| Command-Line Program | Use |
| NET | Various options for displaying and using network resources |
| PING | Checks network and Internet connectivity |
| TRACERT | Traces route to specified IP address or URL |
| IPCONFIG | Displays system’s IP address and other information |
| NSLOOKUP | Displays detailed information about DNS |
| NETSTAT | Displays current TCP/IP network connections and protocol |
| stats | |
Table 6-6 is a quick reference to the major command-line tools used for various operating system tasks in these versions of Windows.
Table 6-6 Command-Line Tools for System Management
| Utility | Use | Notes |
| TASKKILL | Stops unwanted processes | Equivalent to Kill in Windows |
| PowerShell | ||
| BOOTREC | Repairs boot problems | Run from Windows Vista |
| or Windows 7 Recovery | ||
| Environment | ||
| SHUTDOWN | Shut down specified computer | Can also be used to shut down |
| and restart a local or network | ||
| computer | ||
| TASKLIST | Lists running tasks | Similar to the old TLIST com- |
| mand | ||
| MD(MKDIR) | Makes a new folder (subdirectory) | Must use MKDIR in Windows |
| XP Recovery Console | ||
| CD(CHDIR) | Changes your current location to | Must use CHDIR in Windows |
| the specified folder (subdirectory) | XP Recovery Console | |
| RD(RMDIR) | Removes an empty folder | Must use RMDIR in Windows |
| XP Recovery Console | ||
| FDISK | Creates partitions on a hard disk | Replaced by Disk Management |
| using the FAT file system | in Windows XP/Vista/7 | |
| FORMAT | Prepares hard, floppy, optical, and | Can be used with any file sys- |
| external and flash drives for use | tem supported by Windows | |
| COPY | Copies one or more files to a speci- | Use wildcards (*,?) to specify |
| fied destination | files to copy | |
Chapter 6: Operating Systems 113
Utility Use Notes
XCOPY Copies groups of files to a speci-
fied destination, can create folder,
exclude specified files, and copies
various levels of attributes and
security settings
Use in place of COPY for fast-er results when copying many files or as a quick backup
| ROBOCOPY | Powerful file copying that can use | Windows Vista and 7 only |
| scripts, includes error recovery and | ||
| logging options, and can mirror | ||
| specified folders | ||
| DISKPART | Create, manage, delete disk parti- | Search for Diskpart in Windows |
| tions | Help to learn more | |
| SFC | Checks system files for validity | Must be run in administrator |
| (elevated command prompt) | ||
| mode | ||
| CHKDSK | Checks disks for errors | Must schedule disk checks |
| when system drive is being | ||
| repaired | ||
| command name /? | Displays help for most commands | To see all commands with help |
| option, type help at command | ||
| line | ||
