Windows Important Commands

Removable Storage Operator Requests - ntmsoprq.msc
Resultant Set of Policy (XP Prof) - rsop.msc
Scanners and Cameras - sticpl.cpl
Scheduled Tasks - control schedtasks
Security Center - wscui.cpl
Services - services.msc
Shared Folders - fsmgmt.msc
Shuts Down Windows - shutdown
Sounds and Audio - mmsys.cpl
Microsoft Movie Maker - moviemk
Microsoft Powerpoint (if installed)- powerpnt
Microsoft Word (if installed)- winword
Microsoft Syncronization Tool - mobsync
Mouse Properties - control mouse,main.cpl
Netmeeting - conf
Network Connections - control netconnections
Network Connections - ncpa.cpl
Network Setup Wizard - netsetup.cpl
Object Packager - packager
ODBC Data Source Administrator- odbccp32.cpl
On Screen Keyboard - osk
Outlook Express - msimn
Paint – pbrush
Keyboard Properties - control keyboard
Accessibility Controls - access.cpl
Add Hardware Wizard - hdwwiz.cpl
Add/Remove Programs - appwiz.cpl
Administrative Tools - control admintools
Bluetooth Transfer Wizard - fsquirt
Calculator - calc
Certificate Manager - certmgr.msc
Character Map - charmap
Check Disk Utility - chkdsk
Clipboard Viewer - clipbrd
Command Prompt - cmd
Component Services - dcomcnfg
Computer Management - compmgmt.msc
Date and Time Properties - timedate.cpl
DDE Shares - ddeshare
Device Manager - devmgmt.msc
Direct X Troubleshooter - dxdiag
Disk Cleanup Utility - cleanmgr
Disk Defragment - dfrg.msc
Disk Management - diskmgmt.msc
Disk Partition Manager - diskpart
Display Properties - control desktop,desk.cpl
Display Properties (w/Appearance Tab Preselected) - control color
Dr. Watson System Troubleshooting Utility - drwtsn32
Driver Verifier Utility - verifier
Event Viewer - eventvwr.msc
File Signature Verification Tool - sigverif
Folders Properties - control folders
Fonts - control fonts
Fonts Folder - fonts
Game Controllers - joy.cpl
Group Policy Editor (XP Prof) - gpedit.msc
Iexpress Wizard - iexpress
Indexing Service - ciadv.msc
Internet Properties - inetcpl.cpl
IP Configuration (Display Connection Configuration) - ipconfig /all
IP Configuration (Display DNS Cache Contents) - ipconfig /displaydns
IP Configuration (Delete DNS Cache Contents) - ipconfig /flushdns
IP Configuration (Release All Connections) - ipconfig /release
IP Configuration (Renew All Connections) - ipconfig /renew
IP Configuration (Refreshes DHCP & Re - Registers DNS) -ipconfig /registerdns
IP Configuration (Display DHCP Class ID) - ipconfig /showclassid
IP Configuration (Modifies DHCP Class ID) - ipconfig /
SQL Client Configuration - cliconfg
System Configuration Editor - sysedit
System Configuration Utility - msconfig
System File Checker Utility (Scan Immediately)- sfc /scannow
System File Checker Utility (Scan Once At Next Boot)- sfc /scanonce
System File Checker Utility (Scan On Every Boot) - sfc /scanboot
System File Checker Utility (Return to Default Setting)- sfc /revert
System File Checker Utility (Purge File Cache)- sfc /purgecache
System File Checker Utility (Set Cache Size to size x)-sfc/cachesize=x
System Information - msinfo32.
System Properties - sysdm.cpl
Task Manager – taskmgr
User Account Management- nusrmgr.cpl
Windows Address Book Import Utility - wabmig
Windows Backup Utility (if installed)- ntbackup
Windows Firewall- firewall.cpl
Windows Magnifier- magnify
Windows Management Infrastructure - wmimgmt.msc
Windows Media Player - wmplayer
Windows Messenger - msmsgs
Windows Picture Import Wizard (need camera connected)- wiaacmgr
Windows XP Tour Wizard - tourstart
Wordpad - write
Performance Monitor - perfmon.msc
Phone and Modem Options - telephon.cpl
Phone Dialer - dialer
Power Configuration - powercfg.cpl
Printers and Faxes - control printers
Printers Folder – printers
Private Character Editor - eudcedit
Regional Settings - intl.cpl
Registry Editor - regedit
Remote Access Phonebook - rasphone
Remote Desktop - mstsc
Private character editor = eudcedit.exe (allows creation or modification of characters)
Windows Media Player 5.1 = mplay32.exe (Retro version of Media Player, very basic).
Microsoft Synchronization Manager = mobsync.exe (appears to allow synchronization of files on the network for when working offline. Apparently undocumented).
ODBC Data Source Administrator = odbcad32.exe (something to do with databases)
Object Packager = packager.exe (to do with packaging objects for insertion in files, appears to have comprehensive help files).
Program Manager = progman.exe (Legacy Windows 3.x desktop shell).
Remote Access phone book = rasphone.exe (documentation is virtually non-existant).
Network shared folder wizard = shrpubw.exe (creates shared folders on network).
File siganture verification tool = sigverif.exe
Volume Control = sndvol32.exe
System Configuration Editor = sysedit.exe (modify System.ini & Win.ini just like in Win98! ).
Syskey = syskey.exe (Secures XP Account database - use with care, it's virtually undocumented but it appears to encrypt all passwords, I'm not sure of the full implications).
Microsoft Telnet Client = telnet.exe
Driver Verifier Manager = verifier.exe (seems to be a utility for monitoring the actions of drivers, might be useful for people having driver problems. Undocumented).
Windows for Workgroups Chat = winchat.exe (appears to be an old NT utility to allow chat sessions over a LAN, help files available).
Certificate Manager - certmgr.msc
Component Services - dcomcnfg
Regional Settings - intl.cpl
Telnet Client - telnet
User Account Management - nusrmgr.cpl
Utility Manager - utilman
Windows Address Book - wab
Windows Management Infrastructure - wmimgmt.msc
Windows Media Player - wmplayer
Windows Messenger - msmsgs
Windows System Security Tool - syskey
Windows Update Launches - wupdmgr
Windows Version - winver
Windows Address Book Import Utility - wabmig

Some Troubleshooting Commands

Some frequently use commands:

ipconfig - Displays IP configuration information
ping - Tests connections to other IP hosts
tracert - Displays route taken to destination
netstat - Displays network connections
nslookup - Directly queries the name server for information on a destination domain

1. Troubleshooting using Ipconfig

Ipconfig

Ipconfig is used to display the current IP configuration information for a host. Issuing this command from the command prompt will display the basic configuration information including: IP address, subnet mask and default gateway.

Ipconfig /all

The command ipconfig /all displays additional information including the MAC address, IP addresses of the default gateway and the DNS servers. It also indicates if DHCP is enabled, the DHCP server address and lease information.

How can this utility assist in the troubleshooting process? Without an appropriate IP configuration, a host can not participate in communications on a network. If the host does not know the location of the DNS servers it cannot translate names into IP addresses.

Ipconfig /release and ipconfig /renew

If IP addressing information is assigned dynamically, the command ipconfig /release will release the current DHCP bindings. Ipconfig /renew will request fresh configuration information from the DHCP server. A host may contain faulty or outdated IP configuration information and a simple renewal of this information is all that is required to regain connectivity.

If after releasing the IP configuration, the host is unable to obtain fresh information from the DHCP server, it could be that there is no network connectivity. Verify that the NIC has an illuminated link light, indicating that it has a physical connection to the network. If this does not solve the problem, it may be an issue with the DHCP server or network connections to the DCHP server.

2. Troubleshooting using Ping

Ping

If the IP configuration appears to be correctly configured on the local host, next, test network connectivity by using ping. Ping is used to test if a destination host is reachable. The ping command can be followed by either an IP address or the name of a destination host, as for example:

ping 192.168.1.2

ping www.google.com

When a ping is sent to an IP address, a packet known as an echo request is sent across the network to the IP address specified. If the destination host receives the echo request, it responds with a packet known as an echo reply. If the source receives the echo reply, connectivity is verified.

If a ping is sent to a name, such as www.google.com , a packet is first sent to a DNS server to resolve the name to an IP address. Once the IP address is obtained, the echo request is forwarded to the IP address and the process proceeds. If a ping to the IP address succeeds, but a ping to the name does not, there is most likely a problem with DNS.

If pings to both the name and IP address are successful, but the user is still unable to access the application, then the problem most likely resides in the application on the destination host. For example, it may be that the requested service is not running.

If neither ping is successful, then network connectivity along the path to the destination is most likely the problem. If this occurs, it is common practice to ping the default gateway. If the ping to the default gateway is successful, the problem is not local. If the ping to the default gateway fails, the problem resides on the local network.

The basic ping command usually issues four echoes and waits for the replies to each one. It can, however, be modified to increase its usefulness. The Options listed in the graphic display additional features available.

3. Troubleshooting using Tracert

Tracert

The ping utility can verify end-to-end connectivity. However, if a problem exists and the device cannot ping the destination, the ping utility does not indicate where the connection was actually dropped. To accomplish this, another utility known as tracert must be used.

The Tracert utility provides connectivity information about the path a packet takes to reach the destination and about every router (hop) along the way. It also indicates how long a packet takes to get from source to each hop and back (round trip time). Tracert can help identify where a packet may have been lost or delayed due to bottlenecks or slowdowns in the network.

The basic tracert utility will only allow up to 30 hops between a source and destination device before it assumes that the destination is unreachable. This number is adjustable by using the -h parameter. Other modifiers, displayed as Options in the graphic, are also available.

4. Troubleshooting using Netstat

Netstat

Sometimes it is necessary to know which active TCP connections are open and running on a networked host. Netstat is an important network utility that can be used to verify those connections. Netstat lists the protocol in use, the local address and port number, the foreign address and port number, and the state of the connection.

Unexplained TCP connections can pose a major security threat. This is because they can indicate that something or someone is connected to the local host. Additionally, unnecessary TCP connections can consume valuable system resources thus slowing down the host's performance. Netstat should be used to examine the open connections on a host when performance appears to be compromised.

Many useful Options are available for the netstat command.

5. Troubleshooting using Nslookup

Nslookup

When accessing applications or services across the network, individuals usually rely on the DNS name instead of the IP address. When a request is sent to that name, the host must first contact the DNS server to resolve the name to the corresponding IP. The host then uses IP to package the information for delivery.

The nslookup utility allows an end-user to look up information about a particular DNS name in the DNS server. When the nslookup command is issued, the information returned includes the IP address of the DNS server being used as well as the IP address associated with the specified DNS name. Nslookup is often used as a troubleshooting tool for determining if the DNS server is performing name resolution as expected.