Who still uses command line in Windows?
By Koalemos
@Asylum (47893)
Manchester, England
November 11, 2015 4:41am CST
In the days of DOS, entering instructions in command line format was imperative, but Microsoft Windows attained vast popularity from the very beginning due to the ability of using it without any knowledge of command line. Of course many users continued to utilise command line input, but it’s usage has fallen vastly over the years.
There are still a few occasions when I find using the Command Prompt to prove very useful. Some instructions such as tracert and telnet are little more than curiosities these days, although running sfc/scannow is now an excellent way to check the stability of the operating system.
Even if the computer will not boot up into Windows, it is still possible to run System Restore by starting the computer in Safe Mode with Command Prompt and entering the command rstrui.exe to start the restore.
There are many useful commands available, but even a few of the basic ones could save a user from having to pay a repair technician to reset the system.
11 people like this
10 responses
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
11 Nov 15
A terminal would be commonplace while using Linux. It is possible to run Linux from the GUI, but as we both know that seriously limits what we can actually do.
I would always use Command Prompt for partitioning a hard drive and did use it a few months back to run System Restore when the computer refused to boot.
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (44998)
• Preston, England
11 Nov 15
Very rarely had to do anything in DOS for my computer - it is an area I leave well alone
@arthurchappell (44998)
• Preston, England
11 Nov 15
@Asylum I rarely use anything but Office Word - occasionally Paint or photo editing stuff and that's about it
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
11 Nov 15
I would have expected you to have a use for command line input because you are accustomed to Linux. I also assume that you probably know as many people as I do that do not even realise the option exists.
Fortunately for you it is not forbidden, otherwise I would have eagerly reported you.
2 people like this
@Pattitude (1287)
• Newton, North Carolina
13 Nov 15
I have not had to do that for a long time, but will when I have to.
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
14 Nov 15
@Pattitude I agree absolutely and there must be many computer users who have owned a computer for several years and do not even know that Command Prompt even exists.
1 person likes this
@Pattitude (1287)
• Newton, North Carolina
13 Nov 15
@Asylum I've been around for a while, but most new users would have no clue, unless they have had any programming training.
@djgarner86 (289)
• Exeter, England
11 Nov 15
I still use in probably hourly if not more but then I do work in IT with 15 servers and around 120 machines. PowerShell is the new replacement of Command Prompt and is a very useful program. The full Server GUI can be completely uninstalled to save space, improve performance and reduce security vulnerabilities.
@djgarner86 (289)
• Exeter, England
11 Nov 15
@Asylum Of course. They are similar - my knowledge of PowerShell isn't great but the way they keep changing the operating system layout around, it is something I need to focus on more in the future.
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
11 Nov 15
@djgarner86 I agree with you completely on this. In your circumstances it is very beneficial to force yourself to become as familiar as possible with PowerShell.
The Command Prompt is hidden these days and requires the use of Win+X to open the menu displaying it.
1 person likes this
@owlwings (43910)
• Cambridge, England
11 Nov 15
I cut my teeth on DOS in those dark days before Windows were invented and we had to load DOS from a 5¼" floppy before you could do anything I seem to remember that you also had to fill the reservoir with paraffin and trim the wick to get a blue flame but the mind has a habit of playing tricks at this distance.
I used to be pretty good at writing batch routines but today I'd have to look up a lot of things and scratch my head a bit. I've even forgotten how to trim a lamp wick properly.
@marguicha (223010)
• Chile
11 Nov 15
I don´t even know what that is, but I might have used it without knowing it
. You will never see a person with less technological knoledge than me
. You will never see a person with less technological knoledge than me@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
11 Nov 15
You will ce3rtainly not have used Command prompt without being aware of it. The program consists of a dialogue box in which you can type instructions manually instead of using a mouse.
For example, you could open Microsoft Word by launching the Command Prompt and typing start winword. Obviously nobody would bother using it for such features, but there are several useful things that can be only be done using command line input.
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
12 Nov 15
Nope I have no idea what you are even talking about. I don't think I ever did it. lol or maybe I have had my memory wiped!!
@just4him (317041)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
12 Nov 15
It's easy to see you know your way around the computer. I haven't used command prompt since I was in college learning how to use a computer and that was at least 20 years ago.
