Productivity Cheat Sheet 26: Command and Conquer

Wading through mouse-driven menus has almost become a way of life for us computing souls. Tearing ourselves away from the snug, secure feel of that smooth oblong object against the palm is not an easy. Yes, old habits may die hard. Especially when they have become so internalised in our work processes. But try these Windows command line shortcuts and you'll see how much time a just little key-tapping can save you in delving in and out of menu and sub-menus. Many of these are commands you never even knew existed!

For those who want to clear the cobwebs first: A command line is defined as a blank line onscreen which receives typed-in instructions from the user. DOS and Unix are total command line interfaces. Windows is graphical user interface (GUI) with a command line module that people can use to perform several tasks more directly and efficiently than via a graphical user interface.

To access the Windows command line, you need to launch the Windows Run command. For this, press the Windows key + R, or click on the Start button and then on Run. The blank dialog field provided is where you type in the action commands.

(Remember some of commands listed here will only work if the associated component/device is installed in your system.)

TO LAUNCH TYPE IN
Accessibility Controls access.cpl
Add Hardware Wizard hdwwiz.cpl
Add/Remove Programs appwiz.cpl
Administrative Tools control admintools
Automatic Updates wuaucpl.cpl
Bluetooth Transfer Wizard fsquirt
Calculator calc
Certificate Manager certmgr.msc
Character Map charmap
Check Disk Utility chkdsk
Clipboard Viewer clipbrd
Command Prompt cmd
Component Services dcomcnfg
Computer Management compmgmt.msc
Device Manager devmgmt.msc
Direct X Control Panel directx.cpl
Direct X Troubleshooter dxdiag
Disk Cleanup Utility cleanmgr
Disk Defragment dfrg.msc
Disk Management diskmgmt.msc
Disk Partition Manager diskpart
Display Properties control desktop
Display Properties desk.cpl
Display Properties (with Appearance tab pre-selected) control color
Dr. Watson System Troubleshooting Utility drwtsn32
Driver Verifier Utility verifier
Event Viewer eventvwr.msc
File Signature Verification Tool sigverif
Findfast findfast.cpl
Folders Properties control folders
Fonts control fonts
Fonts Folder fonts
Free Cell Game freecell
Game Controllers joy.cpl
Group Policy Editor (XP Professional) gpedit.msc
Hearts Game mshearts
Iexpress Wizard iexpress
Indexing Service ciadv.msc
Internet Properties inetcpl.cpl
IP Configuration (displays connection configuration) ipconfig /all
IP Configuration (displays DNS cache contents) ipconfig /displaydns
IP Configuration (deletes DNS cache contents) ipconfig /flushdns
IP Configuration (releases all connections) ipconfig /release
IP Configuration (renew all Connections) ipconfig /renew
IP Configuration (refreshes DHCP & re-registers DNS) ipconfig /registerdns
IP Configuration (displays DHCP Class ID) ipconfig /showclassid
IP Configuration (modifies DHCP Class ID) ipconfig /setclassid
Java Control Panel jpicpl32.cpl
Java Control Panel javaws
Keyboard Properties control keyboard
Local Security Settings secpol.msc
Local Users and Groups lusrmgr.msc
Logs out of Windows logoff
Microsoft Chat winchat
Minesweeper Game winmine
Mouse Properties control mouse
Mouse Properties main.cpl
Network Connections control netconnections
Network Connections ncpa.cpl
Network Setup Wizard netsetup.cpl
Notepad notepad
Nview Desktop Manager nvtuicpl.cpl
Object Packager packager
ODBC Data Source Administrator odbccp32.cpl
On Screen Keyboard osk
Opens AC3 Filter ac3filter.cpl
Password Properties password.cpl
Performance Monitor perfmon.msc
Performance Monitor perfmon
Phone and Modem Options telephon.cpl
Power Configuration powercfg.cpl
Printers and Faxes control printers
Printers Folder printers
Private Character Editor eudcedit
Quicktime QuickTime.cpl
Regional Settings intl.cpl
Registry Editor regedit
Registry Editor regedit32
Remote Desktop mstsc
Removable Storage ntmsmgr.msc
Removable Storage Operator Requests ntmsoprq.msc
Resultant Set of Policy (XP Professional) rsop.msc
Scanners and Cameras sticpl.cpl
Scheduled Tasks control schedtasks
Security Center wscui.cpl
Services services.msc
Shared Folders fsmgmt.msc
Shuts Down Windows shutdown
Sounds and Audio mmsys.cpl
Spider Solitaire Card Game spider
SQL Client Configuration cliconfg
System Configuration Editor sysedit
System Configuration Utility msconfig
System File Checker Utility (scan immediately) sfc /scannow
System File Checker Utility (scan once at next boot) sfc /scanonce
System File Checker Utility (scan on every boot) sfc /scanboot
System File Checker Utility (return to default setting) sfc /revert
System File Checker Utility (purge file cache) sfc /purgecache
System File Checker Utility (set cache size to size x) sfc /cachesize=x
System Properties sysdm.cpl
Task Manager taskmgr
Telnet Client telnet
User Account Management nusrmgr.cpl
Utility Manager utilman
Windows Firewall firewall.cpl
Windows Magnifier magnify
Windows Management Infrastructure wmimgmt.msc
Windows System Security Tool syskey
Windows Update Launches wupdmgr
Windows XP Tour Wizard tourstart
Wordpad write