I know this isn't the proper forum, but I couldn't think of a better one.

Datarealms seems like a pretty knowledgable group on the subject of computers in general, so I just was wondering if you people could help me out.

I have a windows XP home edition operating system. I've been tinkering with the command prompt recently, just seeing what i could do with it.
It seems like a useful tool, and ultimately I wanted to be able to, say, diagnose and eliminate/repair programs which are slowing down my computer. Or track down and murder viruses. I dunno.
Are such things even possible?

That is not the point. The point is, when i look up command references on the internet, there are a whole bunch. Then i go to the command prompt on my computer and type one in. Take driverquery for example.

C:\documents and settings\user account\driverquery
[presses enter]
'driverquery' is not recognized as an internal or external command
[♥♥♥♥]

This happens with a fair amount of commands. Why wont my machine accept them?
I would really appreciate the help.

This would go in Off Topic, don't you think?

Are you making sure that you're typing in the commands right? Are you using commands that XP can use?

well that would be the problem.

The website says that xp proffessional can use them. Im fairly certain i'm typing in the commands right.
I'm hoping there is something I am missing, or a program I can download, or something i can do.

Off topic makes sense, but i figured that the computer skills would be more focussed in this forum.

Huh. I don't know then. Try googling 'xp command prompt addon' or something.

thanks miggles, i appreciate your input

those sound like linux commands are you sure they are for xp?

also this should be moved to off topic

they are xp commands

the command prompt says
Microsoft Windows XP [version 5.1.2600]
<C> copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

and i would be happy to move this topic i just don't know how

Jesus.
Ok so what you're probably running into is the fact that the programs you're looking for are simply not there.
Will not work unless there is an executable in the folder C:\documents and settings\user account named "driverquery.exe".
Onto your next question.

Yes. Should you do them? No. Your computer is far, far more complicated than you probably realize, and the potential locations malware can root itself are innumerable. That's why we have antivirus programs, because the task of rooting them out and eliminating them is too hard for people to do but can be automated to an extent.

The best option for eliminating slow programs is to check in task manager to see which programs are using a lot of memory or CPU time when you're not using them, and uninstall them through the control panel.

I hope that sheds some light on the situation.

Edit: But really, if you want to feel like a leet haxxor, rooting through the garbage files to find the worm in the code, grab a linux distro and dual boot it, then do some text editing with vim. Learn how to unix in general actually, a lot more work can be done from term than in Windows from the command prompt.

not true

im very lazy, so I probably will never get around to learning any more than the little i already know.

but i now understand a lot more.


So thanks you have been very helpful