Command line tools in XP that are useful

 

 

bootcfg

View your boot loader settings, such as your default OS and selection timeout, as well as your boot entries and load options.

 

 

defrag

You probably already guessed that this defrags your hard drive. Type only "defrag" into your command prompt to get a list of possible arguments, such as the drive letter and the type of output.

 

 

diskpart

Manages your disk partitions. After you type "diskpart" into your command prompt, your prompt will become "DISKPART." Type a question mark to get a list of possible arguments. Type exit to leave diskpart.

 

 

driverquery

Will get you a nice list of your drivers and their properties.

 

 

fsutil

This is a handy command. You can do everything from managing your hardlinks to querying the free space in a volume. Type "fsutil" into your command prompt, and you'll see a list of options. I choose "fsinfo" from the list, so I type "fsutil fsinfo" into the prompt. Now I get even more options, but I choose drives by typing "fsutil fsinfo drives." It's fun, it's easy, and you'll get the hang of it. Explore this utility. There are a lot of cool features and hidden twists.

 

 

getmac

This gets the MAC (Media Access Control) address.

 

 

gpresult

Get the RSoP, user settings, and computer group policy settings.

 

 

helpctr

Starts the Help and Support Center.

 

 

ipseccmd

Configures Internet protocol security (IPSec) policies in the directory service or in a local or remote Registry. Ipseccmd is a command-line version of the IP Security Policies Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-in.

 

 

netsh

A network configuration tool. Type "netsh" to enter the tool, or "netsh /?" to learn more about it. To exit this tool, type "exit" at the "netsh>" prompt.

 

 

openfiles

Allows an administrator to display or disconnect open files in XP professional. Type "openfiles /?" for a list of possible parameters.

 

 

pagefileconfig

Displays and configures the paging file Virtual Memory settings of a system.

 

 

prncnfg

Configures or displays configuration information about a printer.

 

 

prnjobs

Pauses, resumes, cancels, and lists print jobs.

 

 

recover

This command attempts to recover readable information from a damaged disk. Type "recover" to get the syntax.

 

 

reg

The console registry tool. Get syntax help when you type "reg" into the prompt. You can export the registry, copy, restore, compare, and more.

 

 

 

schtasks

The administrator can schedule, run, change, or delete tasks on a local or remote machine. Type "schtasks /?" without the quotes for a list of options.

 

 

sfc

The system file checker scans protected system files and replaces the ones you (or your applications) hacked beyond repair with the real, official Microsoft versions. Type "sfc" into the command prompt to get a list of options.

 

 

shutdown

You can shut down or restart your own computer, or an administrator can shut down or restart a remote computer. Type "shutdown" into your command prompt to see a list of possible arguments.

 

 

systeminfo

Basic system configuration information, such as the system type, the processor type, your time zone, your virtual memory settings, and much more.

 

 

tasklist

Want to know what's going on behind the scenes? Type "tasklist" into the command prompt, and get a list of current processes.

 

 

taskkill

Now that you know what's going on behind the scenes, maybe you want to shut a few of these extraneous tasks down. That's where taskkill comes in. Type "taskkill /?" for a quick lesson in the syntax of the command, then shut down all those random processes. I just killed my MS messenger by typing "taskkill /PID 1680." I got the PID from running tasklist, above.

 

 

typeperf

Writes performance-counter data to the command window or to a supported log file format.

here's me with my second son Sebastian !

 

cheers

 

anyweb

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What does everything think about a hacking section?

I added all the helpful tips that I have created on my site to this site.

 

I hope there are no double posts anywere. If there is I'm sorry.

 

There is plenty of reading.. Have fun.

Note: this is specifically directed to the internal PC Speaker, not the normal multimedia soundcards and speakers on modern equipment.

 

 

You can write a DOS batch file that beeps by doing the following- at the DOS prompt type:

echo @echo (Alt-7)>beep.bat

 

but instead of typing the characters: "(Alt-7)", you hold down the Alt key and press 7 on the numeric keypad.

Don't use the 7 on the qwerty part of the keyboard, it has to be on the keypad, and Num Lock has to be on.

 

The effect of this is to output the characters:"@echo " followed by a non-ASCII character with a decimal value of 7, into a new file called beep.bat

 

You'll probably want to set the properties for the beep.bat DOS window to close on exit too.

I wanted a simple way for me to install hotfixes with a script.

 

Some allow autoupdates to take care of this task but to me hotfixes are sometimes hotcrashes and if I am the one installed only the hotfixes I want then if they install bad I will know exactly what & why.

 

There is a utility from M$ called SUS that will download all patches and you

can tell it what to install on the clients and when.

 

It likes a lot of space though and the server I wanted to install it on

would not hold it so I had to craft another idea.

 

First idea was a logon script but login scripts run in the USERS context and

sometimes depending on what you put in the script requires certain

permissions.

 

I also only want this to run for a short while so I decided to use GPO and I

will disable the policy later.

 

I made a batch file and used group policy to to add it to computer

configuration / windows settings / startup scripts.

 

This site helped:

[/url][url=http://www.2000trainers.com/article.asp]http://www.2000trainers.com/article.asp ... 198&page=1

 

[start of file]

@ECHO OFF

VER|FIND "XP">NUL

IF NOT ERRORLEVEL 1 GOTO WinXP

VER|FIND "2000">NUL

IF NOT ERRORLEVEL 1 GOTO Win2K

GOTO BADOS

 

 

:WinXP

ECHO WinXP

GOTO END

 

:Win2K

ECHO Win2K

if exist "c:\winnt\$NtUninstallKB824146$" GOTO END

START notepad \\server\netlogon\info.txt

 

"\\server\apps\Security Patches Win2k\Windows2000-KB824146-x86-ENU.exe"

/u

/q

 

 

:BADOS

ECHO This OS is not supported

GOTO END

 

:END

[end of file]

 

INFO.TXT says:

::::Message::::::::

 

Your computer is installing the latest Microsoft Hotfix and will reboot

when

finished.

To create a login warning message (such as one reading "For Business Use Only, Unauthorized use is prohibited."), do the following

 

1] Start RegEdit (regedt32.exe)

 

2] Move down to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/Windows

NT/Current Version/Winlogin

 

3] Edit the following items:

 

1] Start RegEdit (regedt32.exe)

 

2] Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/System/CurrentControlSet/Services/Cdrom

 

3] Edit the following item:

 

For NT 3.51:

 

Use REGEDT32.EXE, and search for the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon. Fill in the keys DefaultDomainName, DefaultUserName, and DefaultPassword with the values of the already-established Windows NT user. You may have to add the DefaultPassword key.

Then choose Add Value from the menu and add a new key, named AutoAdminLogon. Select REG_SZ for the Data Type. Enter "1" (without the quotes) in the String field.

Save the changes and restart - Windows NT should automatically log the system on as that user.

 

 

For NT 4.0:

 

The Method above does not work properly with NT 4.0. The easiest method is to simply download the Microsoft TWEAKUI powertoy. It has a tab labeled "NETWORK" that allows you to specify what user id and password you want NT 4.0 to automatically use for logging on during the boot process.

 

NOTE: This can be a BIG security problem - only use it on machines that are physically secured.

By default, Windows NT 4.0 displays the name of the last person who logged on the system. This can pose a security threat, especially if a user's password can be guessed from the account name or the login environment. To turn this "feature" off take the following steps:

 

 

Launch the Registry editor. (regedt32)

Go to Hkey_Local_Machine key.

Locate the Subkey\Software\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon.

Select the ReportBootOK item.

Select Edit/New/String Value from the menu bar.

Type DontDisplayLastUserName for the string's name.

Double-click the new string to edit its value.

Change the value to 1.

Click OK.

Close the Registry editor.