Command prompts for Windows

Some of these command below can cause harmful an undesirable functions, leading to the formatting of your hard disk and data loss, while others will not run under Windows XP. As for Windows Vista the Run Tab is not visible in the start up menu. Windows Vista specific command prompts are not included.

Feel free to add any additional information and tips, you think necessary.

Here is a list of commands you can use under Microsoft Windows prearranged depending of their functionality:

Control Panel
Windows utility and applications
Disk management
Connection management
Miscellaneous commands

Control Panel

CONTROL: opens the control panel window
CONTROL ADMINTOOLS: opens the administrative tools
CONTROL KEYBOARD: opens keyboard properties
CONTROL COLOUR: opens display properties.Appearance tab
CONTROL FOLDERS: opens folder options
CONTROL FONTS: opens font policy management
CONTROL INTERNATIONAL or INTL.CPL: opens Regional and Language option
CONTROL MOUSE or MAIN.CPL: opens mouse properties
CONTROL USERPASSWORDS: opens User Accounts editor
CONTROL USERPASSWORDS2 or NETPLWIZ: User account access restrictions
CONTROL PRINTERS: opens faxes and printers available


APPWIZ.CPL: opens Add or Remove programs utility tool
OPTIONALFEATURES: opens Add or Remove Windows component utility
DESK.CPL: opens display properties. Themes tab
HDWWIZ.CPL: opens add hardware wizard
IRPROPS.CPL: infrared utility tool
JOY.CP: opens game controllers settings
MMSYS.CPL: opens Sound and Audio device Properties. Volume tab
SYSDM.CPL: opens System properties
TELEPHON.CPL: Opens phone and Modem options
TIMEDATE.CPL: Date and Time properties
WSCUI.CPL: opens Windows Security Center
ACCESS.CPL: opens Accessibility Options
WUAUCPL.CPL: opens Automatic Updates
POWERCFG.CPL: opens Power Options Properties

AZMAN.MSC: opens authorisation management utility tool
CERTMGR.MSC: opens certificate management tool
COMPMGMT.MSC: opens the Computer management tool
COMEXP.MSC or DCOMCNFG: opens the Computer Services management tool
DEVMGMT.MSC: opens Device Manager
EVENTVWR or EVENTVWR.MSC: opens Event Viewer
FSMGMT.MSC: opens Shared Folders
NAPCLCFG.MSC: NAP Client configuration utility tool
SERVICES.MSC: opens Service manager
TASKSCHD.MSC or CONTROL SCHEDTASKS: opens Schedule Tasks manager
GPEDIT.MSC: opens Group Policy utility tool
LUSRMGR.MSC: opens Local Users and Groups
SECPOL.MSC: opens local security settings
CIADV.MSC: opens indexing service
NTMSMGR.MSC: removable storage manager
NTMSOPRQ.MSC: removable storage operator requests
WMIMGMT.MSC: opens (WMI) Window Management Instrumentation
PERFMON or PERFMON.MSC: opens the Performance monitor
MMC: opens empty Console

MDSCHED: opens memory diagnostics tools
DXDIAG: opens DirectX diagnostics tools
ODBCAD32: opens ODBC Data source Administrator
REGEDIT or REGEDT32: opens Registry Editor
DRWTSN32: opens Dr. Watson
VERIFIER: opens Driver Verifier Manager
CLICONFG: opens SQL Server Client Network Utility
UTILMAN: opens Utility Manager
COLORCPL: opens color management
CREDWIZ: back up and recovery tool for user passwords
MOBSYNC: opens Synchronization center

MSCONFIG: opens System Configuration Utility
SYSEDIT: opens System Configuration Editor
SYSKEY: Windows Account Database Security management

Windows utility and applications

EPLORER: Opens windows Explorer
IEXPLORER: Opens Internet explorer
WAB: opens Contacts
CHARMAP: opens Character Map
WRITE: opens WordPad
NOTEPAD: opens Notepad
CALC: opens Calculator
CLIPBRD: opens Clipbook Viewer
WINCHAT: opens Microsoft Chat Interface
SOUNDRECORDER: opens sound recording tool
DVDPLAY: run CD or DVD

WMPLAYER: opens Windows Media Player
MOVIEMK: Opens untitled Windows Movie Maker
OSK: opens on-screen Keyboard
MAGNIFY: opens Magnifier
WINCAL: opens Calendar
DIALER: opens phone Dialer
EUDCEDIT: opens Private Character Editor

Disk management

DISKMGMT.MSC: opens disk management utility
CLEANMGR: opens disk drive clean up utility
DFRG.MSC: opens disk defragmenter
CHKDSK: complete analysis of disk partition
DISKPART: disk partitioning tool

Connection management

IPCONFIG: list the configuration of IP addresses on your PC (for more information type IPCONFIG/? in the CMD menu)
INETCPL.CPL: opens internet properties
FIREWALL.CPL: opens windows firewall
NETSETUP.CPL: opens network setup wizard

Miscellaneous commands