Windows Command Prompt (CMD) Commands You Must Know

4/20/2020 15 Windows Command Prompt (CMD) Commands You Must Know
PC & MOBILE LIFESTYLE HARDWARE
WINDOWS Tina Sieber

835 articles
15 Windows Command Prompt Tina has been writing about consumer
(CMD) Commands You Must technology for over a decade. She holds a
Doctorate in Natural Sciences, a Diplom fro
Know Germany, and an MSc from Sweden. Her

analytical background has helped her excel
By Tina Sieber / Updated January 26, 2019 26-01-2019 a technology journalist at MakeUseOf, whe
she's now managing keyword research and
Microsoft has slowly pushed aside CMD commands in the Windows operations.
interface. This is not without reason; it is an antiquated and mostly
unnecessary tool from an era of text-based input. But many
commands remain useful, and Windows 8 and 10 even added new
features.
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Windows Command Prompt Commands
1. Assoc
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Most les in Windows are associated with a speci c program that What Is Trivial Geeks? Show
is assigned to open the le by default. At times, remembering these Format and Rules
associations can become confusing. You can remind yourself by
entering the command “assoc” to display a full list of le name
extensions and program associations.
You can also extend the command to change le associations. For ✖

example, “assoc .txt=” will change the le association for text les
to whatever program you enter after the equal sign. The “Assoc”
command itself will reveal both the extension names and program
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2. Cipher
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Deleting les on a mechanical hard drive doesn’t really delete them

at all. Instead, it marks the les as no longer accessible and the
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system overwrites them with new data, which can take some time. Android
The cipher command, however, wipes a directory by writing random

data to it. To wipe your C drive, for example, you’d use the command
“cipher /w:c”, which will wipe free space on the drive. The command
does not overwrite undeleted data, so you will not wipe out les you
need by running this command.
You can use a host of other cipher commands, however, they are
generally redundant with BitLocker enabled versions of Windows.
3. Driverquery
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Drivers remain among the most important software installed on a
PC. Improperly con gured or missing drivers can cause all sorts of
trouble, so its good to have access to a list of what’s on your PC.
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You can use this command to identify differences in text between

two les. It’s particularly useful for writers and programmers trying
to nd small changes between two versions of a le. Simply type
“fc” and then the directory path and le name of the two les you
want to compare.
You can also extend the command in several ways. Typing “/b”
compares only binary output, “/c” disregards the case of text in the
comparison, and “/l” only compares ASCII text.
So, for example, you could use the following:
fc /l "C:\Program Files (x86)\example1.doc" "C:\Program
The above command compares ASCII text in two word documents.

✖
5. Ipconfig
This command relays the IP address that your computer is

currently using. However, if you’re behind a router (like most
computers today), you’ll instead receive the local network address
of the router.
Still, ipcon g is useful because of its extensions. “ipcon g /release”

followed by “ipcon g /renew” can force your Windows PC into
asking for a new IP address, which is useful if your computer claims
one isn’t available. You can also use “ipcon g / ushdns” to refresh
your DNS address. These commands are great if the Windows
network troubleshooter chokes, which does happen on occasion.
6. Netstat
Entering the command “netstat -an” will provide you with a list of
currently open ports and related IP addresses. This command will
also tell you what state the port is in – listening, established or
closed.
This is a great command for when you’re trying to troubleshoot

devices connected to your PC or when you fear a Trojan infected
your system and you’re trying to locate a malicious connection.
✖
7. Ping
Sometimes, you need to know whether or not packets are making it

to a speci c networked device. That’s where ping comes in handy.
Typing “ping” followed by an IP address or web domain will send a

series of test packets to the speci ed address. If they arrive and are
returned, you know the device is capable of communicating with
your PC; if it fails, you know that there’s something blocking
communication between the device and your computer. This can
help you decide if the root of the issue is an improper con guration
or a failure of network hardware.
8. PathPing
This is a more advanced version of ping that’s useful if there are

multiple routers between your PC and the device you’re testing.
Like ping, you use this command by typing “pathping” followed by
the IP address, but unlike ping, pathping also relays some
information about the route the test packets take.
9. Tracert
✖
The “tracert” command is similar to pathping. Once again, type

“tracert” followed by the IP address or domain you’d like to trace.
You’ll receive information about each step in the route between
your PC and the target. Unlike pathping, however, tracert also
tracks how much time (in milliseconds) each hop between servers
or devices takes.
10. Powercfg
Powercfg command on Windows 10.
Powercfg is a very powerful command for managing and tracking

how your computer uses energy. You can use the command
“powercfg hibernate on” and “powercfg hibernate off” to manage
hibernation, and you can also use the command “powercfg /a” to
view the power-saving states currently available on your PC.
Another useful command is “powercfg /devicequery

s1_supported”, which displays a list of devices on your computer
that support connected standby. When enabled, you can use these
devices to bring your computer out of standby — even remotely.
You can enable this by selecting the device in Device Manager,
opening its properties, going to the Power Management tab and
then checking the Allow this device to wake the computer box.
“Powercfg /lastwake” will show you what device last woke your PC
from a sleep state. You can use this command to troubleshoot your
PC if it seems to wake from sleep at random.
Powercfg energy command in Administrator command prompt

on Windows 10.
You can use the “powercfg /energy” command to build a detailed

power consumption report for your PC. The report saves to the
✖
directory indicated after the command nishes. This report will let
you know of any system faults that might increase power
consumption, like devices blocking certain sleep modes, or poorly
con gured to respond to your power management settings.
Windows 8 added “powercfg /batteryreport”, which provides a

detailed analysis of battery use, if applicable. Normally output to
your Windows user directory, the report provides details about the
time and length of charge and discharge cycles, lifetime average
battery life, and estimated battery capacity.
11. Shutdown
Shutdown command on Windows 10.
Windows 8 introduced the shutdown command that—you guessed

it!—shuts down your computer.
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This is, of course, redundant with the already easily accessed

shutdown button, but what’s not redundant is the “shutdown /r /o”
command, which restarts your PC and launches the Advanced Start
Options menu, which is where you can access Safe Mode and
Windows recovery utilities. This is useful if you want to restart your
computer for troubleshooting purposes.
12. Systeminfo
Systeminfo command as seen on Windows 10.
This command will give you a detailed con guration overview of

your computer. The list covers your operating system and
hardware. For example, you can look up the original Windows
installation date, the last boot time, your BIOS version, total and
available memory, installed hot xes, network card con gurations,
and more.
Use “systeminfo /s” followed by the host name of a computer on

your local network, to remotely grab the information for that
system. This may require additional syntax elements for the
domain, user name, and password, like this: “systeminfo /s
✖
[host_name] /u [domain]\[user_name] /p [user_password]”
13. System File Checker
System File Checker sfc command options available on Windows

10.
System File Checker is an automatic scan and repair tool that

focuses on Windows system les.
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You will need to run the command prompt with administrator

privileges and enter the command “sfc /scannow”. If SFC nds any
corrupt or missing les, it will automatically replace them using
cached copies kept by Windows for this purpose alone. The
command can require a half-hour to run on older notebooks.
14. Tasklist
Tasklist command as shown in Windows command prompt

window.
You can use the “tasklist” command to provide a current list of all
tasks running on your PC. Though somewhat redundant with Task
Manager, the command may sometimes nd tasks hidden from
view in that utility.
There’s also a wide range of modi ers. “Tasklist -svc” shows

services related to each task, use “tasklist -v” to obtain more detail
on each task, and “tasklist -m” will locate .dll les associated with
active tasks. These commands are useful for advanced
troubleshooting.
15. Taskkill
Taskkill command options available on Windows 10.
Tasks that appear in the “tasklist” command will have an executable

and process ID (a four- or ve-digit number) associated with them.
You can force stop a program using “taskkill -im” followed by the ✖
executable’s name, or “taskkill -pid” followed by the process ID.
Again, this is a bit redundant with Task Manager, but you can use it
to kill otherwise unresponsive or hidden programs.
Windows 8 Only: Recovery

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Virtually all Windows 8/8.1 computers ship from the factory with a
recovery image, but the image may include bloatware you’d rather
not have re-installed. Once you’ve un-installed the software you can
create a new image using the “recimg” command. Entering this
command presents a very detailed explanation of how to use it.
You must have administrator privileges to use the “recimg”

command, and you can only access the custom recovery image you
create via the Windows 8 “refresh” feature.
In Windows 10, system recovery has changed. Windows 10

systems don’t come with a recovery partition, which makes it more
important than ever to back up your data.
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CMD Commands Recommended by

Readers
These are the commands our readers use regularly:
nbstat: “For looking up names of computers on your network.”

(Vferg)
netstat -ano | nd “est”: “To get a list of processes with

established CP connections.” (Eric)
tasklist | nd “[process id]”: “To get the name of the

executable associated with the particular process id that I’m
interested in.” (Eric)
cacls: This command is “most handy to manually access

hidden les and folder. (A41202813)
net use: “To map drives of networked CNC machines.” (Jimbo)

✖
chkdsk /f C: “Checks your C: partition hard disk for errors and
xes bad sectors.” (Kai M)
Schtasks: To schedule tasks. (Teddy)
Command and
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PC
This article can only give you a taste of what’s hidden within the
Windows command line. When including all variables, there are
literally hundreds of commands. Download Microsoft’s command
line reference guide (in Edge or Internet Explorer) for advanced
support and troubleshooting.
If you also use Linux, have a look at some useful ways to use the df
command.
Explore more about: Command Prompt, Computer Maintenance.
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4/20/2020 15 Windows Command Prompt (CMD) Commands You Must Know

PC & MOBILE LIFESTYLE HARDWARE

WINDOWS Tina Sieber

Know Germany, and an MSc from Sweden. Her

How to Watch Netflix With

How to Watch Instagram Live

How to Use Your iPhone as a

Yes, Get Microso Word for

In case you’re not sure how to access the Windows command

Maxoak Bluetti 1500Wh Backu

Creative Super X-Fi AIR Review

YouTube Channels Trivia (S1 E1)

Windows Command Prompt Commands

Is Your iPhone Too Hot? Here's

You can also extend the command to change le associations. For ✖

Maxoak Bluetti EB150: Power

Deleting les on a mechanical hard drive doesn’t really delete them

The cipher command, however, wipes a directory by writing random

ExpressVPN™- Fast Premium

Take Back Control Over Driver Updates in The Project $199

4. File Compare The Lifetime MBA $162

You can use this command to identify differences in text between

So, for example, you could use the following:

fc /l "C:\Program Files (x86)\example1.doc" "C:\Program

The above command compares ASCII text in two word documents.

PC & MOBILE LIFESTYLE HARDWARE

This command relays the IP address that your computer is

Still, ipcon g is useful because of its extensions. “ipcon g /release”

This is a great command for when you’re trying to troubleshoot

PC & MOBILE LIFESTYLE HARDWARE

Sometimes, you need to know whether or not packets are making it

Typing “ping” followed by an IP address or web domain will send a

This is a more advanced version of ping that’s useful if there are

PC & MOBILE LIFESTYLE HARDWARE

The “tracert” command is similar to pathping. Once again, type

Powercfg command on Windows 10.

Powercfg is a very powerful command for managing and tracking

Another useful command is “powercfg /devicequery

Powercfg energy command in Administrator command prompt

You can use the “powercfg /energy” command to build a detailed

Windows 8 added “powercfg /batteryreport”, which provides a

Shutdown command on Windows 10.

Windows 8 introduced the shutdown command that—you guessed

How to Shutdown or Sleep Windows 10

This is, of course, redundant with the already easily accessed

Systeminfo command as seen on Windows 10.

This command will give you a detailed con guration overview of

Use “systeminfo /s” followed by the host name of a computer on

13. System File Checker

System File Checker sfc command options available on Windows

System File Checker is an automatic scan and repair tool that

How to Fix a Corrupted Windows 10

You will need to run the command prompt with administrator

Tasklist command as shown in Windows command prompt

There’s also a wide range of modi ers. “Tasklist -svc” shows

Taskkill command options available on Windows 10.

Tasks that appear in the “tasklist” command will have an executable

Windows 8 Only: Recovery

You must have administrator privileges to use the “recimg”

In Windows 10, system recovery has changed. Windows 10

4 Ways to Factory Reset Your Windows 10

CMD Commands Recommended by

nbstat: “For looking up names of computers on your network.”

netstat -ano | nd “est”: “To get a list of processes with