How do I become a master of the command prompt?

[ibex333]

I was always curious about that magic system admins can do with the command prompt. It seems to be very, very powerful. A lot of times when I have a problem and I google it, I find a solution in a form of a long command which I have to type in a command prompt, and amazingly, everything is fixed.

I'd love to get at the core of this. How do these people know what must be typed, when and WHY? (how does it work)

What books or resources is there on the topic?

I don't want to just stop with the commands. I want to be able to write batch files and scripts which can do something like create 100 users, or copy files from/to multiple locations.

Thanks very much.

 

[lxskllr]

I find it's easier to learn by doing. If you have a tedious task that could be helped by automation, chances are you can do it with a script. Searching the web, and reading the man pages of interesting commands will get you on the way. Start small, and build on what you learn instead of attempting awesomeness on the first shot. IOW automate a portion of what you need, and later improve on it to make it easier.

This book might help...

http://ubuntuone.com/2HXg7vnSou6rPZFKlgdfP5

Edit:
I thought this was in *nix. The above is a bash guide, so it may not be applicable for what you want. What I said still applies, but you'd want to find something on Powershell.

 

[corkyg]

All kinds of tutorials on that subject. This is a goodf one to start with: http://www.cs.princeton.edu/courses/archive/spr05/cos126/cmd-prompt.html

Command Prompt is simply the current evolution of MSDOS commands many of us learned before Windows existed.

 

[spamhunter]

**sniff** The good old days.

 

[Bubbaleone]

Open an elevated command prompt and start practicing...a lot. From TechNet: Command-line Reference A-Z.


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[theevilsharpie]

The traditional Windows command line will be around for a long time because so much software has been developed for it, but it's effectively obsolete as a Windows scripting environment.

If you want to learn scripting for modern Windows systems, learn PowerShell.

 

[ibex333]

The traditional Windows command line will be around for a long time because so much software has been developed for it, but it's effectively obsolete as a Windows scripting environment.

If you want to learn scripting for modern Windows systems, learn PowerShell.

If command line is obsolete, then why is it that so very often various problems can be easily solved by typing in a few commands as opposed to not being able to do anything about these same problems otherwise?

But off course you are right about PowerShell being the next big thing. I am trying to learn it parallel to basic command-line.

 

[Bubbaleone]

If I had an old toolbox that contained hand tools to efficiently repair and adjust the intake and ignition systems on cars built prior to 1970, I certainly wouldn't call them obsolete simply because today's cars require computer-based electronic diagnostic tools to efficiently repair and adjust their intake and ignition systems.

Unless, I'd decided to never again attempt to repair or adjust anything except the cars being built today. Only then, as the result of my own personal decision, would the hand tools in my old toolbox become obsolete. However, every bit of knowledge that I'd gained while using those old hand tools allowed me to seamlessly transition into being able to fully comprehend and efficiently utilize modern electronic diagnostic and repair tools on today's cars.

You don't have to learn anything but PowerShell today. However, if you at least educate yourself in understanding and using Microsoft's earlier command interpreters (MS-DOS; command.com, and Windows NT; cmd.exe) so that you're comfortable with using the command line interface, and gain a good working knowledge of common commands and proper syntax, you'll transition into a much better PowerShell user because of that knowledge.

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[Red Squirrel]

For windows you can also install something called Powershell which is basically an addon that gives you a much more powerful set of commands. I think AD stuff would be easier to do I imagine. I don't really have much experience with it outside of when we played with it in college.

 

[Walter White]

read this http://lifehacker.com/5990668/master-the-command-line-this-weekend

 

[creation portal]

thanks i learnt command prompt when i was in grade 10 a teacher taught us everything but i couldn't capitalize on that i know a great way of learning command prompt visualize the entire pc as an maze with ladders where correct syntax input leads you to the doors

 

[Comblues]

I used the WARDOC by Rhino9 back in the day. Look it up.

It's dated but some stuff is still there.

Use the /? and have fun.

Look for old DOS World Articles on Batch Files and current tools are out there that are a lot better to use and easier.

Go for it.

Comblues