Cmd commands under Windows

This article lists the most important cmd commands under Windows.

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cmd command	Description
Basics
call	calls a batch file from another one
cd	change directory
cls	clear screen
cmd	start command prompt
color	change console color
date	show/set date
dir	list directory content
echo	text output
exit	exits the command prompt or a batch file
find	find files
hostname	display host name
pause	pauses the execution of a batch file and shows a message
runas	start a program as another user
shutdown	shutdown the computer
sort	sort the screen output
start	start an own window to execute a program or command
taskkill	terminate a process or a application
tasklist	display applications and related tasks
time	display/edit the system time
timeout	wait any time
title	set title for prompt
ver	display operating system version
w32tm	setting time synchronisation/time server/time zone
Network
ftp	transfer files to a FTP server
ftype	display file type and mapping
getmac	display MAC address
ipconfig	display IP network settings
netsh	configure/control/display network components
netstat	display TCP/IP connections and status
nslookup	query the DNS
pathping	test the connection to a specific IP address
ping	pings the network
route	display network routing table, add static routes
systeminfo	displays computer-specific properties and configurations
telnet	establish Telnet connection
tftp	transfer files to a TFTP server
tracert	trace routes similar to patchping
Files
attrib	display file attributes
comp	compare file contents
compact	display/change file compression
copy / xcopy	copy files
diskcomp	compare content of two floppy disks
diskcopy	copy floppy disc to another one
erase / del	delete one or more files
expand	extract files
fc	copare files and display the differences
mkdir	create a new directory
move	move/rename files
rename	rename files
replace	replace files
rmdir / rd	delete directory
tree	display folder structure graphically
type	display content of text files
Media
chkdsk	check volumes
chkntfs	display/change volume check at startup
defrag	defragment media
diskpart	volume management
driverquery	display installed devices and their properties
format	format volumes
label	change volume name
mode	configure interfaces/devices
mountvol	assign/delete drive mountpoints
verify	monitoring whether volumes are written correctly
vol	show volume description and serial numbers of the HDDs
Miscellaneous
for	for loop
gpresult	display group policies
gpupdate	update group policies
perfmon	start performance monitor
prompt	change command prompt
reg	add/read/import/export registry entries

Author: Armin Oberneder Armin Oberneder has been working for Thomas-Krenn.AG for over 7 years now. He is currently employed in the consulting team and thus takes care of all customer-specific inquiries concerning servers, storage, virtualization and networks. In the past years Armin has specialized in Windows Server, Software-Defined-Technologies and Network Technology. Due to these specializations, he also ensures that our customers are helped as quickly as possible in the event of problems by means of a ticket system, by telephone or in writing via e-mail.