In Windows XP has about 30 new console commands. However, one aspect is still not clearly understood, in favour of Windows: the alleged use of the console in that not only unpopular OS (which is largely true), but also inefficient, ineffective, etc. In fact, this idea is not entirely correct, but Soil it certainly exists. Take almost any book (is not necessarily "for Dummies") on Windows - certainly on the command line, there is no single word.

This was primarily attributable to the architectural features of the OS, which it is impossible to imagine outside of the graphical user interface (as opposed to Unix clone). Naturally, striking design - not an end in itself, even though many are responding to it users, especially beginners. Graphic supply information, in many cases, really comfortable (say, the choice of several options for becoming lot more visual and obvious), and not only in the computer world. However, this age-old dispute concerns not just the OS, and that it is not possible to prove - each their tastes and habits is not easy to part with them, nor need.

The second cause of concern particularly acute criticism from the apologists Unix, is a relative "scarcity" console funds. The variety of command interpreters Windows is not really shines. However, it should be clearly understood the difference between the operating system created and accompanied by (now, Priest and the eyelids centuries), a single company and the operating system, which employs over whole community of programmers - often their views are very different. It looks like Microsoft is pleased with the standard capabilities CMD, transcend its vision of the "ideal" system, but nothing prevents a third party to use (and sometimes very good) development, or even like Kixtart Cygwin, rescheduled for Windows directly from Unix.

Either way, but for many standard tasks really needed alternative means to address them, including from the command line. Eventually, remote management, including Telnet, operating systems Microsoft is not alien. I must say their arsenal (in the Windows submitted already mentioned CMD console and utilities) is actually not too meager. What is a team only net, allowing all to perform basic administrative tasks - "hand" or from command files and scripts (scripts). On the other hand, the goal of renaming workstation in the domain can be performed only from the command line using netdom (its need to install additional together with a package Support Tools, located in a folder on SupportTools installation CD-ROM). Similarly, to rename itself domain also require a special tool.

Moreover, from release to release teamwork support only Microsoft OS is increasing, not least by the feedback from users. For example, in Windows a long time for some reason there was no special utility to restart, and had to use all kinds of tricks like

for Windows 9 x or third-party software developers. In Windows XP has finally given a full-fledged shutdown utility (similar spread above composed Resource Kit) that can be turned off or reboot as a local or remote system (if you have permission), while alerting the operator etc. .

Suffice full information on the command line utility is Windows XP contained in a standard reference system, but faster and more convenient to use a separate document by using hh ntcmds.chm. In particular, a special section describes about 30 teams utilities (by the way, some realized in the form of scripts WSH), the first time included in the OS. Among them: defrag - for the defragmentation process automation, tasklist, and taskkill - for the management tasks and processes, schtasks - to plan assignments, etc.

Quite interesting group of software tools for use with systemic events: eventcreate allows the administrator to create their own entries in the journal, say, in the performance of specific scripts or command files and eventtriggers - to handle the special procedure "starters" strike when certain records and performing prescribed actions. For example, the following command will ensure the appropriate administrator sending messages (in the bat-file contains one line with the net send) during installation / removal software through the Windows Installer service:

Utility fsutil, among other things, allows you to use the most ingenious opportunities NTFS file system, including creating the so-called "hard links" (hardlinks), ie, a few of catalogue entries pointing to the same physical data on disk and manage large "diluted" (sparse) files in order to save disk space.

Some commands Windows XP actually constitute a separate console casing. This includes, for example, the program includes a breakdown of the hard disk diskpart - her ability to go far beyond the customary fdisk. Naturally, a console (interactive) regime is not always convenient, so you can automate operations with the help of special scenarios.

Similarly WMIC provides access to the functionality of Windows Management Instrumentation subsystem. But for most tasks WMI model is too heavy (especially in terms of the development of this technology) tool, it is usually fairly "traditional" command and utilities Windows XP, especially since many of them (such as the already mentioned shutdown ) supports remote mode. In general, he describes the following standard set of command line parameters:

where the system - the name of the remote computer, a username and password allow perform tasks on behalf of a particular user with the necessary credentials. Interestingly, as a remote platform can serve as Windows XP or Windows 2000 (with some restrictions or incompatibilities, we have not yet encountered), but for Windows 9x issued the following warning: "ERROR: The Target system must be running Windows XP or above. "

Another class of commands and utilities designed for use in the Recovery Console, some - like fixboot and fixmbr for restoring boot partition and MBR respectively - are available only here. Take more than a decent excuse not to forget the console mode and good old text commands. Thus, the graphical user interface and command line are not mutually exclusive concepts, simply means each good for their situation, and true professionalism is the ability to choose the optimal one.