Windows prompts

PowerShell

PowerShell is a command-line shell and scripting language built on the .NET Framework. It is the successor to the Command Prompt. Commands are called cmdlets and are written in the form Verb-Noun. For example, Get-ChildItem lists the contents of a directory. There are a few aliases for common commands, such as ls for Get-ChildItem and rm for Remove-Item.

  1. Write-Output: Prints a line in the shell
  2. New-Item: Creates a new file within the same directory
  3. Get-Content: Reads the contents of a file
  4. Set-Content: Writes the contents of a file
  5. Remove-Item: Deletes a file
  6. Get-ChildItem: Lists the contents of a directory
CommandAliasDescription
Write-OutputechoPrints a line in the shell
New-ItemtouchCreates a new file within the same directory
Get-ContenttypeReads the contents of a file
Set-ContentechoWrites the contents of a file
Remove-ItemdelDeletes a file
Get-ChildItemdirLists the contents of a directory

CMD

  1. echo <line>: Prints a line in the shell
  2. type <file>: Reads the contents of a file
  3. file operations
    1. copy <source> <target>: Copies a file
    2. move <source> <target>: Moves a file
    3. del <file>: Deletes a file
  4. dir: Lists the contents of a directory
  5. cd commands: required to change the current directory
    1. cd <dir>: Changes the current directory
    2. cd ..: Changes the current directory to the parent directory
    3. cd: Changes the current directory to the home directory
  6. mkdir <dir>: Creates a new directory
  7. system boot options
    1. shutdown /s: Shuts down the system
    2. shutdown /r: Restarts the system
    3. shutdown /l: Logs off the current user
    4. shutdown /h: Hibernates the system
    5. shutdown /a: Aborts the system shutdown
  8. computer processes
    1. tasklist: Lists all running processes
    2. taskkill /pid <pid>: Kills a process by its PID
    3. taskkill /im <name>: Kills a process by its name
  9. network operations
    1. ipconfig: Lists the network configuration
    2. ping <host>: Pings a host
  10. software management
    • Note: These commands may require administrator privileges
    1. winget install <package>: Installs a package
    2. winget uninstall <package>: Uninstalls a package
    3. winget search <package>: Searches for a package
    4. winget show <package>: Shows information about a package
    5. winget source: Lists the package sources
    6. winget source add <source>: Adds a package source
    7. winget source remove <source>: Removes a package source
  11. system information
    1. systeminfo: Lists the system information
    2. systeminfo | findstr /B /C:"OS Name" /C:"OS Version": Lists the OS information
    3. systeminfo | findstr /B /C:"System Boot Time": Lists the system boot time
    4. systeminfo | findstr /B /C:"System Manufacturer" /C:"System Model": Lists the system manufacturer and model
    5. systeminfo | findstr /B /C:"Total Physical Memory": Lists the total physical memory
    6. systeminfo | findstr /B /C:"Available Physical Memory": Lists the available physical memory
    7. systeminfo | findstr /B /C:"Virtual Memory: Max Size": Lists the maximum virtual memory
  12. computer troubleshooting
    1. sfc /scannow: Scans the system for corrupted files
    2. chkdsk: Scans the system for corrupted disks
    3. dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth: Scans the system for corrupted images
    4. dism /online /cleanup-image /startcomponentcleanup: Cleans up the system
    5. dism /online /cleanup-image /startcomponentcleanup /resetbase: Cleans up the system and resets the base
    6. dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth /source:<source>: Scans the system for corrupted images using a source
    7. dism /online /cleanup-image /startcomponentcleanup /resetbase /source:<source>: Cleans up the system and resets the base using a source

Batch files

A batch file is a text file containing a series of commands to be executed by the command interpreter. It is similar to a shell script. Batch files have the .bat extension.

  • Running a hello world script

    1. Create a file named hello.bat with the following contents:
      1
2

      @echo off
echo Hello, world!
    2. Run the script by double-clicking on it
    3. The output should be:
      1

      Hello, world!

  • Fibonacci sequence

     1
 2
 3
 4
 5
 6
 7
 8
 9
10

    @echo off
set /a a=0
set /a b=1
set /a c=0
:loop
echo %a%
set /a c=%a%+%b%
set /a a=%b%
set /a b=%c%
if %a% leq 100 goto loop

  • Logical operations in batch files

    1
2
3
4
5

    @echo off
set /a a=1
set /a b=2
set /a c=3
if %a% equ 1 if %b% equ 2 if %c% equ 3 echo True

Components of a batch file

  1. @echo off: Disables the echoing of commands
  2. echo <line>: Prints a line in the shell
  3. pause: Pauses the script until a key is pressed
  4. goto <label>: Jumps to a label