DOS Commands (Advanced)

NOTE: DO NOT edit any registry or boot files unless you know what your doing.


Keys And their functions in command prompt.

F1 : Repeats the letters of the last command line, one by one
F2 : Displays a dialog asking user to "enter the char to copy up to" of the last command line
F3 : Repeats the last command line (Similar to DOSKEY)
F4 : Displays a dialog asking user to "enter the char to delete up to" of the last command line
F5 : Goes back one command line
F6 : Enters the traditional CTRL+Z (^z) (End-Of-File)
F7 : Displays a menu with the command line history (Similar to DOSKEY)
F8 : Cycles back through previous command lines (beginning with most recent).
F9 : Displays a dialog asking user to enter a command number (0 is for first command line)

Unix style file- and directory- name completion
Edit the registry and add/update these (REG_DWORD):

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER \Software \Microsoft \Command Processor]
CompletionChar= 9
PathCompletionChar= 9

BOOT Menu
Edit CONFIG.SYS and try it out

[MENU]
MENUITEM=DOS, DOS with CD-ROM
MENUITEM=WIN, Windows

<By using SUBMENU you will creating an extra menu(TEST)>
SUBMENU=TEST, Testing

<Using MENUDEAFAULT makes it possible to choose a certain>
<item(WIN) and if it's set also select that item after a certain>
<time(20 secs)>
MENUDEFAULT=WIN, 20

<Here is the SUBMENU it can also include other SUBMENUs>
[TEST]
MENUITEM=TEST1, Testing 1

Avoid F5 & F8 to work at startupt
Edit CONFIG.SYS and insert line at the top

SWITCHES=/F

Make a diskcopy with only one floppy disk drive
In command prompt, it will ask for a disk in drive B: , insert the disk which the copy should be placed.

DISKCOPY A: B:

System Generated Variables
%DATE%
%TIME%
%SYSTEMROOT%
%COMPUTERNAME%
%USERNAME%
%USERDOMAIN%

Specify what commands to be run when opening a command prompt
When opening a command prompt it checks the following STRING values in the registry to see if any commands should be executed :
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER \SOFTWARE \Microsoft \Command Processor]
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \SOFTWARE \Microsoft \Command Processor]
Autorun = "prompt [%computername%]$S$P$G && COLOR 0A"
Note the commands above will change the command prompt and color.

Note to specify several commands seperate them with &&, or use a batch file.

Note the cmd has a switch to disable the execution of the Autorun :
cmd /d


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SOURCE/MORE/LINKS(http://snakefoot.fateback.com/tweak/winnt/prompt.html)

Nice info...thanks alot

cheers for that, its getting pretty rare to hear people talking about the command line in windows.

Excellent post, spools. However, I believe it would be better in the tutorials forum?

(Heh, I thought you meant DoS as in 'Denial of Service'. 3 years ago it wouldn't have even crossed my mind. The times they are a changin'...)

Yes it is. I've actually just started exploring the new commands with windows 2000/XP. So many more. When I first heard about windows XP I heard that it was suppost to eliminate the command prompt all together. Then after it came out i realized that instead of removing it they just added onto it.

spools.exe: If you're just starting to explore more functions of the windows command line, I'd recommed you get the win2k resource disk. It comes with tons of useful tools.

You can download *some* of them free from m$, but not nearly as many as the disk has.
Many of them are actually just .vbs scripts, but work from CLI. Edit them to fit your needs.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000...it/default.asp

There is also a couple of extra tools on the win2k/xp disk in the \support\ folder.

Another good resource I've come to love is:
Windows 2000 Admin Scripting Little Black Book: A Concise Guide to Essential Scripting for Administration
Check out your local Boarders. They were selling this book for US $4.99. I've seen it on two shelves they put out front at different boarders. Guess they're just trying to get rid of it?

Awesome, thankyou very much.

cheers for that link phishphreek80 i`m downloading some of them now, the`ll deffently come in usefull.

wow phishphreek80, good advice....thanks

Good job, Spools! Nice link!