Key Windows System Diagnosis Commands for Efficient Troubleshooting of Windows Issues
Key Notes
- Learn how to access detailed system information quickly.
- Utilize commands to verify system health and configuration.
- Optimize network and performance issues using Command Prompt tools.
Mastering Command Prompt for Effective Windows Troubleshooting
Command Prompt is a powerful tool that allows you to diagnose and troubleshoot various issues in Windows without the need for third-party applications. This guide will explore essential commands for various troubleshooting scenarios, ensuring a smoother PC troubleshooting process.
How to Open an Elevated Command Prompt
Before diving into specific commands, first open the Command Prompt. Running certain commands might be restricted in a standard window, hence access to an elevated command prompt is recommended. Here’s how to get started:
Step 1: Launch Command Prompt as Administrator
To start the elevated Command Prompt, type cmd in the Windows Search, right-click on the Command Prompt icon, and select Run as administrator.
Step 2: Alternative Method to Open
If the standard method is inaccessible, press Win + R to open the Run dialog, then type cmd and press Enter to open the Command Prompt.
1. Access System Details with systeminfo
Step 3: Retrieve Essential System Information
Type systeminfo to obtain a detailed report of your PC’s specifications, operating system details, and more. This output includes crucial data for troubleshooting and understanding system configurations.
2. Verify System Image Health with DISM
Step 4: Check Windows Image Integrity
Execute DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth to analyze the Windows image for corruption. This step is vital to address system crashes and update issues.
3. Display Running Processes with tasklist
Step 5: List Active Processes
Utilize tasklist /v to get a comprehensive overview of currently running processes, including their memory usage and CPU time. This is essential for diagnosing performance issues when Task Manager is not available.
4. Display Network Connections with netstat
Step 6: Analyze Network Activity
Running netstat -an provides insights into all active network connections, which is incredibly useful for diagnosing connectivity issues.
5. View Detailed Network Configuration with ipconfig
Step 7: Check Network Adapter Settings
Type ipconfig /all to display detailed information regarding all network adapters on your system, aiding in troubleshooting network-related issues.
6. Review Boot Configuration with bcdedit
Step 8: Investigate Boot Configuration Details
To understand boot-related problems, execute the bcdedit /enum all command for insights into your boot configuration settings.
7. Generate Power Efficiency Report with powercfg
Step 9: Evaluate Power Settings
Run powercfg /energy to produce a report on power efficiency issues affecting your system performance after monitoring it for 60 seconds.
8. Trace Network Route with tracert
Step 10: Diagnose Connection Path to Specific Domains
Use tracert [domain] to trace the network route and identify where delays or issues may be occurring.
9. Check for Disk Errors with chkdsk
Step 11: Scan for Disk Issues
Finally, use chkdsk /f to check for and fix file system errors on your disk, ensuring better performance and fewer crashes.
Additional Tips
- Always run Command Prompt as an administrator for elevated commands.
- Document results of commands for comprehensive troubleshooting records.
- Foster a good grasp of networking concepts for better utilization of network-related commands.
Summary
Utilizing Command Prompt commands is crucial for troubleshooting a variety of Windows issues effectively. Mastering the commands outlined in this guide can significantly enhance your ability to diagnose and resolve operational problems, ensuring a more stable computing experience.
Conclusion
By incorporating these Command Prompt commands into your troubleshooting toolkit, you can efficiently tackle a multitude of Windows issues. Regular practice and knowledge of these commands will empower you to maintain optimal PC performance and tackle potential problems as they arise.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
What is the Command Prompt?
The Command Prompt is a command line interpreter in Windows that allows users to execute commands to perform specific tasks.
How do I open Command Prompt in Windows?
You can open it by typing “cmd” in the Windows Search bar and selecting it. For administrator mode, right-click and choose “Run as administrator”.
Related posts:
- Setting Command Prompt, PowerShell, or WSL as the Default Terminal Application in Windows Terminal
- How to Locate and Access Files Through Command Prompt in Windows
- Fix for Windows 11 KBYou’re not alone if you have issues with the Windows 11 KB5034765. February 2024 security update for Windows 11 causes File Explorer to crash when rebooting the system, and some have found it’s causing the taskbar to disappear. Additionally, many users are having problems installing the Windows 11 February 2024 update.Windows Updates are designed to automatically install without affecting productivity, but that doesn’t appear to be the case with the February 2024 update. In our tests, we observed that the Windows 11 KB5034765 update repeatedly fails to install with 0x800f0922, 0x800f0982, and 0x80070002.Multiple users told me that when they tried to install the security patch, everything seemed fine at first. The update downloads and asks for a restart. But during the installation, Windows Update stopped and confirmed there was a problem. It tries a few more times and then goes back to the desktop without updating.KB5034765 is not installing, but there’s a fixWindows 11 January 2024 Update fails with 0x80070002 | Image Courtesy: WindowsLatest.comOur device also attempted the “rollback” after successfully downloading the February 2024 cumulative update, but the process was stuck on the following screen for ten minutes: Something didn’t go as planned. No need to worry—undoing changes. Please keep your computer on. I tried tried a few things to fix it. For example, I removed programs that didn’t come with Windows, cleared the Windows Update cache and used the Windows Update troubleshooter. None of these solutions have worked.However, there’s some good news. It looks like we can successfully install KB5034765 by deleting a hidden folder named $WinREAgent. There are multiple ways to locate and delete this folder from Windows 11 installation, and you choose your preferred one: Method 1: Run Disk Cleanup as an administrator, select the system drive, and check the boxes for “Temporary files” and other relevant options. Finally, click “OK” to remove the system files, including Windows Update files. This will delete unnecessary files within $WinREAgent. Method 2: Open File Explorer and open the system drive, but make sure you’ve turned on view hidden items from folder settings. Locate $WinREAgent and remove it from the system. Method 3: Open Command Prompt as Administrator, and run the following command: rmdir /S /Q C:\$WinREAgent Windows Update causes File Explorer to crash on rebootSome PC owners are also running into another problem that causes the File Explorer to crash when rebooting or shutting down the system.This issue was previously observed in Windows 11’s January 2024 optional update, and it seems to have slipped into the mandatory security patch.The error message indicates an application error with explorer.exe, mentioning a specific memory address and stating, “The memory could not be written” .“The instruction at 0x00007FFB20563ACa referenced memory at 0x0000000000000024. The memory could not be written. Click on OK to terminate the program,” the error message titled “explorer.exe – Application Error” reads.explorer.exe crashes with a referenced memory error when rebootingThis issue seems to persist regardless of various troubleshooting efforts. Users have tried numerous fixes, including running the System File Checker tool (sfc /scannow), testing their RAM with Windows’ built-in tool and memtest86+, and even performing a clean installation of the latest Windows 11 version.Despite these efforts, the error remains.Interestingly, a common factor among affected users is the presence of a controller accessory, such as an Xbox 360 controller for Windows, connected to the PC. This connection has been observed, but it’s unclear if it directly contributes to the problem.Microsoft’s release notes for the KB5034765 update mentioned a fix for an issue where explorer.exe could stop responding when a PC with a controller accessory attached is restarted or shut down.However, despite this so-called official fix, users are reporting that the problem still occurs.Source&Images
- How to Enable Sudo in Windows 11: Two Methods Using Settings and Command Prompt
- Steps to Restore Command Prompt in the Windows 10 Start Menu Right-Click Options
Alex Ruben
My goal is to make complex technical topics simple and accessible. On this site, I gather unique and useful content that not only solves users problems but also helps them better understand the capabilities of Windows.