HOW TO ACCESS DRIVE FILES USING COMMAND PROMPT

Command prompt is a tool to execute and access all files, folders and applications in your PC or Network. As a user it is not necessary to know about command prompt because you operation system will make everything easy for you to access. 

But it is necessary to know some basic functions in command prompt to solve your PC issues on your own. when you face some issues in windows, command prompt will help you.

Let me show you how to access your drive files and folders with the help of command prompt.

1. open command prompt

you can use "search programs" option to find "command prompt" application, use CMD keyword to search. 

2. You can see a black window with below text

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]

Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation.  All rights reserved.

C:\Users\dinesh>

In default the cmd will point to USERS directory. First you need the give path for the file you want to access.

you can use follow commands to create the path. 

cd\  - change directory, you will redirect to initial page of drive in which you are working.

cd.. - go back folder.

dir  - show me files and folder in that location.

cd  /d "X:\" - change drive, X denotes drive you want to go.

now lets start with accessing chrome browser,

use cd\ command, all folder will be closed and pointer will located C drive.

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]

Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation.  All rights reserved.

C:\Users\dinesh>cd\

C:\>

use dir command to find files and folders in that location

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]

Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation.  All rights reserved.

C:\Users\dinesh>cd\

C:\>dir

 Volume in drive C has no label.

 Volume Serial Number is ACB0-6BB9

 Directory of C:\

05/12/2014  04:05 PM    <DIR>          3DP

06/11/2009  03:12 AM                24 autoexec.bat

06/11/2009  03:12 AM                10 config.sys

11/06/2017  12:46 PM    <DIR>          EAGLE-7.6.0

07/14/2009  08:07 AM    <DIR>          PerfLogs

11/14/2017  08:52 AM    <DIR>          Program Files

05/12/2014  04:04 PM    <DIR>          Users

06/11/2017  06:16 PM    <DIR>          Windows

               2 File(s)             34 bytes

               6 Dir(s)   1,968,242,688 bytes free

C:\>

now you will see name of the files and folders in C drive. to access chrome you need to go inside program files 

C:\> cd program files

C:\Program Files>

once again look for directories in program files

C:\Program Files>dir

 Volume in drive C has no label.

 Volume Serial Number is ACB0-6BB9

 Directory of C:\Program Files

11/14/2017  08:52 AM    <DIR>          .

11/14/2017  08:52 AM    <DIR>          ..

05/22/2017  03:42 PM    <DIR>          Adobe

09/21/2017  01:35 PM    <DIR>          Atmel

05/13/2017  05:23 PM    <DIR>          AVAST Software

08/07/2017  03:14 PM    <DIR>          AVS4YOU

10/29/2017  10:17 AM    <DIR>          Common Files

11/21/2010  06:17 AM    <DIR>          DVD Maker

07/15/2017  04:59 PM    <DIR>          Google

11/21/2010  06:08 AM    <DIR>          Internet Explorer

10/29/2017  10:14 AM    <DIR>          Java

11/21/2010  06:17 AM    <DIR>          Microsoft Games

09/02/2017  10:33 AM    <DIR>          Microsoft Help Viewer

05/12/2014  04:26 PM    <DIR>          Microsoft Office

09/02/2017  10:32 AM    <DIR>          Microsoft SQL Server

05/12/2014  04:26 PM    <DIR>          Microsoft Visual Studio

09/26/2017  07:31 PM    <DIR>          Microsoft Visual Studio

05/12/2014  04:25 PM    <DIR>          Microsoft Visual Studio

05/12/2014  04:26 PM    <DIR>          Microsoft Works

06/11/2017  06:44 PM    <DIR>          Microsoft.NET

10/29/2017  06:58 PM    <DIR>          Mozilla Firefox

10/29/2017  06:58 PM    <DIR>          Mozilla Maintenance Serv

09/21/2017  01:35 PM    <DIR>          MSBuild

05/12/2014  04:31 PM    <DIR>          Realtek

07/14/2009  10:22 AM    <DIR>          Reference Assemblies

06/09/2017  11:41 PM    <DIR>          Samsung

11/21/2010  06:08 AM    <DIR>          Windows Defender

11/21/2010  06:16 AM    <DIR>          Windows Journal

11/21/2010  06:08 AM    <DIR>          Windows Mail

11/21/2010  06:08 AM    <DIR>          Windows Media Player

07/14/2009  10:22 AM    <DIR>          Windows NT

11/21/2010  06:08 AM    <DIR>          Windows Photo Viewer

11/21/2010  03:03 AM    <DIR>          Windows Portable Devices

11/21/2010  06:08 AM    <DIR>          Windows Sidebar

05/13/2017  05:19 PM    <DIR>          WinRAR

               0 File(s)              0 bytes

              35 Dir(s)   1,967,849,472 bytes free

C:\Program Files>

chrome is a product of google so you have to search for chrome inside google folder

C:\Program Files>cd google

C:\Program Files>Google>

similarly you have to set path for the application. if you know the path for chrome application. you can specify the path like below

C:\>

C:\>cd program files\google\chrome\application

C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application>

search for directories

C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application>dir

 Volume in drive C has no label.

 Volume Serial Number is ACB0-6BB9

 Directory of C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application

11/14/2017  09:04 AM    <DIR>          .

11/14/2017  09:04 AM    <DIR>          ..

11/08/2017  10:10 AM    <DIR>          62.0.3202.89

11/14/2017  09:04 AM    <DIR>          62.0.3202.94

11/05/2017  02:18 PM         1,323,352 chrome.exe

11/14/2017  09:04 AM               407 chrome.VisualElementsManifest.xml

07/15/2017  04:59 PM           119,343 master_preferences

11/10/2017  02:51 PM         1,323,352 new_chrome.exe

11/14/2017  09:04 AM    <DIR>          SetupMetrics

               4 File(s)      2,766,454 bytes

               5 Dir(s)   1,966,669,824 bytes free

C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application>

Use can see chrome.exe inside the folder.

When opening a application do not use cd command, it is only for changing directories.

C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application>Chrome.exe

Press Enter.

It may a bit difficult compared to accessing files with windows. but command prompts are only options when you want to troubleshoot some issues.

similarly we can copy files. troubleshoot network issues and do lot more with the help of command prompt. lets we discuss in further articles.