Monday, November 1, 2010

Useful Windows XP commands (from the prompt)

So, after countless hours re-researching Windows prompt commands (to manually remove all the viruses that Windows boxes are subject to), I have finally decided to compile a list of them. Yes--I am forgetful enough to need to consult notes

As some of you may already know--command screen can be entered by clicking the start button-->run-->and typing in the 'cmd'

These are the ones I use the most. You can find other more in depth lists online.

  • CONTROL: opens the terminal window. CMD works just as well
  • CONTROL ADMINTOOLS: opens a partition viewer among other things
  • CONTROL KEYBOARD: opens keyboard properties
  • CONTROL COLOR: opens display
  • CONTROL FOLDERS: allows you to adjust double or single click file opening and make all hidden folders visible system wide.
  • CONTROL FONTS: opens font screen
  • CONTROL INTERNATIONAL or INTL.CPL: allows you to change the default language of your computer
  • CONTROL MOUSE or MAIN.CPL: opens mouse properties
  • CONTROL USERPASSWORDS: opens User Accounts
  • CONTROL USERPASSWORDS2 or NETPLWIZ: User account details. Also where you can set up your Microsoft passport, if you are so inclined
  • CONTROL PRINTERS: opens faxes and printers available
  • APPWIZ.CPL: opens Add or Remove programs window--great if some virus has blocked access to the usual path through the control panel gui.
  • DESK.CPL: opens display properties theme tab--useful if you, say downloaded the Alienware GUI theme manager and the start button and everything you hold dear in the start menu became mysteriously invisible--but still functioned... been there--done that...
  • HDWWIZ.CPL: opens an add hardware wizard
  • MMSYS.CPL: opens Sound and Audio device Properties Volume
  • SYSDM.CPL: opens System properties
  • TELEPHON.CPL: Opens phone and Modem options--yes, Windows still has that feature
  • TIMEDATE.CPL: Date and Time access
  • WSCUI.CPL: opens Windows Security Center
  • ACCESS.CPL: opens Accessibility Options
  • WUAUCPL.CPL: opens Automatic Updates
  • POWERCFG.CPL: opens Power Options Properties
  • CERTMGR.MSC: opens certificate management tool
  • COMPMGMT.MSC: opens the Computer management tool
  • COMEXP.MSC or DCOMCNFG: opens the Computer Services management tool
  • DEVMGMT.MSC: opens Device Manager
  • EVENTVWR or EVENTVWR.MSC: opens Event Viewer
  • FSMGMT.MSC: opens Shared Folders
  • NAPCLCFG.MSC: NAP Client configuration utility tool
  • SERVICES.MSC: opens Service manager
  • CONTROL SCHEDTASKS: opens Schedule Tasks manager
  • LUSRMGR.MSC: opens Local Users and Groups
  • SECPOL.MSC: opens local security settings
  • CIADV.MSC: opens indexing service. Never used it--not sure of its total usefulness--but here it is...
  • NTMSMGR.MSC: removable storage manager
  • NTMSOPRQ.MSC: removable storage operator requests
  • WMIMGMT.MSC: opens (WMI) Window Management Instrumentation
  • PERFMON or PERFMON.MSC: opens the Performance monitor as a graph--super useful.
  • MMC: opens empty Console root
  • DXDIAG: opens DirectX diagnostics tools. It may ask you if you want to make sure your Direct X version is approved by Microsoft first, but I usually ignore that popup window ;)
  • ODBCAD32: opens ODBC Data source Administrator. As I understand it, ODBC is a database tool with SQL compatibilities.
  • REGEDIT: opens Registry Editor where you can change HKEYs... sort of dangerous if you do not know what you are doing
  • DRWTSN32: opens Dr. Watson, an error control utility
  • VERIFIER: opens Driver Verifier Manager
  • CLICONFG: opens SQL Server Client Network Utility
  • UTILMAN: opens Utility Manager--or you can click the 'Windows' button and the 'u' button to bring it up... Microsoft Sam will begin speaking to you--so be careful who is around you when you try this.
  • MSCONFIG: opens a utility to show you what programs are tied to startup
  • SYSEDIT: opens System Configuration Editor
  • SYSKEY: Windows Account Database Security management
And those are the known Windows XP commands that I am aware of... I will add more as I discover them (online and in through experience). I also hope to create a few example tutorials using them...

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