🖥️ All Essential Windows CMD Commands for Diagnostics, Repair & System Management

📅 Published: October 29, 2026

The Command Prompt (CMD) is one of the oldest and most important tools in Windows for running commands, diagnosing the system, fixing certain failures, and managing files, networking, processes, and services. Although Microsoft recommends PowerShell for modern automation, CMD commands remain extremely useful for daily diagnostics and maintenance. [1]

This guide collects the most important CMD commands that Windows users and support technicians need, with explanations and ready-to-copy examples.

⚠️ Before you begin:

• Run system-changing commands with care
• Some commands require opening CMD as Administrator
• Some may delete files, terminate programs, disconnect the network, or modify disk settings
• Back up your data before advanced repair commands
• Never run a command whose effect you don’t understand

📑 Table of Contents

🚀 How to Open CMD as Administrator

Method 1: From the Start Menu

Method 2: Keyboard shortcut

Press Win + R and type:

cmd

💡 Tip: To request admin rights from the Run dialog, press Ctrl + Shift + Enter after typing cmd.

How do you know CMD is running as Administrator?

📏 Important Rules Before Using CMD

🎯 Six golden rules

📂 File & Navigation Commands

Full command table

🗂️ Folder command details

cd — Navigate between folders

cd C:\Users          :: Go to a folder
cd ..                :: Parent folder
cd \                 :: Drive root
cd /d D:\Backup      :: Change drive and folder

dir — List files

robocopy — Professional backup

robocopy "C:\Source" "D:\Backup" /E /Z /R:2 /W:5 /LOG:"D:\backup.log"

🚨 Warning about /MIR: This option mirrors source to destination, and may delete files in the destination that don’t exist in the source. Test with /L (simulation) first:

robocopy "C:\Source" "D:\Destination" /MIR /L

ℹ️ System Information Commands

System info command table

🔍 Details

systeminfo — Full report

systeminfo
systeminfo /fo list
systeminfo > "%USERPROFILE%\Desktop\systeminfo.txt"

💡 Use when you need: Windows version, install date, RAM, hardware info, network status — in one report.

driverquery — Driver list

driverquery
driverquery /fo csv > drivers.csv

📌 Note: This shows loaded drivers but does not prove every driver is up to date or healthy.

dxdiag — DirectX Diagnostic Tool

dxdiag

Opens the DirectX Diagnostic Tool — useful for graphics, audio, and gaming issues.

🔧 Windows System Repair Commands

🎯 Correct repair order

┌────────────────────────────┐
│  1. Backup 📦              │
└─────────────┬──────────────┘
              ↓
┌────────────────────────────┐
│  2. Open CMD as Admin 🛡️   │
└─────────────┬──────────────┘
              ↓
┌────────────────────────────┐
│  3. DISM /RestoreHealth 🔧 │
└─────────────┬──────────────┘
              ↓
┌────────────────────────────┐
│  4. SFC /scannow 🩺        │
└─────────────┬──────────────┘
              ↓
┌────────────────────────────┐
│  5. Restart 🔄             │
└────────────────────────────┘

DISM & SFC command table

🔍 Full commands

DISM /RestoreHealth — Repair Windows image

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

⏱️ Warning: Do not close the CMD window during DISM, even if the progress seems stuck for a while.

sfc /scannow — Scan system files

sfc /scannow

📊 What SFC results mean

💾 Disk Diagnostic Commands

Disk command table

🔍 chkdsk details

chkdsk C:            :: Show status
chkdsk C: /scan      :: Scan without repair
chkdsk C: /f         :: Fix file system errors
chkdsk C: /r         :: Scan bad sectors (includes /f)

🚨 Critical warning:

• If the disk makes abnormal noises → back up data first
• chkdsk repairs file system structure but does not fix a dying disk
• /r may take hours on large disks

💡 Info: Microsoft states that /r includes /f functionality and adds a physical error scan. [6]

🌐 Network Diagnostic Commands

Full networking command table

🩺 Internet troubleshooting — step by step

🎯 Diagnostic sequence

📊 Interpreting results

🔍 Main command details

ipconfig — Subcommands

ipconfig              :: Basic info
ipconfig /all         :: Full details
ipconfig /release     :: Release IP
ipconfig /renew       :: Renew IP
ipconfig /flushdns    :: Clear DNS
ipconfig /displaydns  :: Show DNS cache

⚠️ Warning: ipconfig /release may briefly disconnect you. Don’t use it on a remote machine you need to stay connected to.

ping — Test connectivity

ping 8.8.8.8              :: Default count
ping -n 10 example.com    :: 10 requests
ping -t 192.168.1.1       :: Continuous (Ctrl+C to stop)

💡 Info: Microsoft explains that ping sends ICMP requests and shows the reply and round-trip time. [3]

nslookup — DNS diagnostics

nslookup example.com
nslookup example.com 8.8.8.8        :: Query a specific DNS
nslookup -type=MX example.com       :: Query MX records

netstat — Connections & ports

netstat -ano             :: All + PID
netstat -abno            :: + program
netstat -r               :: Routing table
netstat -ano 5           :: Every 5 seconds

netsh — Network management

netsh interface show interface      :: List interfaces
netsh interface ip show config      :: IP settings
netsh wlan show wlanreport          :: WLAN report
netsh wlan show profiles            :: Saved Wi-Fi profiles
netsh winsock reset                 :: Reset Winsock
netsh int ip reset                  :: Reset TCP/IP

🔐 Privacy note: netsh wlan show profile name="SSID" key=clear may reveal a saved network password. Don’t use it on a device you don’t own.

⚙️ Process & Application Management Commands

Process command table

🔍 Details

tasklist — List processes

tasklist                              :: Basic list
tasklist /v                           :: Details
tasklist /svc                         :: Associated services
tasklist /fi "STATUS eq NOT RESPONDING"  :: Hung processes
tasklist /fo csv > processes.csv      :: Save as CSV

taskkill — Terminate a process

taskkill /pid 1234               :: By PID
taskkill /im notepad.exe         :: By name
taskkill /f /im notepad.exe      :: Force
taskkill /f /t /pid 1234         :: + child processes

🚨 Critical warning:

• /f forces termination → unsaved data loss
• Never use taskkill /f /im * → may close system processes

💡 Info: Microsoft warns that /f forcibly ends a process. [14]

🔄 Service Management Commands

Service command table

⚠️ Warning: Randomly stopping Windows services may break updates, printing, or networking. Never stop a service before understanding its role.

🔋 Power & Battery Commands

powercfg command table

🔍 Details

powercfg /batteryreport — Battery report

powercfg /batteryreport /output "%USERPROFILE%\Desktop\battery-report.html"

Generates an HTML report covering:

• 🔋 Original vs. current battery capacity
• 📊 Battery usage history
• ⏱️ Estimated battery life

powercfg /energy — Power efficiency analysis

powercfg /energy /output "%USERPROFILE%\Desktop\energy-report.html" /duration 60

💡 Tip: Close unnecessary programs and leave the device idle before running.

powercfg /requests — What blocks sleep?

powercfg /requests

Shows programs or drivers that prevent the screen from turning off or the device from sleeping.

🔌 Shutdown & Restart Commands

shutdown command table

shutdown /r /t 60 /c "Scheduled restart for maintenance"

⚠️ Warning: /f forces applications to close without warning. Use only when necessary. [16]

👤 User & Permission Commands

User command table

🔐 Security warning:

• Don’t create admin accounts on machines you don’t own
• Avoid putting passwords directly in the command
• Adding a user to Administrators grants broad privileges

📋 Logs & Scheduled Tasks Commands

Log command table

schtasks /query /fo CSV > scheduled-tasks.csv
wevtutil qe System /c:20 /rd:true /f:text

💡 Tip: Event logs help identify why a service, driver, or application crashed. Don’t delete logs just because old errors exist.

💽 Disk Commands: Special Warning

🚨 Danger zone

🔍 Safe diskpart use

diskpart
list disk
list volume
exit

🚨 Never use clean, format, or delete partition for experimentation.

• Check disk number and size first
• Take a full backup
• Choosing the wrong disk may wipe entire system data

🔐 Permission & Ownership Commands

Permission command table

icacls "C:\Reports"                              :: View
icacls "C:\Reports" /save "C:\Temp\acl.txt" /t   :: Save
icacls "C:\Reports" /restore "C:\Temp\acl.txt"   :: Restore
takeown /f "C:\OldFolder" /r /d y                :: Take ownership

⚠️ Warning: Do not randomly modify system folder permissions → may break Windows.

🎯 Quick CMD Commands by Problem

🌐 If the internet is not working

ipconfig /all
ping 127.0.0.1
ping 192.168.1.1
ping 8.8.8.8
nslookup example.com
ipconfig /flushdns
ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew

💡 If the problem persists: Check the router, VPN, proxy, firewall, and network adapter driver.

🩺 If Windows behaves abnormally

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
sfc /scannow
chkdsk C: /scan

⚠️ chkdsk C: /f only after saving your work and being ready to restart.

🔒 If an app is frozen

tasklist | findstr /i "program.exe"
taskkill /im program.exe

💡 Use /f only if the app is unresponsive.

🔋 If the battery drains quickly

powercfg /batteryreport /output "%USERPROFILE%\Desktop\battery-report.html"
powercfg /energy /output "%USERPROFILE%\Desktop\energy-report.html" /duration 60
powercfg /requests

💾 Back up a folder

robocopy "C:\Users\YourName\Documents" "D:\Backup\Documents" /E /Z /R:2 /W:5 /LOG:"D:\Backup\backup.log"

🚫 Commands You Should Never Run Casually

⛔ Dangerous command list

📌 Note: These commands are not always forbidden, but they require:

• Clear context ✅
• A backup ✅
• A rollback plan ✅

⚔️ CMD vs. PowerShell: Which Should You Use?

Comparison table

💡 Info: Microsoft notes that PowerShell was designed to extend Command shell capabilities and recommends it for stronger, more modern automation. [1]

📝 How to Save a Command Set in a Batch File

Practical example: full system report

Create a .bat file with this content:

@echo off
set "REPORT=%USERPROFILE%\Desktop\windows-report"
mkdir "%REPORT%" 2>nul
systeminfo > "%REPORT%\systeminfo.txt"
ipconfig /all > "%REPORT%\network.txt"
tasklist > "%REPORT%\processes.txt"
echo Reports created at: "%REPORT%"
pause

📖 Explanation

🚨 Security warning: Never run .bat files from unknown sources — they may contain destructive commands or privilege escalation.

❓ FAQ: Windows CMD Commands

🤔 What is the most important command to diagnose and repair Windows?

Recommended order:

1. DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
2. sfc /scannow

📌 Note: This doesn’t mean both fix every issue — the problem may be in the disk, a driver, or third-party software.

🔐 Do all CMD commands require Administrator rights?

🆚 What is the difference between CMD and Command Prompt?

They refer to the same interface — cmd.exe — the shell built into Windows. PowerShell is a broader shell with different commands, data types, and scripting style.

💽 Does chkdsk /r improve disk speed?

No. Its purpose is to check file system errors and sectors and to recover readable information. It may take a long time and does not fix permanent hardware failure.

🔧 Why is SFC not working?

🌐 How do I find my IP address in Windows?

ipconfig          :: Basic
ipconfig /all     :: Full details (DNS, DHCP, MAC)

🔒 How do I kill a non-responsive program?

tasklist | findstr /i "program"
taskkill /im program.exe

💡 Start with a normal termination, and only use /f if the program does not respond.

🪟 Do CMD commands work on Windows 10 and 11?

Most basic commands work on both, but options and results may vary depending on:

• Windows version
• Privileges
• Installed components

Check /? and Microsoft documentation for the exact command before using an advanced option.

🛠️ Can CMD commands fully repair Windows?

No. They help diagnose:

• System files ✅
• Disk ✅
• Network ✅
• Processes ✅

But they cannot fix:

• Hardware problems ❌
• Viruses ❌
• Disk failure ❌
• Driver errors ❌

Sometimes you need Safe Mode, System Restore, Windows repair, or physical hardware inspection.

🎯 Conclusion

📌 Commands worth memorizing

systeminfo
ipconfig /all
ping 8.8.8.8
nslookup example.com
tasklist
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
sfc /scannow
chkdsk C: /scan
powercfg /batteryreport
robocopy "C:\Source" "D:\Backup" /E /Z

✅ Golden tips

💡 Remember: The official reference is always the best source for exact syntax and options supported in your Windows version.

🔗 Related:

• Keyboard Shortcuts Guide (English)

📚 References

1. Windows Commands Reference — Microsoft Learn

2. ipconfig Command — Microsoft Learn

3. ping Command — Microsoft Learn

4. sfc Command — Microsoft Learn

5. Repair a Windows Image with DISM — Microsoft Learn

6. chkdsk Command — Microsoft Learn

7. nslookup Command — Microsoft Learn

8. tracert Command — Microsoft Learn

9. systeminfo Command — Microsoft Learn

10. robocopy Command — Microsoft Learn

11. netstat Command — Microsoft Learn

12. Network Shell netsh — Microsoft Learn

13. tasklist Command — Microsoft Learn

14. taskkill Command — Microsoft Learn

15. powercfg Command-Line Options — Microsoft Learn

16. shutdown Command — Microsoft Learn