Table 6-5 Command-Line Tools for Networking

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