As heard on 7MS #357
Basically, you can do Windows Key + R then type cmd and Enter for quick access to command line.
But lets do some more fun stuff. Wanna open a command window from the desktop and launch a command in one swoop? Try this:
cmd /k <command>
For example:
cmd /k ping 192.168.0.1
The cmd /k part opens a command window, and then ping 192.168.0.1 can be whatever command you also want to run on the fly.
And if you want to start programs and/or open files right from the command line, you can do that (in most cases) by just typing the program name, like:
notepad
Or, get really fancy and add a document name after the command. For example:
notepad meow.txt
If meow.txt doesn't exist, Notepad will simply ask you to create it!
Call me crazy, but the Windows find/search feature sometimes doesn't find stuff that I know is there. So I still like using old school DOS commands for this. I might do something like:
cd \
dir /s *brian*.doc
The dir stands for directory, and the /s tells the system to search recursively.
I also like this one:
dir /s *brian*.doc /p
This one does a recursive search for brian.doc and then the /p tells the system to pause one screen at a time. Kind of like the Linux more command.
Who needs to use the mouse when you can just do Windows Key + R and then
shutdown -r -t 1
This tells the system to reboot with a countdown timer of 1 second (so pretty much right away).
Wanna jump right to the network control panel but don't wanna dig through various control panel menus?
Do Windows Key + R plus:
ncpa.cpl
Boom! Opens the network control panel.
I also like Windows Key + R plus:
diskmgmt.msc
That brings up the disk management interface so you can resize/format/rename disks, etc.
How about jumping right to the local users/groups on the machine so you can make adjustments - like cough not making everybody a local admin! Just do Windows Key + R plus:
lusrmgr.msc
An old boss of mine said he remembered this shortcut by thinking of "loser manager" ;-)