It wasn't so long ago that the only way to effectively configure an operating system was to work from the command line. Over the past several years, Microsoft has done its best to eliminate the need for power users and administrators to work from the command line on an everyday basis. Although you don't see the command line as much as before, it never really went away -- it's just hiding behind the powerful Windows GUI. For the most part, using the GUI is the way to go -- after all, few users would call the command line intuitive to work with. However, there are instances when the command line is your only option for troubleshooting certain tasks, such as ping and tracert diagnostics. This article will show you what you can do to improve the command prompt experience. A tale of different build numbers
This article is written for Windows NT, 2000, or XP. Some of the discussion that follows will not necessarily hold true in previous versions of Windows. COMMAND.COM vs. Cmd.exe
Windows NT, 2000, and XP differ from Windows 9x in that there are actually two ways to get to the command line. From the Run dialog box, you can type either command or cmd. Both open what appear to be identical windows, but the differences are critical to how you use the command line. COMMAND.COM is the MS-DOS command interpreter that's been around for ages. Older Windows operating systems require COMMAND.COM to boot, which is not the case with Windows NT, 2000, and XP. These later versions of Windows have a second interpreter that offers additional functionality and environmental variables compared to its older brethren. If you want to run an older, MS-DOS-based application, I recommend using the COMMAND.COM interpreter through the Cmd.exe shell. If you want to perform some power configuration techniques from the command line, you need to use the Cmd.exe shell. Configuring the Cmd.exe shortcut properties
To access the Cmd.exe shell properties page, simply right-click its shortcut and select Properties from the context menu (Figure A). You'll find the Command Prompt shortcut in the following locations:

• Windows NT, 2000, and XP with classic Start menu: Start | Programs | Accessories
• Windows XP with updated Start menu: Start | All Programs | Accessories

Figure A

Working with the command shell Properties

Before you begin making changes to the command prompt, there are a few things you should keep in mind. When making changes from the Windows Properties window, the changes will be applied to all command prompts you open with that shortcut. If you make changes from the actual command prompt Properties window, you'll have the option to set the changes for the current window or for all future windows. Also, if you select the Defaults option by right-clicking the title bar of the command prompt, your changes will be applied to all command prompts you open with that shortcut. Note
The Shortcut, Compatibility, and Security tabs are available only from within Windows NT, 2000, and XP. The Compatibility tab is available in Windows XP, but it has no configurable options because compatibility mode changes are set by the operating system. The General tab
This tab allows you to change the name of the shortcut, as well as perform other general tasks for the shortcut. In addition, you can change the properties of the shortcut file, such as making it encrypted or compressed, by clicking the Advanced button.