Windows Command Line Administration Instant Reference

ABOUT THE AUTHORJohn Paul Mueller, consultant, application developer, writer, and technical editor, has written over 300 articles and 86 books, including Professional IronPython. His topics range from programming and operating systems to home security and accessibility. He has contributed articles to such magazines as DevSource, asp.netPro, InformIT, SQL Server Professional, and Visual C++ Developer, among others. His website is www.mwt.net/~jmueller/.

• Introduction xixPart I: Command Line Basics 1Chapter 1: Configuring the Local Machine 3Configure the Command Window 4Set the Window Options 4Change the Font 7Choose a Window Layout 8Define the Text Colors 9Set the Environment 10Manage Environment Variables with the Set Command 10Manage Environment Variables with the SetX Utility 13Perform Common Tasks 16Clear the Display 16Determine the Operating System Version 16Start an Application 16Work with Services 18Shut Down the System 19Obtain Command Line Help 20Chapter 2: Making Remote Connections 23Configure the Remote System 24Change Security and Basic Setup 25Setup Remote Administrator 28Use the Remote Desktop Connection Application 30Create a Connection 30Use a Saved Connection 35Set the Display 35Access Local Resources 36Run a Configuration Program 38Optimize Performance 38Terminate a Session 39Use the Start Menu 40Use the Logoff Utility 40Chapter 3: Automating Tasks 41View and Manage Tasks Using Scheduled Tasks 42Configure the Task Scheduler 43View Tasks 44Create New Tasks 46Delete Existing Tasks 50Manage Tasks Using the SchTasks Command 51Use the /Create Switch 51Use the /Delete Switch 53Use the /Query Switch 53Use the /Change Switch 54Use the /Run Switch 54Use the /End Switch 54Part II: Managing Data 55Chapter 4: Working with File and Directory Objects 57Manage Directory Objects 58Find Directories 58Find Directories Using Patterns 59View the Current Directory 60Change the Current Directory 60Create Directories 61Move Directories 61Rename Directories 61Remove a Directory 62Display a Directory Structure 62Manage File Objects 63Find Files 63Find Files in Sorted Order 64Find Files by Attribute 65Find Files Using Patterns 66Copy Files 68Perform Bulk File Transfers 69Remove Files 70Move Files 71Rename a File 71Set File Attributes 71Work with File Associations and Types 72Determine File Associations 72Create File Associations 73Determine File Types 73Create File Types 73Make Data Links 74Create Simple Hard Links 75View Simple Hard Links 75Delete Simple Hard Links 75Create Hard Links Using the New Technique 76Create Symbolic Links 76Create Junctions 77Chapter 5: Administering File and Directory Content 79Execute Applications Anywhere 80View Application Paths 80Set Application Paths 80Locate Information in Files 81Find Simple Strings 81Find Complex Strings 82Display Files Containing Strings 82Perform Case Insensitive Searches 83Monitor the File System with the FSUtil Command 83Control File System Behavior 83Manage the Volume Dirty Bit 86Obtain the File System Information Using FSInfo 87Manage Quotas 88Repair File System Errors 90Display Data Files 92Display a Data File on Screen 92Employ Data Redirection 92Display Data One Page at a Time 95Chapter 6: Managing the Hard Drive 99Save Hard Drive Space 101Compress Data 101Uncompress Data 102View Compression Status 102Manage the Volume 102Get Volume Information 103Manage Volume Labels 103Format a Disk 103Mount a Volume 104Maintain the Volume 106Determine File and Directory Status 106Locate Bad Sectors 107Perform Boot-Time Disk Checks 108Improve Disk Access Performance 109Manage Partitions 110Start DiskPart 110List the Objects 111See Object Details 112Select an Object 113Rescan a Computer for Objects 114Create a Partition 114Create a Volume 116Clean a Drive 117Mark a Partition as Active 117Mark a Partition as Inactive 118Assign a Drive Letter 118Remove a Drive Letter 119Extend a Volume 119Delete an Object 120Exit DiskPart 120Chapter 7: Securing the Data 121Protect Data 122Encrypt a File or Directory 122View Encrypted Files and Directories 123Encrypt Hidden Files 124Back Up Recovery Keys and Certificates 125Add a User to a File or Directory 125Remove a User from a File or Directory 126Decrypt a File or Directory 127Change File and Directory Access 127Obtain the DACL 127Find an SID 130Grant Permission 130Deny Permission 131Remove Permission 131Set the Owner 132Verify Security 132Detect Shared Open Files 132Use the Query Option 132Use the Disconnect Option 133Use the Local Option 134Take Ownership of Files 134Set Administrator Ownership 134Set Other User Ownership 135Part III: Managing the Network 137Chapter 8: Managing the Network 139Get the Media Access Control Information 140Interact with the Network Using the Net Utility 141Manage Users 141Manage Accounts 143Manage Domains and Local Groups 146Manage Computers 149View and Close Sessions 149Perform Server Configuration 151View Workstation Configuration 153Manage Services 153Manage Files 155Obtain Help for the Net Utility 156Manage Print Jobs 157Manage Resources 158Obtain Statistics 161Configure Time Synchronization 163Chapter 9: Working with TCP/IP 165Manage the Internet Protocol 166Display the IP Information 166Renew Addresses for an Adapter 168Clear the DNS Resolver Cache 168Renew DHCP Addresses and Register DNS Names 169Release a Connection 169Use Basic Diagnostics 170Check Connections 170Trace Transmission Paths 171Track the Network Path 172Perform Detailed Network Diagnostics 173Obtain a Copy of NetDiag 174Perform a Test 175Understand Diagnostics 175Locate and Fix Minor Problems 177Get Network Statistics 177Display All Connections and Ports 177Display Application Statistics 178Display Ethernet Statistics 179Display Protocol Information 179Set a Refresh Interval 180Manipulate the Network Routing Tables 180Print the Routing Tables 180Add a New Route 181Change a Route 182Delete a Route 183Chapter 10: Creating System Connections 185Perform Remote System Management 186Create Remote Connections 186Set Up a Telephony Client 190Perform Remote Windows Management 191Execute Commands on a Remote System 206Work with Terminal Server 206Obtain Process Information 206Get Session Information 207Terminate a Session 208Disconnect an Active Session 208End Processes 208Shut Down the Terminal Server 209Part IV: Interacting with Active Directory 211Chapter 11: Configuring Directory Services 213Manage Directory Services Using the WMIC NTDomain Alias 214List the Objects 215List Object Properties 215Get an Object Property 216Set an Object Property 217Query an Association 217Manage Active Directory with the DSQuery Utility 218Interact with Servers 218Interact with Users 220Interact with Computers 223Interact with Contacts 223Interact with Groups 223Interact with Organizational Units 224Manage the Active Directory Database 225Issue a Command 225Use a Stream 226Chapter 12: Working with Directory Objects 229Create New Objects 230Add a Computer 230Add a Contact 231Add a Group 233Add an Organizational Unit 234Add a User 234Get Objects 238List Computers 238List Contacts 239List Groups 240List Organizational Units 241List Servers 241List Users 242Edit Existing Objects 243Modify Computer Data 244Modify Contact Data 245Modify Group Data 246Modify Organizational Unit Data 246Modify User Data 246Move Existing Objects 248Delete Existing Objects 248Part V: Performing Diagnostics 251Chapter 13: Monitoring System Events 253Create Simple System Events 254Trigger System Events 257Create an Event 258Delete an Event 261Query an Event 261Manage Event Information 262Display a List of Publishers 262Get a Publisher 262Enumerate the Logs 263Query Log Events 264Get a Log 267Get Log Status Information 267Set a Log 267Export a Log 269Archive a Log 270Clear a Log 270Chapter 14: Monitoring System Performance 271Add Performance Counters 272Load a Performance Counter 272Save Performance Counter Settings 273Restore Performance Counter Settings 273Manage Performance Logs and Alerts 274Create a Performance Log 274Start Collecting Data 276Stop Collecting Data 276Query a Collection 277Update a Collection 277Delete a Collection 278Create New Performance Logs from Existing Logs 278Remove Performance Counters 281Convert Event Trace Logs 281Part VI: Performing Maintenance 283Chapter 15: Performing Basic Maintenance 285Configure the Server 286Understand the SQL Syntax of WMIC 287Use Aliases in WMIC 290Get Help in WMIC 302Format Data in WMIC 306Translate Data in WMIC 310Activate Windows 311Perform an Activation 311Display the Activation Information 312Change the Product Key 312Manage the System Time 312Update the Time 313Configure a Time Source 313Obtain Time Settings Information 314Manage the Boot Configuration 315Enumerate the Configurations 315Get BCDEdit Help 316Edit an Existing Boot Setting 317Change the Boot Sequence 318Set the Default Boot Item 318Chapter 16: Managing System Users 319Audit User Access 320List the Policies 321Get a Policy 322Set a Policy 326Perform a Backup 327Perform a Restore 327Clear an Audit Policy 328Remove an Audit Policy 328Work with Group Policies 328Obtain Group Policy Results 328Manage Group Policies 330Obtain Session Status Information 331Get Process Information 331Get Session Information 331Get User Information 332Get Terminal Server Information 332Get the User’s Identity 332Obtain User Logon Information 333Discover User Identity 333Chapter 17: Securing the System 335Add Virus and External Intrusion Protection 337Remove Viruses 337Detect and Remove Malicious Software 338Verify System Files 339Verify Drivers 340Change the Verifier Settings 342Configure Local Security Policies 344Perform an Analysis 344Configure Security Policies 345Export Policies 345Import Policies 346Validate a Policy File 346Work with General Applications 347Use TaskKill and TaskList Filters 347Terminate Tasks 350List Applications 350List Services 351Chapter 18: Interacting with the Registry 353Perform Basic Registry Tasks 354Export a Registry Key 356Import a Registry Key 357Delete a Registry Key 357Save the Registry 358Restore the Registry 358Use the SCRegEdit Script 358Set Automatic Updates 359Enable Terminal Services 359Configure the IP Security (IPSec) Monitor 360Manage the DNS Service Priority and Weight 361Use the Command Line Reference 361Manage the Registry 362Understand the Registry Settings 362Query a Registry Entry 363Add a Registry Entry 364Delete a Registry Entry 365Copy a Registry Entry 366Compare Registry Entries 366Export Registry Entries 367Import Registry Entries 367Restore Registry Entries 368Part VII: Creating Batch Files 369Chapter 19: Changing the Batch File Environment 371Use the CMD Switches 372Configure the Command Interpreter in the Registry 375Use Command Extensions 377Modify Config.NT 380Use ANSI.SYS to Control the Environment 382Set the Command Interpreter Location 382Run Character Mode Applications Only 383Display the Config.NT Commands 383Control the Expanded Memory EMM Entry 383Set the Number of Accessible Files 384Control Extended Memory with HIMEM.SYS 385Modify AutoExec.NT 387Set the Code Page Number with the CHCP Utility 387Add DPMI Support Using the DosX Utility 388Enable Graphics Character Support with the GrafTabl Utility 389Save Memory Using the LH Command 389Install the Network Redirector Using the ReDir Utility 389Chapter 20: Working at the Command Prompt 391Redirect Command Line Output to the Clipboard 392Manage Usernames and Passwords 393Display Usernames 393Create Users 394Delete Users 394Change Screen Colors 395Configure the System Date 396Configure the System Time 396Change the Command Window Title 397Chapter 21: Creating and Testing Batch Files 399Use Batch File Commands 400Employ the Call Command 401Employ the Choice Command 403Employ the Echo Command 406Employ the Exit Command 406Employ the ForFiles Utility 407Employ the For Command 409Employ the GoTo Command 414Employ the If Command 414Employ the Pause Command 418Employ the Prompt Command 418Employ the Rem Command 419Employ the TimeOut Utility 420Test Batch Files 420Add Debug Information to Batch Files 421Identify Batch Files and Their Actions 425Use a Centralized Data Store 428Store and Retrieve Directories with the PushD and PopD Commands 430Part VIII: Creating Scripts 433Chapter 22: Discovering Scripting Basics 435Use Scripting Languages 436Learn the Basics of JavaScript 436Learn the Basics of VBScript 438Use the Windows Scripting File 439Execute Scripts 442Run Scripts with the CScript and WScript Utilities 442Configure the Host and Property Page Options 444Chapter 23: Using the Scripting Objects 447Use the WScript Object 449Use the WScript Properties 449Use the WScript Methods 451Use the WScript.WshArguments Object 454Use the WScript.WshShell Object 455Use the WScript.WshNetwork Object 457Use the WScript.WshNetwork Properties 457Use the WScript.WshNetwork Methods 458Create a Basic Script 462Script the Command Line and System Environment 463Script the Registry 466Create .LNK Files 468Chapter 24: Creating Advanced Scripting Examples 471Script Registry Entries 472Script Networking Solutions 473Discover the NetSH Helper List 473Get NetSH Help 474Execute NetSH Commands 476Understand the Basic NetSH Contexts 476Use the Root Context Commands 478Impersonate a User 480Change the Environment 481Change Logons, Ports, and Users 481Enable or Disable Session Logons Directly 482List COM Port Mappings 482Modify the Install Mode 482Map a Network Drive 483Create a .CSV File 487Appendix A: Alphabetical Command List 493Appendix B: Topical Command List 505Appendix C: Listing of Best Practices 521Always Verify the Data 522Real Administrators Use Help 523Test Your Theories on a Test System 524Use Batch Files, Scripts, and Written Procedures 525Make Backups 526Perform User-Specific Changes during Downtime 526Index 529