The Command Prompt in Windows Vista provides access to well over 200 powerful commands used to automate tasks, perform troubleshooting and diagnostic tasks, and create script files.
Note: Most Windows Vista Command Prompt commands might seem a lot like MS-DOS commands. However, the Command Prompt is not MS-DOS and the commands available are not called MS-DOS commands. If you are using MS-DOS, I do have a list of DOS commands.
Not a Windows Vista User? Here are lists detailing all the Windows 8 commands, Windows 7 commands, and Windows XP commands available in those operating systems.
You can also see every command from MS-DOS through Windows 8 together in my Command Prompt commands list. That list is helpful if you're interested in why a command was removed or when it was first available. I also have a one-page table here, minus the details.
Below is a complete list of commands available in the Command Prompt in Windows Vista. These are often referred to as CMD commands:
append - lpr | makecab - tscon | tsdiscon - xcopy
Append
The append command can be used by programs to open files in another directory as if they were located in the current directory.
The append command is not available in any 64-bit version of Windows Vista.
Arp
The arp command is used to display or change entries in the ARP cache.Assoc
The assoc command is used to display or change the file type associated with a particular file extension.At
The at command is used to schedule commands and other programs to run at a specific date and time.Attrib
The attrib command is used to change the attributes of a single file or a directory.Auditpol
The auditpol command is used to display or change audit policies.Bcdedit
The bcdedit command is used to view or make changes to Boot Configuration Data.Bitsadmin
The bitsadmin command is used to create, manage, and monitor download and upload jobs.Bootcfg
The bootcfg command is used to build, modify, or view the contents of the boot.ini file, a hidden file that is used to identify in what folder, on which partition, and on which hard drive Windows Vista is located.
The bootcfg command was replaced by the bcdedit command beginning in Windows Vista. The bootcfg command is still available but it serves no purpose since boot.ini is not used in Windows Vista.
Bootsect
The bootsect command is used to configure the master boot code to one compatible with Windows Vista (BOOTMGR).
The bootsect command is only available from the Command Prompt in System Recovery Options.
