Windows 7 prompt commands

pcsupport.about.com/od/commandlinereference/tp/windows-7-commands

• Assoc and Ftype
• Batch files- basics
• Batch files - branching
• Batch files- iterating
• Command Line- Introduction
• Command line list and
  reference
• Commands that
  everybody can use
• Configuring the command
  prompt window
• Disk management-Diskpart
• Doskey
• File system utility- Fsutil
• Net Services
• Netstat
• Network Services Shell
• PowerShell
• Recovery Console
• Recovery Console-
  Commands
• Registry editor console
• Scripts in the command
  line
• Server 2003 tools for XP
• Service Controller
  Command (SC)
• Shell command
• Start-Run line
• Support tools
• Tasklist
• TCP/IP networking tools
• Tips for using the command shell
• Tskill and Taskkill
• Variables and "Set"
• Vista command list
• Vista/7 command line tips
• VSSadmin
• Windows 7 command list
• Windows 7 shell folders
• Windows 8 command list
• Xcopy

Commands in Windows 7

The command prompt that has been in previous versions of Windows is still with us and is not much changed fron Windows Vista. The command line remains a powerful and much used feature by system administrators everywhere. Thus, the old command interpreter cmd.exe has been continued although in a slightly newer version. Several commands are now in the standard list that were formerly available only on servers. New commandsare indicated with an asterisk in the list below. Note that some commands may require administrator privileges. A number of commands involving specialized system or network administration have been omitted.

The commands given below remain in wide use but Microsoft has shifted its corporate emphasis to a new command shell called Powershell that is described on another page. This new command shell is included with Windows 7.

ASSOC Displays or modifies file extension associations.
ATTRIB Displays or changes file attributes.
BREAK Sets or clears extended CTRL+C checking.
BCDBOOT* Used to copy critical files to the system partition and to create a new system BCD store.
BCDEDIT Sets properties in boot database to control boot loading.
CACLS Displays or modifies access control lists (ACLs) of files.
CALL Calls one batch program from another.
CD Displays the name of or changes the current directory.
CHCP Displays or sets the active code page number.
CHDIR Displays the name of or changes the current directory.
CHKDSK Checks a disk and displays a status report.
CHKNTFS Displays or modifies the checking of disk at boot time.
CHOICE Batch file command that allows users to select from a set of options.
CIPHER Displays or alters the encryption of directories [files] on NTFS partitions.
CLIP Redirects output of another command to the Windows clipboard.
CLS Clears the screen.
CMD Starts a new instance of the Windows command interpreter.
CMDKEY Creates, lists and deletes stored user names and passwords or credentials.
COLOR Sets the default console foreground and background colors.
COMP Compares the contents of two files or sets of files byte-by-byte
COMPACT Displays or alters the compression of files on NTFS partitions.
CONVERT Converts FAT volumes to NTFS. You cannot convert the current drive.
COPY Copies one or more files to another location.
DATE Displays or sets the date.
DEFRAG Disk defragmenter accessory.
DEL Deletes one or more files.
DIR Displays a list of files and subdirectories in a directory.
DISKCOMP Compares the contents of two floppy disks.
DISKCOPY Copies the contents of one floppy disk to another.
DISKPART Displays or configures Disk Partition properties. A separte command interpreter with a sub-set of commands.
DOSKEY Edits command lines, recalls Windows commands, and creates macros.
DRIVERQUERY Displays current device driver status and properties.
ECHO Displays messages, or turns command echoing on or off.
ENDLOCAL Ends localization of environment changes in a batch file.
ERASE Deletes one or more files.
EXIT Quits and closes the command shell.
EXPAND Expands one or more compressed files.
FC Compares two files or sets of files, and displays the differences between them.
FIND Searches for a text string in a file or files.
FINDSTR Searches for strings in files.
FOR Runs a specified command for each item in a set.
FORFILES Selects files in a folder for batch processing.
FORMAT Formats a disk for use with Windows.
FSUTIL Displays or configures the file system properties.
FTYPE Displays or modifies file types used in file extension associations.
GOTO Directs the Windows command interpreter to a labeled line in a batch program.
GPRESULT Displays Group Policy information for machine or user.
GRAFTABL Enables Windows to display an extended character set in graphics mode.
HELP Provides Help information for Windows commands.
ICACLS Display, modify, backup, or restore ACLs for files and directories (more here).
IF Performs conditional processing in batch programs.
IPCONFIG Displays all current TCP/IP network configuration values
LABEL Creates, changes, or deletes the volume label of a disk.
MD Creates a directory.
MKDIR Creates a directory.
MKLINK Creates Symbolic Links and Hard Links
MODE Configures a system device.
MORE Displays output one screen at a time.
MOVE Moves one or more files from one directory to another directory.
OPENFILES Queries, displays, or disconnects open files or files opened by network users.
PATH Displays or sets a search path for executable files.
PAUSE Suspends processing of a batch file and displays a message.
POPD Restores the previous value of the current directory saved by PUSHD.
PRINT Prints a text file.
PROMPT Changes the Windows command prompt.
PUSHD Saves the current directory then changes it.
RD Removes a directory.
RECOVER Recovers readable information from a bad or defective disk.
REM Designates comments (remarks) in batch files
REN Renames a file or files.
RENAME Renames a file or files.
REPLACE Replaces files.
RMDIR Removes a directory.
ROBOCOPY Advanced utility to copy files and directory trees
SET Displays, sets, or removes environment variables for current session.
SETLOCAL Begins localization of environment changes in a batch file.
SETX Sets environment variables.
SC Displays or configures services (background processes).
SCHTASKS Schedules commands and programs to run on a computer.
SHIFT Shifts the position of replaceable parameters in batch files.
SHUTDOWN Allows proper local or remote shutdown of machine.
SORT Sorts input.
START Starts a separate window to run a specified program or command.
SUBST Associates a path with a drive letter.
SYSTEMINFO Displays machine specific properties and configuration.
TAKEOWN Allows an administrator to take ownership of a file (more here).
TASKLIST Displays all currently running tasks including services.
TASKKILL Kill or stop a running process or application.
TIME Displays or sets the system time.
TIMEOUT Pauses the command processor for the specified number of seconds.More here.
TITLE Sets the window title for a CMD.EXE session.
TREE Graphically displays the directory structure of a drive or path.
TYPE Displays the contents of a text file.
VER Displays the Windows version.
VERIFY Tells Windows whether to verify that your files are written correctly to a disk.
VOL Displays a disk volume label and serial number.
VSSADMIN Volume Shadow Copy Service administration tool
WHERE Displays the location of files that match a search pattern.
XCOPY Copies files and directory trees.
WMIC Displays WMI information inside interactive command shell.

*New to Windows 7

Introduction to PowerShell
Microsoft has developed a new command line interface (first called "Monad") and renamed "PowerShell". It was first made available as a stand-alone application for Windows XP (download here). and then for Vista ( available at this site). It is now a standard part of Windows 7. The older command interpreter cmd.exe is still present as well. The new shell is Microsoft's answer to Unix shell scripting. It is quite different from the previous command line interface and is considerably more powerful. It makes use of more sophisticated techniques and objects and requires the .NET Framework 2.0. It has new functions for systems and network administration and is aimed at IT professionals. Because the purpose of this present site is to introduce the command line to home PC users , PowerShell is somewhat beyond the intended scope (and my personal experience). Nonetheless, I believe the home user should be aware of PowerShell's potential and the more experienced may wish to explore it further. I will try to outline very briefly what PowerShell is about. PowerShell features
In the previous Windows command line described elsewhere on this site, commands consist of internal command strings that are interpreted and executed by the command interpreter or of commands that invoke separate executable files. PowerShell has a new approach that makes use of what Microsoft calls "cmdlets". Here is Microsoft's description:

A cmdlet (pronounced "command-let") is a single-feature command that manipulates objects in Windows PowerShell. You can recognize cmdlets by their name format -- a verb and noun separated by a dash (-), such as Get-Help, Get-Process, and Start-Service.

Although each cmdlet has a single function, groups of cmdlets can be strung together to carry out a complex task. Also the output of many cmdlets can be used as input (piped) to other cmdlets without additional processing. These capabilities represent a significant advance over the present command line shell.

PowerShell continues to recognize the commands from the older command shell although, in many cases, the command is an alias for a PowerShell cmdlet

List of cmdlets
At this time, PowerShell comes with 129 cmdlets. Since cmdlets are easily written, more can be expected. Table I shows the list of those presently available.

Table I. List of PowerShell cmdlets

Add-Content Add-History Add-Member Add-PSSnapin Clear-Content Clear-Item Clear-ItemProperty Clear-Variable Compare-Object ConvertFrom-SecureString Convert-Path ConvertTo-Html ConvertTo-SecureString Copy-Item Copy-ItemProperty Export-Alias Export-Clixml Export-Console Export-Csv ForEach-Object Format-Custom Format-List Format-Table Format-Wide Get-Acl Get-Alias Get-AuthenticodeSignature Get-ChildItem Get-Command Get-Content Get-Credential Get-Culture

Get-Date Get-EventLog Get-ExecutionPolicy Get-Help Get-History Get-Host Get-Item Get-ItemProperty Get-Location Get-Member Get-PfxCertificate Get-Process Get-PSDrive Get-PSProvider Get-PSSnapin Get-Service Get-TraceSource Get-UICulture Get-Unique Get-Variable Get-WmiObject Group-Object Import-Alias Import-Clixml Import-Csv Invoke-Expression Invoke-History Invoke-Item Join-Path Measure-Command Measure-Object Move-Item

Move-ItemProperty New-Alias New-Item New-ItemProperty New-Object New-PSDrive New-Service New-TimeSpan New-Variable Out-Default Out-File Out-Host Out-Null Out-Printer Out-String Pop-Location Push-Location Read-Host Remove-Item Remove-ItemProperty Remove-PSDrive Remove-PSSnapin Remove-Variable Rename-Item Rename-ItemProperty Resolve-Path Restart-Service Resume-Service Select-Object Select-String Set-Acl Set-Alias

Set-AuthenticodeSignature Set-Content Set-Date Set-ExecutionPolicy Set-Item Set-ItemProperty Set-Location Set-PSDebug Set-Service Set-TraceSource Set-Variable Sort-Object Split-Path Start-Service Start-Sleep Start-Transcript Stop-Process Stop-Service Stop-Transcript Suspend-Service Tee-Object Test-Path Trace-Command Update-FormatData Update-TypeData Where-Object Write-Debug Write-Error Write-Host Write-Output Write-Progress Write-Verbose Write-Warning

---

PowerShell Cmdlet syntax

There are a number of parameters possible for cmdlets and a detailed discussion of syntax is beyond our scope. I will try to hint at the range of possibilities by discussing one useful cmdlet that carries out the copying function. It is not limited to copying files and folders but can also copy Registry keys and entries. This one cmdlet, in fact, incorporates the functions of several older commands with greater flexibility. First, here is a simple example where a folder and all its contents are to be copiedCopy-Item C:\Logfiles -destination D:\Backup -recurse This cmdlet copies all files and sub-folders in the folder C:\Logfiles to the folder D:\Backup .The parameter "-recurse" is used when sub-folders are to be copied.

Next, here are all the parameters in their full glory: Copy-Item [-path] [[-destination] ] [-container] [-recurse] [-force]
[-include ] [-exclude ] [-filter ] [-passThru] [-credential ] [-whatIf] [-confirm] [] Naturally, the full set of parameters varies from one cmdlet to the next but one option that is common to many is the intriguing "-whatIf". This setting describes what would happen if you executed the command but without actually executing it .This allows you to see safely what would happen if you did the command. For a table describing the various parameters above, click here.

PowerShell Scripting

PowerShell is also the basis for a scripting language. This language is intended to make administrative tasks easier and seems likely to supplant VBScript in the future. The extension for PowerShell scripts is .PS1. Many security features are built into the scripting engine and the default setting is to prevent scripts from running. Permission to run scripts is controlled by a feature called "Execution Policy". Information about this feature can be obtained by the PowerShell commandGet-Help about_signing More about PowerShell scripting can be found at this Microsoft site.

More information
We can barely scratch the surface in ths very short description of PowerShell. For those who wish to explore the subject further, here are some references:

• Microsoft resources for PowerShell
• Wikipedia article