Command Prompt Commands

Command Prompt is one of the most powerful tools in Windows; but sadly, it is also the most ignored one. Things were not always like this; but with the advent of GUI based operating systems, people started feeling that computing through command based tools was boring. This ultimately lead the command prompt into obscurity. 

However, the command prompt is not useless. In fact, it can be pretty useful. This article provides list of commands to interact with the command prompt.

How to open command prompt?

To open command prompt 

1. Open Run > type cmd and press       enter.

                        or

2. Goto Start  > AllPrograms >      Accessories > Command Prompt.

List of Commands:

A

ADDUSERS          Add or list users to/from a CSV file

ADmodcmd         Active Directory Bulk Modify

ARP                   Address Resolution Protocol

ASSOC               Change file extension associations

ASSOCIAT           One step file association

ATTRIB               Change file attributes

B

BCDBOOT           Create or repair a system partition

BITSADMIN         Background Intelligent Transfer Service

BOOTCFG            Edit Windows boot settings

BROWSTAT         Get domain, browser and PDC info

C

CACLS                Change file permissions

CALL                  Call one batch program from another

CD                    Change Directory - move to a specific Folder

CHANGE             Change Terminal Server Session properties

CHKDSK             Check Disk - check and repair disk problems

CHKNTFS            Check the NTFS file system

CHOICE              Accept keyboard input to a batch file

CIPHER               Encrypt or Decrypt files/folders

CleanMgr            Automated cleanup of Temp files, recycle bin

CLEARMEM          Clear memory leaks

CLIP                  Copy STDIN to the Windows clipboard

CLS                   Clear the screen

CLUSTER             Windows Clustering

CMD                  Start a new CMD shell

CMDKEY             Manage stored usernames/passwords

COLOR               Change colors of the CMD window

COMP                 Compare the contents of two files or sets of files

COMPACT            Compress files or folders on an NTFS partition

COMPRESS          Compress individual files on an NTFS partition

CON2PRT            Connect or disconnect a Printer

CONVERT            Convert a FAT drive to NTFS

COPY                 Copy one or more files to another location

CSCcmd             Client-side caching (Offline Files)

CSVDE               Import or Export Active Directory data

D

DATE                 Display or set the date

DEFRAG             Defragment hard drive

DEL                   Delete one or more files

DELPROF            Delete user profiles

DELTREE             Delete a folder and all subfolders

DevCon              Device Manager Command Line Utility

DIR                   Display a list of files and folders

DIRUSE              Display disk usage

DISKPART           Disk Administration

DISKSHADOW      Volume Shadow Copy Service

DNSSTAT  DNS    Statistics

DOSKEY             Edit command line, recall commands, and create macros

DriverQuery        Display installed device drivers

DSACLs              Active Directory ACLs

DSAdd               Add items to active directory (user group computer)

DSGet                View items in active directory (user group computer)

DSQuery             Search for items in active directory (user group computer)

DSMod               Modify items in active directory (user group computer)

DSMove             Move an Active directory Object

DSRM                Remove items from Active Directory

E

ECHO                 Display message on screen

ENDLOCAL          End localization of environment changes in a batch file

ERASE                Delete one or more files

EVENTCREATE      Add a message to the Windows event log

EXIT                  Quit the current script/routine and set an errorlevel

EXPAND             Uncompress files

EXTRACT            Uncompress CAB files

F

FC                     Compare two files

FIND                  Search for a text string in a file

FINDSTR             Search for strings in files

FOR /F               Loop command: against a set of files

FOR /R               Loop command: against the results of another command

FOR                   Loop command: all options Files, Directory, List

FORFILES            Batch process multiple files

FORMAT             Format a disk

FREEDISK           Check free disk space (in bytes)

FSUTIL               File and Volume utilities

FTP                   File Transfer Protocol

FTYPE                File extension file type associations

G        

GETMAC             Display the Media Access Control (MAC) address

GLOBAL              Display membership of global groups

GOTO                 Direct a batch program to jump to a labelled line

GPRESULT           Display Resultant Set of Policy information

GPUPDATE          Update Group Policy settings

H

HELP                  Online Help

I

iCACLS               Change file and folder permissions

IF                      Conditionally perform a command

IFMEMBER           Is the current user a member of a Workgroup

IPCONFIG           Configure IP

K

KILL                   Remove a program from memory

L

LABEL                Edit a disk label

LOCAL                Display membership of local groups

LOGEVENT          Write text to the event viewer

LOGMAN             Manage Performance Monitor

LOGOFF              Log a user off

LOGTIME             Log the date and time in a file

M

MAPISEND          Send email from the command line

MBSAcli              Baseline Security Analyzer

MEM                  Display memory usage

MD                    Create new folders

MKLINK             Create a symbolic link (linkd)

MODE                Configure a system device

MORE                 Display output, one screen at a time

MOUNTVOL          Manage a volume mount point

MOVE                 Move files from one folder to another

MOVEUSER          Move a user from one domain to another

MSG                  Send a message

MSIEXEC             Microsoft Windows Installer

MSINFO32           System Information (64 for x64 systems)

MSTSC               Terminal Server Connection (Remote Desktop Protocol)

MV                    Copy in-use files

N

NET                   Manage network resources

NETDOM             Domain Manager

NETSH               Configure Network Interfaces, Windows Firewall & Remote access

NETSVC              Command-line Service Controller

NBTSTAT            Display networking statistics (NetBIOS over TCP/IP)

NETSTAT            Display networking statistics (TCP/IP)

NOW                  Display the current Date and Time

NSLOOKUP          Name server lookup

NTBACKUP          Backup folders to tape

NTRIGHTS           Edit user account rights

O

OPENFILES          Query or display open files

P

PATH                 Display or set a search path for executable files

PATHPING           Trace route plus network latency and packet loss

PAUSE                Suspend processing of a batch file and show a message

PERMS               Show permissions for a user

PERFMON            Performance Monitor

PING                  Test a network connection and get ip

POPD                 Return to a previous directory saved by PUSHD

PORTQRY            Display the status of ports and services

POWERCFG         Configure power settings

PRINT                Print a text file

PRINTBRM           Print queue Backup/Recovery

PRNCNFG            Display, configure or rename a printer

PRNMNGR           Add, delete, list printers set the default printer

PROMPT             Change the command prompt

PsExec              Execute process remotely

PsFile                 Show files opened remotely

PsGetSid             Display the SID of a computer or a user

PsInfo                List information about a system

PsKill                  Kill processes by name or process ID

PsList                 List detailed information about processes

PsLoggedOn        Who's logged on (locally or via resource sharing)

PsLogList            Event log records

PsPasswd            Change account password

PsService            View and control services

PsShutdown        Shutdown or reboot a computer

PsSuspend          Suspend processes

PUSHD               Save and then change the current directory

Q

QGREP               Search file(s) for lines that match a given pattern

Query Process     Display processes (TS/Remote Desktop)

Query Session     Display all sessions (TS/Remote Desktop)

Query TermServer            List all servers (TS/Remote Desktop)

Query User         Display user sessions (TS/Remote Desktop)

R

RASDIAL             Manage RAS connections

RASPHONE          Manage RAS connections

RECOVER            Recover a damaged file from a defective disk

REG                   Registry: Read, Set, Export, Delete keys and values

REGEDIT             Import or export registry settings

REGSVR32          Register or unregister a DLL

REGINI               Change Registry Permissions

REM                   Record comments (remarks) in a batch file

REN                   Rename a file or files

REPLACE             Replace or update one file with another

Reset Session      Delete a Remote Desktop Session

RD                    Delete folder(s)

RMTSHARE          Share a folder or a printer

ROBOCOPY          Robust File and Folder Copy

ROUTE               Manipulate network routing tables

RUN                   Start | RUN commands

RUNAS               Execute a program under a different user account

RUNDLL32           Run a DLL command (add/remove print connections)

S

SC                     Service Control

SCHTASKS          Schedule a command to run at a specific time

SCLIST               Display Services

SET                   Display, set, or remove session environment variables

SETLOCAL           Control the visibility of environment variables•

SETX                 Set environment variables

SFC                   System File Checker

SHARE               List or edit a file share or print share

SHIFT                Shift the position of batch file parameters

SHORTCUT          Create a windows shortcut (.LNK file)

SHOWGRPS         List the Workgroups a user has joined

SHOWMBRS         List the Users who are members of a Workgroup

SHUTDOWN         Shutdown the computer

SLEEP                Wait for x seconds

SLMGR               Software Licensing Management (Vista/2008)

SOON                Schedule a command to run in the near future

SORT                 Sort input

START                Start a program, command or batch file

SU                     Switch User

SUBINACL           Edit file and folder Permissions, Ownership and Domai

SUBST               Associate a path with a drive letter

SYSTEMINFO       List system configuration

T

TAKEOWN           Take ownership of a file

TASKLIST            List running applications and services

TASKKILL            Remove a running process from memory

TIME                  Display or set the system time

TIMEOUT             Delay processing of a batch file

TITLE                 Set the window title for a CMD.EXE session

TLIST                 Task list with full path

TOUCH               Change file timestamps

TRACERT            Trace route to a remote host

TREE                  Graphical display of folder structure

TSSHUTDN          Remotely shut down or reboot a terminal server

TYPE                  Display the contents of a text file

TypePerf            Write performance data to a log file

U

USRSTAT            List domain usernames and last login

V

VER                   Display version information

VERIFY               Verify that files have been saved

VOL                   Display a disk label

W

WAITFOR            Wait for or send a signal

WHERE               Locate and display files in a directory tree

WHOAMI             Output the current UserName and domain

WINDIFF             Compare the contents of two files or sets of files

WINMSDP           Windows system report

WINRM               Windows Remote Management

WINRS               Windows Remote Shell

WMIC                 WMI Commands

WUAUCLT            Windows Update

X

XCACLS              Change file and folder permissions

XCOPY               Copy files and folders

Note:

Some of the commands requires admin privileges. Right Click on the Command Prompt icon and select Run as Administrator (Windows 8 users can directly access by pressing "Windows+X"). 

Have Fun!!