Running commands via the Command Prompt (CMD) in Windows is an essential skill for system administrators, developers, and power users. CMD allows for the execution of various tasks, such as file manipulation, system configuration, and network troubleshooting, through text-based commands. This article will guide you through the basics of using CMD, including practical examples and common commands.

Examples:

1. Navigating the File System:

• To change directories, use the cd command:
  

   cd C:\Users\YourUsername\Documents



• To list files and directories, use the dir command:
  

   dir

2. File Manipulation:

• To create a new directory:
  

   mkdir NewFolder



• To copy a file:
  

   copy C:\source\file.txt C:\destination\file.txt



• To delete a file:
  

   del C:\path\to\file.txt

3. System Configuration:

• To view the IP configuration of your network adapters:
  

   ipconfig



• To release and renew the IP address:
  

   ipconfig /release
  
   ipconfig /renew

4. Network Troubleshooting:

• To check the connectivity to a website or IP address:
  

   ping www.example.com



• To trace the route packets take to a network host:
  

   tracert www.example.com

5. Advanced Commands:

• To change file permissions using icacls:
  

   icacls C:\path\to\file.txt /grant YourUsername:F



• To view running processes:
  

   tasklist



• To kill a process by its name:
  

   taskkill /IM notepad.exe /F