Windows 7 (like all versions of Windows) has a built-in set of commands that you can run from the command line prompt. These tools allow you to manually perform administration tasks on your system. The command interpreter can be started by first clicking the Start button. Select the 'Run' option. Then, type 'cmd' into the box and press Return. The command interpreter window should then open on your screen. Place your cursor inside of this window and click once. You should see a blinking cursor next to the command prompt.
To display more Help information about a command, or to see what options and parameters that you can use with a command, type the <command> name, a space, a slash and a question mark ( /? ) and press Return. For example: cd /?
You can also see a complete listing of all commands by simply typing help and press Return at the command prompt.
| ASSOC | Displays or modifies file extension associations |
| ATTRIB | Displays or changes file attributes |
| BREAK | Sets or clears extended CTRL+C checking |
| BCEDIT | Sets properties in boot database to control boot loading |
| BOOTCFG | Configure, query, change or delete the boot entry settings in the BOOT.INI file |
| 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 |
| CLS | Clears the screen |
| CMD | Starts a new instance of the Windows command interpreter |
| CIPHER | Configure file and folder encryption options on NTFS file systems |
| COLOR | Sets the default console foreground and background colors |
| COMP | Compares the contents of two files or sets of files |
| 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 | Defragment a disk drive |
| 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 |
| 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 the CMDEXE program (command interpreter) |
| 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 file in a set of files |
| 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 |
| GETMAC | Get MAC address(es) of installed network adapters |
| 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 |
| IF | Performs conditional processing in batch programs |
| LABEL | Creates, changes, or deletes the volume label of a disk |
| LOGMAN | Logman manages the "Performance Logs and Alerts" service |
| MD | Creates a directory |
| MKDIR | Creates a directory |
| MKLINK | Creates Symbolic Links and Hard Links |
| MMC | Start a new Microsoft Management Console |
| 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 |
| MSCONFIG | NOTE: use RUN command to launch – System configuration tool GUI |
| MSIEXEC | Windows installer command line tool |
| NETSH | Manage network configuration tasks |
| NETSTAT | Displays protocol statistics and current TCP/IP network connections |
| OPENFILES | Displays files opened by remote users for a file share |
| PAGEFILECONFIG | CSCRIPT command to manage the pagefile(s) |
| PATH | Displays or sets a search path for executable files |
| PAUSE | Suspends processing of a batch file and displays a message |
| PERFMON | NOTE: use RUN command to launch – GUI performance monitor tool |
| POPD | Restores the previous value of the current directory saved by PUSHD |
| Prints a text file | |
| PRNCNFG | CSCRIPT command to run Printer configuration tool |
| PRNJOBS | CSCRIPT command to run Printer configuration tool |
| PRNMNGR | CSCRIPT command to run Printer configuration tool |
| PRNPORT | CSCRIPT command to run Printer configuration tool |
| PRNQCTL | CSCRIPT command to run Printer configuration tool |
| 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 |
| RELOG | Creates new performance logs from data in existing performance logs |
| REM | Record user comments in batch files or in CONFIGSYS |
| 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 |
| RUNAS | Run in a different user security context |
| SET | Displays, sets, or removes Windows environment variables |
| SETLOCAL | Begins localization of environment changes in a batch file |
| 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 |
| TASKLIST | Displays all currently running tasks including services |
| TASKKILL | Kill or stop a running process or application |
| TIME | Displays or sets the system time |
| TITLE | Sets the window title for a CMDEXE session |
| TRACERPT | Processes binary Event Trace Session log files or real-time streams from instrumented Event Trace providers |
| TREE | Graphically displays the directory structure of a drive or path |
| TYPE | Displays the contents of a text file |
| TYPEPERF | Writes performance data to the command window or to a log file |
| VER | Displays the Windows version (text format) |
| VERIFY | Tells Windows whether to verify that your files are written correctly to a disk |
| VOL | Displays a disk volume label and serial number |
| XCOPY | Copies files and directory trees to a new location |
| WMIC | Displays WMI information inside interactive command shell |