Windows Quick Guide

 
 
This guide contains useful Windows commands.







Windows environment variables.



Information
Useful Windows environment variables.

Procedure
The windows environment variables values can be displayed as follow:

echo %variable_name%

For example: echo %PATH%

Variable Description
CMDCMDLINE Local returns the exact command line used to start the current cmd.exe.
(Windows NT) C:\WINNT\system32\cmd.exe
(Windows XP) C:\WINDOWS\system32\cmd.exe
CMDEXTVERSION System returns the version number of the current Command Processor Extensions.
(Windows NT) -
(Windows XP) 2
COMPUTERNAME System returns the name of the computer.
( Windows NT) MYLAPTOP
( Windows XP) MYLAPTOP
COMSPEC System returns the exact path to the command shell executable.
(Windows NT) C:\WINNT\system32\cmd.exe
(Windows XP) C:\WINDOWS\system32\cmd.exe
DATE System returns the current date.
(Windows NT) -
(Windows XP) vr 09-07-2004
ERRORLEVEL System returns the error code of the most recently used command. A non-0 value usually indicates an error.
(Windows NT) 9009
(Windows XP) 9009
HOMEDRIVE System returns which local workstation drive letter is connected to the user's home directory. This variable is set based on the value of the home directory. The user's home directory is specified in Local Users and Groups.
(Windows NT) C:
(Windows XP) C:
HOMEPATH System returns the full path of the user's home directory. This variable is set based on the value of the home directory. The user's home directory is specified in Local Users and Groups.
(Windows NT) \
(Windows XP) \Documents and Settings\User1
HOMESHARE System returns the network path to the user's shared home directory. This variable is set based on the value of the home directory. The user's home directory is specified in Local Users and Groups.
(Windows NT) \\SERVER1\User1$
(Windows XP) -
LOGONSEVER Local returns the name of the domain controller that validated the current logon session.
(Windows NT) \\MYLAPTOP
(Windows XP) \\MYLAPTOP
NUMBER_OF_PROCESSORS System specifies the number of processors installed on the computer.
(Windows NT) 1
(Windows XP) 1
OS System returns the OS name. Windows XP and Windows 2000 display the OS as Windows_NT.
(Windows NT) Windows_NT
(Windows XP) Windows_NT
PATH System specifies the search path for executable files.
(Windows NT) C:\Tools\jdk1.3.1_09\bin;..
(Windows XP) C:\Tools\jdk1.3.1_09\bin;..
PATHEXT System returns a list of the file extensions that the OS considers to be executable.
(Windows NT) .COM;.EXE;..
(Windows XP) .COM;.EXE;..
PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE System returns the processor's chip architecture. Values: x86, IA64.
(Windows NT) x86
(Windows XP) x86
PROCESSOR_IDENTFIER System returns a description of the processor.
(Windows NT) x86 Family 6 Model 8 Stepping 1, AuthenticAMD
(Windows XP) x86 Family 6 Model 8 Stepping 1, AuthenticAMD
PROCESSOR_LEVEL System returns the model number of the computer's processor.
(Windows NT) 6
(Windows XP) 6
PROCESSOR_REVISION System returns the revision number of the processor.
(Windows NT) 0801
(Windows XP) 0801
PROMPT Local returns the command-prompt settings for the current interpreter. Cmd.exe generates this variable.
(Windows NT) $P$G
(Windows XP) $P$G
RANDOM System returns a random decimal number between 0 and 32767.
Cmd.exe generates this variable.
(Windows NT) -
(Windows XP) 9965
SYSTEMDRIVE System returns the drive containing the Windows root directory (i.e., the system root).
(Windows NT) C:
(Windows XP) C:
SYSTEMROOT System returns the location of the Windows root directory.
(Windows NT) C:\WINNT
(Windows XP) C:\WINDOWS
TEMP or TMP System and User return the default temporary directories for applications that are available to users who are currently logged on. Some applications require TEMP and others require TMP.
(Windows NT) C:\WINNT
(Windows XP) C:\Documents and Settings\
User1\Local Settings\Temp
TIME System returns the current time.
(Windows NT) -
(Windows XP) 17:39:05,00
USERNAME Local returns the name of the user currently logged on.
(Windows NT) User1
(Windows XP) User1
USERPROFILE Local returns the location of the profile for the current user.
(Windows NT) C:\WINNT\Profiles\user1
(Windows XP) C:\Documents and Settings\
User1
WINDIR System returns the location of the OS directory
(Windows NT) C:\WINNT
(Windows XP) C:\WINDOWS