Windows Commands

Question 1

Display a list of available commands and their descriptions.

Answer 1

help

Question 2

Display a description of a specific command.

Answer 2

help commandname

Question 3

Display a command’s syntax and parameters/options

Answer 3

command/?

Question 4

Clear the command-prompt window.

Answer 4

cls

Question 5

Close the command-prompt window.

Answer 5

exit

Question 6

View the contents of a directory (known as a folder in the Windows interface).

Answer 6

dir

Question 7

Create a directory.

Answer 7

md

Question 8

Change from one directory to another.

Answer 8

cd

Question 9

Delete (remove) a directory.

Answer 9

rd

Question 10

Delete files.

Answer 10

del

Question 11

Copy files from one location to another.

Answer 11

copy

Question 12

Copy files, directories, and subdirectories.

Answer 12

xcopy

Question 13

Copy files and directories. This command was introduced in Windows Vista and provides a more robust tool to replace xcopy.

Answer 13

robocopy

Question 14

Extract files from a cabinet file, which have a .cab file extension.

Answer 14

extract

Question 15

In Windows Vista, expands one or more compressed update files.

Answer 15

expand

Question 16

Create partitions on a hard disk.

Answer 16

diskpart

Question 17

Check your hard disk for corrupt files and repair them. The sfc command runs the System File Checker.

Answer 17

sfc

Question 18

Repair Windows images, Windows Setup, and Windows PE. You can use the dism command when sfc is unable to repair corrupted files.

Answer 18

dism

Question 19

Check a hard disk for file system errors and repair them. It also checks the disk surface for bad sectors. You can schedule chkdsk to run at regular intervals as part of a disk maintenance routine using tools such as Task Scheduler or third-party scheduling tools. In Windows 8 and Windows 8.1, chkdsk is scheduled to run at regular intervals in Task Scheduler.

Answer 19

chkdsk

Question 20

Format partitions on a hard disk.

Answer 20

format

Question 21

Refresh Group Policy settings, both local settings and those applied at the domain level in Active Directory.

Answer 21

gpupdate

Question 22

Display the Resultant Set of Policy information for a specific computer or user account. You can use this command and gpupdate to troubleshoot the application of Group Policy settings for users and computers.

Answer 22

gpresult

Question 23

Display a list of processes running on your computer to troubleshoot system issues.

Answer 23

tasklist

Question 24

Stop a process on your computer if you think it is interfering with the system.

Answer 24

taskkill

Question 25

Logoff the current user on the local or remote computer, or shut down the computer.

Answer 25

shutdown

Question 26

Repair your Windows installation. The bootrec tool can troubleshoot and repair the master boot record (MBR), the boot sector, and boot configuration data. You’ll need to boot the computer from the Windows installation disk to access this utility.

Answer 26

bootrec.exe

Question 27

Lists, creates, and removes network shares on the local computer.

Answer 27

Net Share

Question 28

Displays or connects to shares on remote computers

Answer 28

Net Use

Question 29

Adds, removes, and otherwise manages user accounts on the computer

Answer 29

Net User

Question 30

Lists computers and devices on the network

Answer 30

Net View

Question 31

Shows or closes open files on a server

Answer 31

Net File

Question 32

Lists or ends communication sessions with network computers

Answer 32

Net Sessions

Question 33

Sets logon and password requirements for users

Answer 33

Net Accounts

Question 34

Adds or removes a computer from a domain

Answer 34

Net Computer

Question 35

Starts a Windows service

Answer 35

Net Start

Question 36

Stops a Windows service

Answer 36

Net Stop

Question 37

Pauses a Windows service

Answer 37

Net Pause

Question 38

Continues a Windows service

Answer 38

Net Continue