Command Prompt
Though most users have given up on using the command prompt years ago, technicians still frequently access it to perform many functions. To start a command prompt session, click on the Start menu and click on Run. Type in cmd to open a command prompt.
To enter a command, just start typing. All commands in the Command Prompt are entered via the keyboard. To see the available options for a command, type in the command name followed by /?, such as: dir /?
Common Drive Commands
You will often find that you use the Command Prompt to perform disk drive, directory, and file related maintenance. There are several commands you should be familiar with for the exam:
Convert
The Convert command converts a drive from FAT to NTFS (though it cannot convert the other direction). You will use this command commonly if setup installs the drive in FAT format. This command is one of the frequently asked questions on the exam. The format for this command is:
Convert C: /FS:NTFS
This will convert the C: drive to the NTFS file system. If you wanted to convert the E: drive, simply change the drive letter like this: convert E: /FS:NTFS.
Format
The Format command formats a disk – from a floppy disk through an entire hard disk. Since the format command destroys data, ensure you use it correctly. The command format can be as simple as:
Format a:
Format /? shows you all of options available for the format command. You could perform a command like this:
Format e: /FS:NTFS /Q /C
This command formats the E: drive with the NTFS file system, quick, with compression enabled by default.
Dir
The dir command shows a listing of the current directory. You should become familiar with the different options available with the dir command.
With the dir command, you can also show files meeting a certain filename pattern, such as this command:
Dir *.doc /S
This will show you all .doc (Microsoft Word) files in all of the subdirectories on the current drive.
Command commands you should know for the exam include dir /w which shows a directory the width of screen and dir /p which pauses each screen length of data for you to view and press any key to continue.
MD
The MD command creates a directory. For example:
md MyFolder
This command creates a folder named MyFolder in the current directory.
RD
The RD command removes a directory.
CD
The CD command changes the current directory. Common uses include cd .. which changes the directory up one directory and cd/ which will change the root of the current drive. In addition to changing to a directory on the current drive, you can use a command such as cd e: to change to the e: drive.
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