn command is available in Windows 8 and Windows 7.
|
Setver
|
The setver command is used to set
the MS-DOS version number that MS-DOS reports to a program. The setver
command is available in MS-DOS as well as in all 32-bit versions of Windows.
The setver command is not available in 64-bit versions of Windows.
|
Setx
|
The setx command is used to create
or change environment variables in the user environment or the system
environment. The setx command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, and
Windows Vista.
|
The sfc command is used to verify
and replace important Windows system files. The sfc command is also referred
to as System File Checker or Windows Resource Checker depending on the
operating system. The sfc command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7,
Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
|
|
Shadow
|
The shadow command is used to
monitor another Remote Desktop Services session. The shadow command is
available in Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
|
Share
|
The share command is used to
install file locking and file sharing functions in MS-DOS. The share command
is available in MS-DOS as well as in all 32-bit versions of Windows. The
share command is not available in 64-bit versions of Windows. Share is only
available in Windows 8, 7, Vista, and XP to support older MS-DOS files.
|
Shift
|
The shift command is used to
change the position of replaceable parameters in a batch or script file. The
shift command is available in all versions of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
|
Showmount
|
The showmount command is used to
display information about NFS mounted file systems. The showmount command is
available in Windows 7 and Windows Vista. The showmount command is not
available by default in Windows Vista or Windows 7 but can be enabled by
turning on the Services for NFS Windows feature from Programs and Features in
Control Panel. The showmount command is not available in Windows 8 because
Service for UNIX (SFU) was discontinued.
|
The shutdown command can be used
to shut down, restart, or log off the current system or a remote computer.
The shutdown command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and
Windows XP.
|
|
Smartdrv
|
The smartdrv command installs and
configures SMARTDrive, a disk caching utility for MS-DOS. The smartdrv
command is available in Windows 98 and 95, as well as in MS-DOS. Caching is
automatic beginning in Windows XP, making the smartdrv command unnecessary.
|
Sort
|
The sort command is used to read
data from a specified input, sort that data, and return the results of that
sort to the Command Prompt screen, a file, or another output device. The sort
command is available in all versions of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
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Start
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The start command is used to open
a new command line window to run a specified program or command. The start
command can also be used to start an application without creating a new
window. The start command is available in all versions of Windows.
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Subst
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The subst command is used to
associate a local path with a drive letter. The subst command is a lot like
the net use command except a local path is used instead of a shared network
path. The subst command is available in all versions of Windows, as well as
in MS-DOS. The subst command replaced the assign command beginning with
MS-DOS 6.0.
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Sxstrace
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The sxstrace command is used to
start the WinSxs Tracing Utility, a programming diagnostic tool. The
sxstrace command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista.
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Sys
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The sys command is used to copy
the MS-DOS system files and command interpreter to a disk. The sys command is
available in Windows 98 and 95, as well as in MS-DOS. The sys command is used
most often to create a simple bootable disk or hard drive. The necessary
system files for Windows are too large to fit on a disk so the sys
command was removed beginning in Windows XP.
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Systeminfo
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The systeminfo command is used to
display basic Windows configuration information for the local or a remote
computer. The systeminfo command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7,
Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
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Takeown
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The takedown command is used to
regain access to a file that that an administrator was denied access to when
reassigning ownership of the file. The takeown command is available in
Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista.
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Taskkill
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The taskkill command is used to
terminate a running task. The taskkill command is the command line equivalent
of ending
a process in Task Manager in
Windows. The taskkill command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows
Vista, and Windows XP.
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Tasklist
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Displays a list of applications,
services, and the Process ID (PID) currently running on either a local or a
remote computer. The tasklist command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7,
Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
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Tcmsetup
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The tcmsetup command is used to
setup or disable the Telephony Application Programming Interface (TAPI)
client. The tcmsetup command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows
Vista, and Windows XP.
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Telnet
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The telnet command is used to
communicate with remote computers that use the Telnet
protocol. The telnet command is available
in all versions of Windows. The telnet command is not available by default in
Windows 8, 7, or Vista, but can be enabled by turning on the Telnet Client
Windows feature from Programs and Features in Control Panel.
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Tftp
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The tftp command is used to
transfer files to and from a remote computer that's running the Trivial File
Transfer Protocol (TFTP) service or daemon. The tftp command is available in
Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP. The tftp command is not
available by default in Windows 8, 7, or Vista, but can be enabled by turning
on the TFTP Client Windows feature from Programs and Features in Control Panel.
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Time
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The time command is used to show
or change the current time. The time command is available in all versions of
Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
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Timeout
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The timeout command is typically
used in a batch or script file to provide a specified timeout value during a
procedure. The timeout command can also be used to ignore keypresses. The
timeout command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista.
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Title
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The title command is used to set
the Command Prompt window title. The title command is available in Windows 8,
Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
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Tlntadmn
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The tlntadmn command is used to
administer a local or remote computer running Telnet Server. The tlntadmn
command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
The tlntadmn command is not available by default in Windows 8, 7, or Vista,
but can be enabled by turning on the Telnet Server Windows feature from
Programs and Features in Control Panel.
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Tpmvscmgr
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The tpmvscmgr command is used to
create and destroy TPM virtual smart cards. The tpmvscmgr command is
available in Windows 8.
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Tracerpt
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The tracerpt command is used to
process event trace logs or real-time data from instrumented event trace
providers. The tracerpt command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows
Vista, and Windows XP.
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The tracert command sends Internet
Control Message Protocol (ICMP) Echo Request messages to a specified remote
computer with increasing Time to Live (TTL) field values and displays the IP
address and hostname, if available, of the router interfaces between the
source and destination. The tracert command is available in all versions of
Windows.
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Tree
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The tree command is used to
graphically display the folder structure of a specified drive or path. The
tree command is available in all versions of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
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Tscon
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The tscon command is used to
attach a user session to a Remote Desktop session. The tscon command is
available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
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Tsdiscon
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The tsdiscon command is used to
disconnect a Remote Desktop session. The tsdiscon command is available in
Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
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Tskill
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The tskill command is used to end the
specified process. The tskill command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7,
Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
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Tsshutdn
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The tsshutdn command is used to
remotely shut down or restart a terminal server. The tsshutdn command is
available in Windows XP. The ability to shut down a computer remotely is also
available in the more powerful shutdown command so tsshutdn was removed
beginning in Windows Vista.
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Type
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The type command is used to
display the information contained in a text file. The type command is available
in all versions of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
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Typeperf
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The typerperf command displays
performance data in the Command Prompt window or writes the data to specified
log file. The typeperf command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows
Vista, and Windows XP.
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Tzutil
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The tzutil command is used to
display or configure the current system's time zone. The tzutil command can
also be used to enable or disable Daylight Saving Time adjustments. The
tzutil command is available in Windows 8 and Windows 7.
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Umount
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The umount command is used to
remove Network File System (NFS) mounted network shares. The umount command
is available in Windows 7 and Windows Vista. The umount command is not
available by default in Windows Vista or Windows 7 but can be enabled by
turning on the Services for NFS Windows feature from Programs and Features in
Control Panel. The umount command is not available in Windows 8 because
Service for UNIX (SFU) was discontinued.
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Undelete
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The undelete command is used to
undo a deletion performed with the MS-DOS delete command. The undelete
command is only available in MS-DOS. The undelete command was removed
beginning in Windows 95 due to the availability of the Recycle Bin in
Windows. Additionally, free
file recovery programs are
available from third party software makers.
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Unformat
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The unformat command is used to
undo the formatting on a drive performed by the MS-DOS format command. The
unformat command is only available in MS-DOS. The unformat command was
removed beginning in Windows 95 due to file system changes.
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Unlock
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The unlock command is used to
unlock a drive, disabling direct disk access for a program. The unlock
command is only available in Windows 98 and 95. Drive locking is no longer
available as of Windows XP.
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Unlodctr
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The unlodctr command removes
Explain text and Performance counter names for a service or device driver
from the Windows Registry. The unlodctr command is available in Windows 8,
Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
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Vaultcmd
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The vaultcmd command is used to
create, remove, and show stored credentials. The vaultcmd command is
available in Windows 8 and Windows 7.
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Ver
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The ver command is used to display
the current Windows or MS-DOS version
number. The ver command is available in
all versions of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
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Verify
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The verify command is used to
enable or disable the ability of Command Prompt, or MS-DOS, to verify that
files are written correctly to a disk. The verify command is available in all
versions of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS.
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The vol command shows the volume label and serial number of a specified disk, assuming this
information exists. The vol command is available in all versions of Windows,
as well as in MS-DOS.
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Vsafe
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The vsafe command is used to start
VSafe, a basic virus protection system for MS-DOS. The vsafe command is only
available in MS-DOS. VSafe was designed for MS-DOS and Windows 3.x only.
Microsoft provides an optional virus protection suite called Microsoft
Security Essentials for Windows XP and later operating systems and third
party antivirus tools are available for all versions of Windows.
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Vssadmin
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The vssadmin command starts the
Volume Shadow Copy Service administrative command line tool which displays
current volume shadow copy backups and all installed shadow copy writers and
providers. The vssadmin command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows
Vista, and Windows XP.
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W32tm
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The w32tm command is used to
diagnose issues with Windows Time. The w32tm command is available in Windows
8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
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Waitfor
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The waitfor command is used to
send or wait for a signal on a system. The waitfor command is available in
Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista.
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Wbadmin
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The wbadmin command is used start
and stop backup jobs, display details about a previous backup, list the items
within a backup, and report on the status of a currently running backup. The
wbadmin command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista. The
wbadmin command replaced the ntbackup command beginning in Windows Vista.
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Wecutil
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The wecutil command is used to
mange subscriptions to events that are forwarded from WS-Management supported
computers. The wecutil command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, and
Windows Vista.
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Wevtutil
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The wevtutil command starts the
Windows Events Command Line Utility which is used to manage event logs and
publishers. The wevtutil command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, and
Windows Vista.
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Where
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The where command is used to
search for files that match a specified pattern. The where command is
available in Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista.
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Whoami
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The whoami command is used to
retrieve user name and group information on a network. The whoami command is
available in Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista.
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Winmgmt
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The winmgmt command starts the
command line version of WMI, a scripting tool in Windows. The winmgmt command
is available in all versions of Windows.
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Winrm
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The winrm command is used to start
the command line version of Windows Remote Management, used to manage secure
communications with local and remote computers using web services. The winrm
command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista.
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Winrs
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The winrs command is used to open
a secure command window with a remote host. The winrs command is available in
Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista.
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Winsat
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The winsat command starts the
Windows System Assessment Tool, a program that assesses various features,
attributes, and capabilities of a computer running Windows. The winsat
command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista.
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Wmic
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The wmic command starts the
Windows Management Instrumentation Command line (WMIC), a scripting interface
that simplifies the use of Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) and
systems managed via WMI. The wmic command is available in Windows 8, Windows
7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
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Wsmanhttpconfig
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The wsmanhttpconfig command is
used to manage aspects of the Windows Remote Management (WinRM) service. The
wsmanhttpconfig command is available in Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows
Vista.
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The xcopy command can copy one or
more files or directory trees from one location to another. The xcopy command
is generally considered a more "powerful" version of the copy
command though the robocopy command trumps even xcopy. The xcopy command is
available in all versions of Windows, as well as in MS-DOS. A command by the
name of xcopy32 existed in Windows 95 and Windows 98. To avoid a long and
confusing explanation here, just know that no matter if you executed the
xcopy command or the xcopy32 command, you were always executing the most
updated version of the command.
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Xwizard
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The xwizard command, short for
Extensible Wizard, is used to register data in Windows, often from a
preconfigured XML file. The xwizard command is available in Windows 8 and
Windows 7.
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If you're only
interested in the commands available in your version of Windows or MS-DOS,
we do keep accurate and detailed lists per operating system as
well: Windows
8 Commands, Windows
7 Commands, Windows
Vista Commands, Windows
XP Commands, and DOS Commands.
Finally, I also keep
a comparison
table of these commands,
showing which appear in which version of Windows, which might be helpful depending
on what you're after.
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