CompTIA A+ Certification All-in-One Exam Guide

Command Line The Windows command-line interface (CLI) is a
throwback to how Microsoft operating systems worked a long, long time ago
when text commands were entered at a command prompt. Figure 2-43 shows
the command prompt from DOS, the first operating system commonly used
in PCs.
Figure 2-43 DOS command prompt
DOS is dead, but the command-line interface is alive and well in every
version of Windows. Every good tech knows how to access and use the
command-line interface. It is a lifesaver when the graphical part of Windows
doesn’t work, and it is often faster than using a mouse if you’re skilled at
using it. An entire chapter (Chapter 15, “Working with the Command-Line
Interface”) is devoted to the command line, but let’s look at one example of
what the command line can do. First, you need to get there. Click the Start
button, type cmd in the Search text box, and press the ENTER key. Figure 2-44
shows a command prompt in Windows 7.