Windows Guide

Welcome to My Windows Cheatsheet

This page is a quick reference for common Windows administration tasks in Explorer, CMD, PowerShell and GUI tools.

📧 Contact information

Name: Ivan Lazic

Email: code@mycipher.net

Address: 11407 Selevac, Serbia

Contact form (example)

📂 Files & Explorer

Explorer & navigation
Win + E                 # Open File Explorer
Alt + ↑                 # Go up one folder
Ctrl + L                # Focus address bar
Ctrl + Shift + N        # New folder
Ctrl + X / C / V        # Cut / Copy / Paste
Shift + Delete          # Delete without recycle bin
        
CMD file commands
dir                     # List files
dir /a                  # Show hidden/system
cd C:\Path\To\Folder    # Change directory
copy a.txt b.txt        # Copy file
move a.txt D:\Folder    # Move file
del file.txt            # Delete file
rmdir Folder /s /q      # Remove folder & contents
xcopy src dest /E /H    # Copy tree (old)
robocopy src dest /MIR  # Mirror folder
        
Permissions / ACL
icacls file.txt                       # Show permissions
icacls file.txt /grant User:F         # Grant full access
icacls folder /inheritance:r          # Remove inheritance
icacls folder /reset                  # Reset ACLs
takeown /f folder /r /d y             # Take ownership
        

🧑‍💻 Users & Groups

Local users (CMD)
net user                           # List local users
net user username *                # Change password
net user username /add             # Create user
net user username /active:no       # Disable user
lusrmgr.msc                        # Local Users & Groups GUI
        
Local groups
net localgroup                     # List groups
net localgroup Administrators      # Show members
net localgroup "Remote Desktop Users" username /add
net localgroup groupname username /delete
        
Domain / Active Directory (on domain-joined machines)
whoami /user                       # Show current user SID
whoami /groups                     # Show AD groups
runas /user:DOMAIN\admin cmd       # Run as other user
dsa.msc                            # Active Directory Users & Computers
rsop.msc                           # Resultant Set of Policy
gpupdate /force                    # Refresh Group Policy
        

🌐 Network

IP configuration & info
ipconfig                           # Show IP config
ipconfig /all                      # Detailed info
ipconfig /release                  # Release DHCP
ipconfig /renew                    # Renew DHCP
getmac                             # Show MAC addresses
hostname                           # Show computer name
        
Troubleshooting tools
ping 8.8.8.8                       # Test connectivity
ping server /t                     # Continuous ping
tracert host                       # Trace route
nslookup host                      # DNS lookup
netstat -ano                       # Open ports & PIDs
pathping host                      # Ping + trace
        
Shares & mapped drives
net use                            # List mapped drives
net use Z: \\server\share          # Map drive
net use Z: /delete                 # Remove mapping
net share                          # List local shares
net share ShareName /delete        # Remove share
\\server\share                     # Open UNC path
        

🖥️ System

System information
winver                             # Windows version GUI
systeminfo                         # Detailed system info
msinfo32                           # System Information GUI
dxdiag                             # DirectX diagnostics
wmic os get Caption,Version        # OS name & version
        
Services & processes
services.msc                       # Services GUI
taskmgr                            # Task Manager
tasklist                           # List processes
taskkill /PID 1234 /F              # Kill process
sc query servicename               # Query service
sc config servicename start=auto   # Set auto start
        
Startup, event logs & tasks
msconfig                           # System config (startup)
taskschd.msc                       # Task Scheduler
eventvwr.msc                       # Event Viewer
cleanmgr                           # Disk Cleanup
sfc /scannow                       # Check system files
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth  # Repair image
        

💻 PowerShell

Basic cmdlets
Get-Help cmdlet -Online            # Help
Get-Command                         # List cmdlets
Get-Command *service*              # Search commands
Get-Alias                           # See aliases
Get-ExecutionPolicy                 # Current policy
        
Files & folders
Get-ChildItem C:\                  # List items (ls, dir)
Set-Location C:\Path               # Change dir (cd)
Copy-Item a.txt b.txt              # Copy file
Move-Item a.txt C:\Folder          # Move file
Remove-Item file.txt               # Delete
New-Item -ItemType Directory Folder # New folder
        
System & processes
Get-Process                        # List processes
Stop-Process -Name notepad -Force  # Kill process
Get-Service                        # List services
Restart-Service Spooler            # Restart service
Get-EventLog -LogName System -Newest 20    # Recent system logs
Restart-Computer                   # Restart PC