The Windows command prompt is an extremely powerful tool for users and administrators to perform tasks quickly, efficiently, and without using the graphical user interface itself. Knowing how to use commands can make working with your PC easier, provide access to some advanced features, and help diagnose your system. In this article, we’ll look at a few useful commands that every Windows user should know about. First of all, to open the command prompt in Windows, do the following:

Using the Start menu:

1. Press the Start button or the Windows key on your keyboard.
2. In the search field, type “cmd” or “Command Prompt”.
3. Right-click on Command Prompt and select Run as administrator to execute commands with elevated rights.

Use a keyboard shortcut:

1. Press Win + R to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type “cmd” and press Enter.

From the Start context menu (in newer versions of Windows):

1. Right-click on the Start button or use the combination “Win + X”.
2. Select “Command Prompt” or “Windows PowerShell” (note that some versions of Windows use PowerShell instead of the command prompt).

After the command prompt window opens, you can start entering commands as described in the article and press “Enter” to execute them.

And now let’s move on to the teams themselves

ipconfig

Displays the computer’s network settings, such as the IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway. To use this command, type at the command prompt: ipconfig /all It is useful for diagnosing network problems and allows you to quickly check whether your computer is connected to the network and what settings it has. And the “flushdns ” option resets the DNS cache, fixing problems with accessing websites.

ping

Checks the availability of another computer or server on the network by measuring the response time. To use this command, type at the command prompt: ping google.com Helps you determine if your Internet or network connection is stable. Using ping allows you to quickly see if a network problem is related to a particular resource.

chkdsk

Checks the hard disk for file system errors and damaged sectors, and eventually fixes the problems found. To use this command, enter the following at the command prompt: chkdsk C: /f /r The /f option fixes file system errors, while the /r option finds and recovers information from damaged sectors. This command is useful for maintaining stable operation of the hard disk and avoiding data loss.

sfc/scannow

Checks the integrity of Windows system files and automatically repairs damaged files. To use this command, type at the command prompt: sfc /scannow As with the previous chkdsk, it is also equally useful for fixing system file errors that can affect the stability of the operating system.

tasklist

Displays a list of all active processes on the computer, similar to the Task Manager. To use this command, type at the command prompt: tasklist You will then see a list of running processes in the system, their memory usage, and identifiers, and thus be able to more accurately monitor and analyze your computer.

taskkill (not to be confused with the previous command)

Kills the processes currently running on the system. To use this command, enter at the “command prompt”: taskkill /IM notepad.exe /F The ” /IM “ parameter is used to specify the name of the process, and ” /F “ is used to force the termination. It is quite convenient for closing hung programs.
P.S notepad.exe is listed as an example of the ” notepad ” program, so you can have any other application.

netstat

Displays active network connections, ports used, and network statistics. To use this command, enter at the command prompt: netstat -an As a result, it helps you identify which programs are using network connections with the ability to track possible suspicious activity.

shutdown

Used to shut down or restart the computer. (This is in case you have problems with the standard shutdown via the start menu or the power button. To use this command, type at the “command prompt”: shutdown /s /t 30 The command will shut down the computer in 30 seconds. The /r option restarts the computer, and the /a option cancels the scheduled shutdown: shutdown /a

cls

Clears the command line screen, removing all previous text. Type at the command prompt: cls To help keep the command prompt window organized during long sessions.

tree

It shows the directory structure in a tree view and allows you to view files and folders in a convenient format. This way you can quickly find out what is in a particular folder. Enter in the “command prompt”: tree /f To summarize this article, we can only add that the ” Windowscommand prompt” is actually quite easy to use, but most importantly a useful tool that will greatly expand the capabilities of an ordinary user. With the knowledge of at least these basic commands, you will be able to manage your computer with more confidence.