Windows

Windows Facts

• Max Path Length
• Windows API MAX_PATH: 260 chars

Windows Explorer Commands

• Reset Display Driver
• Windows key + Ctrl + Shift + B
• Create new folder
• Ctrl+Shift+N

Task Manager Commands

See Windows 10: The developer who wrote Windows Task Manager reveals its secrets

• Start another Task Manager instance 
• Ctrl-Shift-Esc
• Restart Task Manager 
• Ctrl-Alt-Shift
• Start Task Manager without help from Windows Shell
• Ctrl-Shift-Esc

Windows 11 File Sharing

To set up file sharing between two Windows 11 computers using the same Microsoft account. 

First ensure the Microsoft account has logged in with username and password at least once on the host  computer (the one sharing the files). 

May need to disable PIN and fingerprint reader sign-in to allow sign-in with the account, if a 'key' icon doesn't appear as a choice on the sign-in page.

To disable the PIN, open Settings -> Accounts -> Sign-in options. Disable the 'only allow windows Hello sign-in' option under Additional Settings.

If the 'Remove' option is disabled (grey) in Ways to sign in -> PIN (Windows Hello) - [can't recall how this was resolved]

Once the PIN is cleared, sign out then sign back in using the Microsoft account and password. 

Re-enable PIN (and fingerprint) sign-in once file sharing is resolved.

Set up file sharing on the host computer:

1. Ensure both computers are connected to the same network and set to Private networking.
2. Enable Network Discovery in Control Panel > Advanced Sharing, then 
3. Right-click a folder, select Properties > Sharing > Advanced Sharing to share it.
4. Access the folder on the client computer through Network -> Computer Name.

How to Prevent Sharing the entire C:\Users folder

To stop Windows 11 from sharing the entire C:\Users folder instead of just your Downloads folder, use Advanced Sharing rather than the standard "Give access to" option.

Stop the incorrect sharing:

1. Press Windows Key + R, type compmgmt.msc, and press Enter to open Computer Management.
2. Navigate to System Tools > Shared Folders > Shares.
3. Find the entry for your User folder (e.g., C:\Users\YourUsername), right-click it, and select Stop Sharing.

Properly share the Downloads folder:

1. Right-click your specific Downloads folder and select Properties.
2. Navigate to the Sharing tab.
3. Click Advanced Sharing (not the "Share" button).
4. Check Share this folder.
5. Click Permissions to set appropriate access (e.g., allow "Read" for "Everyone").
6. Click Apply and OK

CLI Commands

Windows

• Enable Administrator Account
• net user administrator /active:yes
• Update policies
• gpupdate /force
• Last boot time
• net stats workstation | find "since"
• Display password expiry date for Domain user account
• net user "Name" /domain | find /i "Password expires"
• Display the device that last woke the PC
• powercfg -lastwake
• Generate a battery life report
• powercfg -batteryreport
• Display the devices that can wake the PC from sleep mode
• powercfg -devicequery wake_armed
• Find Scheduled Tasks that can wake PC from sleep mode (PowerShell as admin)
• Get-ScheduledTask |where {$_.Settings.waketorun}
• Permanently sets environment variable FOO=bar. Not set in current command console.
• setx FOO bar
• Open Startup folder
• [Win+R] shell:startup (current user)
• [Win+R] shell:common startup (all users)
• Last boot time
• systeminfo | find "Boot"
• Names and PIDs of running processes
• tasklist
• Forcefully kill running process NAME
• taskkill /f /im NAME
• Shadow store
• [admin] vssadmin list shadows
• Compute digest sum of a file, e.g. MD5 or SHA256
• certutil -hashfile FILE MD5
• Create "junction" (symbolic link) <linkpath> to real folder <folderpath>. E.g. to create a symbolic link C:\Comix to real folder C:\Users\Bob\Documents\Comix
• mklink /J C:\Comix C:\Users\Bob\Documents\Comix mklink /J <linkpath> <folderpath>
• Windows version e.g. Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.14393]
• ver
• Lock/unlock a file (can't be read/copied/moved)
• cacls <File Path> /P everyone:n 
• cacls <File Path> /P everyone:f

Network

• latency and loss at hops between a source and destination (better tracert)
• pathping N.N.N.N
• Turn off hiberfile.sys, saves about 8 Gb disk space for desktops that don't need hibernation
• powercfg -h off
• Show currently logged in users (RDP)
• query user

Control Panels

Open Control panels from command line/Win+R

• Add/Remove Programs
• appwiz.cpl
• Display Properties
• desk.cpl
• Computer Management
• compmgmt.msc
• Device Manager
• devmgmt.msc
• Disk Management Control Panel
• diskmgmt.msc
• DirectX Diagnostics
• dxdiag
• Event Viewer
• eventvwr
• Local Group Policy Editor
• gpedit.msc
• Fonts installed on system
• start fonts
• Local Users and Groups admin
• lusrmgr
• System Configuration: stuff like startup, boot options, services, startup programs, names of system commands
• msconfig
• Displays general system information
• msinfo32
• System Properties -> Advanced tab -> Environment Variables
• runDll32 sysdm.cpl,EditEnvironmentVariables
• Remote Desktop Connection to <computername>
• mstsc /v:<computername>
• Services
• services.msc
• Task Scheduler
• taskschd.msc
• Show Windows version in command console
• ver
• Show Windows version and build in dialog
• winver

How to "Run as Admin" from Windows button

1. Hit the "Windows" button on the keyboard
2. Type a command to run as admin, e.g. "services"
3. Type Ctrl-Shift-Enter to run command AS ADMIN!

Useful Event Viewer IDs

Open Windows Logs: System then filter on Event IDs 6005, 6009 to find last boot time