OS Command Line Tools

OS Command Line Tools

diskpart – Disk Partitioner

• Replaces the Pre-Windows-XP FDISK command

format – Format a disk

• Prepare a disk for use by the operating system

chkdsk – Check Disk

• chkdsk /f – Fixes logical errors on the disk
• chkdsk /r – Locates bad sectors, recovers information

md, cd, rd

• md – Make directory
• cd – Change directory
• rd – Remove directory

dir – Directory listing

• List files and directories

del – Delete

• Remove a file from a directory or disk
• del names

copy – Duplicate files

• copy /v – Verifies that new files are written correctly
• copy /y – Suppresses overwrite prompts

xcopy – Extended copy

• Copies multiple files and directory trees
• xcopy source [destination]

robocopy – Robust copy

• Functionally replaces xcopy
• Designed to handle NTFS file system details

tasklist – Task List

• Displays a list of currently running processes
• Local or remote device

taskkill – Task Kill

• Terminate tasks by process id (PID) or image name

sfc – System File Checker

• sfc /scannow – Run the check
• Scan integrity of all protected system files

shutdown

• Shutdown a computer

expand – Remove files from a Windows cabinet file

• -d – Display files in a cabinet
• > expand -d <cabinetname>
• -f:filename – Extract a file
• > extract <cabinetname> -f:filename <dest>

gpupdate – Force a Group Policy update

• gpupdate /target:{computer|user} /force

gpresult – Verify policy settings for a computer or user

• gpresult /r

Network Troubleshooting At The Command Line

ping – Test reachability

• ping <ip address> – Test reachability to a TCP/IP address
• ping -t <ip address> – Ping until stopped with Ctrl-c
• ping -a <ip address> – Resolve address to a hostname
• ping -n <count> <ip address> – Send a # of echo requests
• ping -f <ip address> – Send with Don’t Fragment flag set

ipconfig – Windows TCP/IP configuration

• ipconfig /all – Show all TCP/IP details
• ipconfig /release – Release the DHCP lease
• ipconfig /renew – Renew the DHCP lease
• ipconfig /flushdns – Flush the DNS resolver cache

ifconfig – Linux/Unix TCP/IP configuration

• ifconfig <interface> – Show TCP/IP details

tracert (Windows) or traceroute (Linux/Unix)

• Determine the route a packet takes to a destination
• Takes advantage of ICMP Time to Live Exceeded error message
• Not all devices will reply with ICMP Time Exceeded messages

netstat – Network statistics

• netstat -a – Show active connections
• netstat -b – Show binaries
• netstat -n – Do not resolve names

nbtstat – Query NetBIOS over TCP/IP information

• nbtstat -n – List local NetBIOS names
• nbtstat -A <ip address> – List remote NetBIOS names
• nbtstat -a <device name> – List remote NetBIOS IP

net – Windows network commands

• NET USE – Map a network share to a drive letter
• net use h: \\<servername>\<sharename>
• NET STOP – Stop a service
• net stop spooler
• NET START – Start a service
• net start spooler
• NET VIEW – View network resources
• net view \\<servername>

netdom – Manage Active Directory database

• Join a computer to the domain, add a domain account, etc.
• Reset domain password
• netdom resetpwd /s:server /ud:domain\User /pd:*

nslookup – Lookup information from DNS servers

• Canonical names, IP addresses, cache timers, etc.
• Find an ip address – nslookup www.professormesser.com
• Find a name – nslookup 8.8.8.8