Windows Troubleshooting and Command Line Flashcards
Set of tools included in Windows whose purpose is to recover Windows from errors that prevent it from booting.
Can be instrumental in fixing issues that cause a computer to “freeze up”.
Windows Recovery Environment
Command Prompt to enter Windows Recovery Environment?
shutdown /r /o
Restores the computer’s system files to an earlier point in time.
System Restore
These programs are used to restore a hard drive from a backup in select editions of Windows.
System Images Recovery (Windows 7/8/8.1)
or
Windows Complete PC Restore (Windows Vista)
Automatically fixes certain problems, such as missing or damaged system files that might prevent Windows from starting correctly.
Startup Repair
Advanced users can use this terminal to perform recovery-related operations and other commands.
Command Prompt
Allows a user to access the UEFI from the OS to make changes (requires a UEFI compatible BIOS.
UEFI Firmware Settings (Windows 8 only)
Enables booting to a variety of modes.
Startup Settings (Windows 8 only)
Scans the computer’s memory (RAM) for errors.
Windows Memory Diagnostics (Windows Vista and 7 only)
How to access the advanced boot options?
The legacy default way of accessing was by pressing the F8 key during the POST.
Boot with minimal set of drivers
Video card errors, malware, BSOD, or in case of system rollback.
Options to include networking or load without GUI
Safe Mode
Safe Mode with Networking
Safe Mode with Command Prompt
Advanced booting that uses standard VGA driver in place of the specific display driver.
Enable low-resolution video (640 x 480)
Advanced booting that loads the systems last known state to work properly.
Last Known Good Configuration (advanced)
Used to restore a domain controller’s Active Directory (Windows Server).
Directory Services Restore Mode
Enables the use of debug program to examine system kernel for troubleshooting
Debugging Mode
Command line prompt that checks a drive and fixes basic issues like lost files and then displays a status report.
Chkdsk
Command line prompt that checks protected system files and replaces incorrect versions or missing files with the correct ones.
SFC (System File Checker)
Command line prompt used to format magnetic media such as hard drives and solid state media to various file formats
Type format /FS:[file system type][drive letter]:
Format
Command line prompt that enables the conversion of a volume that was previously formatted with FAT32 over to NTFS without loss of data.
Convert
Command line counterpart of Disk Management.
Program begins by typing diskpart and pressing Enter.
DiskPart
Command line of Disk Defragmenter.
Type defrag –a to analyze and use defrag –f to defragment but has less than 15% free space.
Defrag
Command line prompt that gives the ability to copy large amounts of data from one location to another, even to the point of exact copies of entire directory trees.
Copy
Command line prompt that gives the ability to copy directories that contain large amounts of data and also the ability to mirror complete directory trees from one computer to another
RoboCopy
Command line tool prepares an installation of Windows for duplication, auditing, and customer delivery.
SysPrep
Command line prompt that shows all the processes running similar to the Processes tab of the Task Manager.
Tasklist
Command line prompt that gives the ability to turn off a computer, restart it, send to hibernation, or log off a user from the command line.
Shutdown
Command line prompt that copies files from one location to another.
Copy
Command line prompt that gives the ability to expand (inflate).
A file is known to be compressed if it ends with an _
Example: ntoskrnl.exe_
Expand
Command line prompt that replaces the bootmgr file and writes a new compatible boot sector to the system partition.
bootrec /fixboot
Command line prompt that rewrites the Windows MBR to the system partition. It can also repair boot sector blocks after malware has been successfully removed.
bootrec /fixmbr
Command line prompt that repairs the BCD store.
bootrec /rebuildbcd
Command line prompt that scans all drives for installations compatible with Windows.
bootrec /ScanOS
a system utility to troubleshoot the Microsoft Windows startup process. It can disable or re-enable software, device drivers and Windows services that run at startup, or change boot parameters.
MSConfig
Linux/Mac Command Line tool that Lists directory contents
ls
Linux/Mac Command Line tool that Changes directory
cd
Linux/Mac Command Line tool that Moves files from one location to another
mv
Linux/Mac Command Line tool that copies files and directories (folders).
cp
Linux/Mac Command Line tool that Removes files and directories.
rm
Linux/Mac Command Line tool that Converts and copies a file.
dd
Linux/Mac Command Line tool that Modifies the read/write permissions for a file or directory.
chmod
Linux/Mac Command Line tool that Changes the file owner and group.
chown
Linux/Mac Command Line tool that Displays information about a process.
ps
Linux/Mac Command Line tool that Handles packages for installing, updating, or upgrading.
apt-get
Linux/Mac Command Line tool that Allows a user to execute a command as another user such as an administrator
sudo or Super User Do
Linux/Mac Command Line tool that Allows a user to run the shell as another user altogether.
su or Super User
Linux/Mac Command Line tool that Opens the text editor shell inside a terminal.
vi
Linux/Mac Command Line tool that Updates a user’s password
passwd
Linux/Mac Command Line tool that Displays the full path/filename of the working directory
pwd (present working directory)
Linux/Mac Command Line tool that Searches for matching information in specified files and displays that information.
grep
Linux/Mac Command Line tool that Shows the TCP/IP properties of a network connection.
ifconfig
Linux/Mac Command Line tool that Shows the TCP/IP properties of a wireless connection and can configure them (not available in MAC OSX)
iwconfig
Linux/Mac Command Line tool that Brings the system down but can be modified in various ways.
shutdown
a safety measure that is taken by an operating system upon detecting an internal fatal error in which it either is unable to safely recover or cannot have the system continue to run without having a much higher risk of major data loss. The term is largely specific to Unix and Unix-like systems.
Kernel Panic
Lets administrators and users view the event logs on a local or remote machine.
Event Viewer
LInux LOader and GRand Unified Bootloader are both configured as a primary boot loader (installed on the MBR) or secondary boot loader (installed onto a bootable partition).
GRUB or Lilo
a command-line tool for managing Boot Configuration Data (BCD). BCD files provide a store that is used to describe boot applications and boot application settings. Can be used for a variety of purposes, including creating new stores, modifying existing stores, adding boot menu options, and so on.
bcdedit
a command on Microsoft Windows NT-based operating systems which acts as a wrapper for editing the boot.ini file. It is used to configure, query, or change Boot.ini file settings. A similar command exists in the Recovery Console for repairing or rebuilding boot configuration files.
bootcfg
the boot loader for all releases of Windows NT operating system up to and including Windows XP and Windows Server 2003. NTLDR is typically run from the primary hard disk drive, but it can also run from portable storage devices such as a CD-ROM, USB flash drive, or floppy disk.
NT Loader
A stop error, an error screen displayed on a Windows computer system after a fatal system error, also known as a system crash: when the operating system reaches a condition where it can no longer operate safely.
Blue Screen of Death
a command-line utility in Microsoft Windows operating systems for registering and unregistering DLLs and ActiveX controls in the Windows Registry.
regsvr32
