This is the first part of two on the Windows Command prompt tips and tricks. If you have your own tips, you can post them in comments.

Where is the Command Prompt Menu Item?

In Windows Server 2003 the Command Prompt menu item has moved to the Accessories sub menu.However, Windows Server 2003 also puts a shortcut to the Command Prompt at the
top of the Start menu, above the horizontal line.

Quick Access to a Command Prompt from the GUI

If you need a quick way to get to the command window and want to open a command window in a specific location instead of using the cd
command to navigate through my computer’s hierarchy then the solution is to add a command
to open a command window on shortcut menus inWindows Explorer or My Computer.
The following steps show you how you can do this:

1. Open Regedit, and navigate to the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTDirectoryShell key.
2. Under the DirectoryShell key create a new sub key. [Selecting New | Key from the Edit menu, and name the new sub key OpenNew].
3. Open the Default data item in the right pane. Next change its value to “Command Prompt Window”. The value you enter is the phrase that appears on the shortcut menu, you can change it to whatever you like.
4. Select the OpenNew sub key, and create a new subkey beneath it, named Command Prompt.
5. Open the Default data item in the Command Prompt sub key, and enter cmd.exe /k cd %1 as the value.

Keystrokes

Here are a few keystrokes that will make your life a bit easier when working with the command line.

• To re-enter the previous command Use F3 .
• F2 followed by the first letter that was wrong in your last entry allows you to re-enter the previous command up to that letter.
• Enter dir *. to see a listing of all items without file extensions. This is useful tip for listing of directories, although it will also display any files that might not have extensions.
• Enter cd .. to move up one directory.
• Enter cd to jump to the root directory
• Enter prompt [whatever you like] to change the default prompt. Enter just prompt to reset it to default

Tags | Microsoft, Servers, Windows XP