Windows cmd commands

Many of the commands listed below are also discussed in more detail elsewhere on this site as is indicated by the link "details here". Most commands have switches that are not given in the table. For more information, open a command prompt and enter "commandname /?" (without quotes). Detailed information about these commands and a larger list is available at this Microsoft reference. These commands are in Windows XP, Vista, and Windows 7.

Command

Description

Example

assoc

Displays or modifies file name extension associations. Used alone,displays a list of all the current file name associations

details here

at

Schedules commands and programs to run on a computer at a specified time and date. Requires the Schedule service. Superseded by schtasks

attrib

Configures file attributes read only, hidden, system

details here

bootcfg

Used to repair or edit the boot.ini file

details here

cd or chdir

Displays the name of the current directory or changes the current folder

cd folderpath

chkdsk

Checks hard drives for errors. With switches,does repairs.

details here

cls

Clears the screen

cls

copy

Copies a file from one location to another

copy somefile somefolder

del

Deletes one or more files

details here

dir

Displays a list of a folder's files and subfolders

details here

diskpart

Disk management shell. A suite of various commands

details here

driverquery

Displays a list of all installed device drivers and their properties. Requires administrator privileges. (Not available in Windows XP Home)

Example here

echo

Used to display a message or to turn off/on messages in batch scripts

echo message

exit

Exits batch script or current command control

exit

fc

Compares two files and displays the differences between them

fc file1 file2

find

Searches for a text string in a file or files. Can also be used with output from another command.

findstr

Searches for text string patterns in a file using regular expressions

for

Runs a specified command for each item in a set

details here

fsutil

Displays and configures certain file system properties. A suite of various commands

details here

ftype

Displays or modifies file types used in file name extension associations

details here

getmac

Returns the media access control (MAC) address for your network card

getmac

goto

Directs the Windows command interpreter to a labeled line in a batch program

details here

if

Performs conditional processing in batch programs

details here

ipconfig

Displays all current TCP/IP network configuration values and refreshes Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) and Domain Name System (DNS) settings

details here

md or mkdir

Creates a directory (folder) or subdirectory (subfolder)

details here

more

Displays one screen of output at a time. Used with another command that has extensive output

details here

move

Moves a file from one folder to another

details here

net

A suite of various networking and service commands

details here

netsh

Network services shell . Complex suite of commands.

details here

netstat

Displays active TCP connections, ports on which the computer is listening, Ethernet statistics, the IP routing table, statistics for the IP, ICMP, TCP, and UDP protocols

details here

path

Sets the command path in the PATH environment variable, which is the set of directories used to search for executable files

details here

pathping

Provides information about network performance and conditions at intermediate hops between a source and destination

details here

pause

Used in batch scripts

pause

ping

Checks connectivity to other networked computers, routers, or Internet sites

details here

popd, pushd

Changes the directory being referenced in a command prompt. Pushd changes the directory and stores the previous directory. Popd changes the current directory to the directory stored by the pushd command

pushd somefolder popd

powercfg

Manages the power settings such as hibernation. Has numerous switches

reg

Adds, changes, and displays registry entries. A suite of various commands

details here

rd or rmdir

Deletes a directory (folder)

details here

ren or rename

Changes the name of a file or a set of files

details here

sc

Used to obtain information about services and to configure them. A suite of various commands

details here

schtasks

Schedules commands and programs to run periodically or at a specific time

set

Displays, sets, or removes environment variables

details here and also here

sfc

System file checker scans and verifies the versions of all protected system files

sfc /scannow

shutdown

Shuts down or restarts a computer

details here

sort

Alphabetizes strings from a text file or the output of a command.

start

Starts an application or opens a new command window

details here

subst

Associates a folder with a drive letter

details here

systeminfo

Displays detailed configuration information about a computer and its operating system

systeminfo | more

taskkill

Ends one or more tasks or processes

details here

tasklist

Displays a list of applications and services with their Process ID (PID) for all tasks running

details here

tree

Graphically displays the directory structure of a folder or drive

tree somefolder

type

Displays the contents of a text file

type somefile.txt

vssadmin

For administering and configuring volume shadow copies

details here

xcopy

Powerful command with many switches for copying and backing up files and folders

details here