Windows Vista & XP - Open applications from ‘Run command box’

December 1, 2008 |

For opening an application or utility you need not always click the start menu and then click the application icon you need, from the All Programs/Programs menu. It can be done quickly from the ‘Run’ command line in the ‘Run Command Box’. To open the command box pop-up window you can just press the windows key and then ‘R’ button or you can enter through Start button on the taskbar.

Run command line is very useful for any level user to open windows applications and to access windows settings such as entering into control-panel. Windows Vista and XP operating systems are accepting almost same commands. Respective applications are required to be installed before trying it through the Run command line. Here are some of the useful commands commonly used for Windows Vista and XP.

Program Run command

Accessibility Controls                         access.cpl
Accessibility Wizard                            accwiz
Add Hardware Wizard                          hdwwiz.cpl
Add/Remove Programs                       appwiz.cpl
Administrative Tools               control admintools
Adobe Acrobat ( if installed )              acrobat
Adobe Distiller ( if installed )              acrodist
Adobe ImageReady ( if installed )        imageready
Adobe Photoshop ( if installed )          photoshop
Automatic Updates                             wuaucpl.cpl
Basic Media Player                               mplay32
Bluetooth Transfer Wizard                   fsquirt
Calculator                                            calc
Ccleaner ( if installed )                        ccleaner
C: Drive                                               c:
Certificate Manager                             cdrtmgr.msc
Character Map                                     charmap
Check Disk Utility                               chkdsk
Clipboard Viewer                                 clipbrd
Command Prompt                              cmd
Command Prompt                              command
Component Services                            dcomcnfg
Computer Management                       compmgmt.msc
Compare Files                                      comp
Control Panel                                       control
Create a shared folder Wizard              shrpubw
Date and Time Properties                     timedate.cpl
DDE Shares                                          ddeshare
Device Manager                                   devmgmt.msc
Direct X Control Panel ( if installed )    directx.cpl
Direct X Troubleshooter                       dxdiag
Disk Cleanup Utility                             cleanmgr
Disk Defragment                                dfrg.msc
Disk Partition Manager                        diskmgmt.msc
Display Properties                                control desktop
Display Properties                                desk.cpl
Display Properties (w/Appearance Tab Preselected )    control color
Dr. Watson System Troubleshooting Utility    drwtsn32
Driver Verifier Utility                            verifier
Ethereal ( if installed )                          ethereal
Event Viewer                                       eventvwr.msc
Files and Settings Transfer Tool           migwiz
File Signature Verification Tool            sigverif
Findfast                                                findfast.cpl
Firefox                                                  firefox
Folders Properties                                 control folders
Fonts                                                    fonts
Fonts Folder                                         fonts
Free Cell Card Game                              freecell
Game Controllers                                  joy.cpl
Group Policy Editor ( xp pro )                gpedit.msc
Hearts Card Game                                 mshearts
Help and Support                                  helpctr
Hyperterminal                                       hypertrm
Hotline Client                                        hotlineclient
Iexpress Wizard                                     iexpress
Indexing Service                                    ciadv.msc
Internet Connection Wizard                   icwonn1
Internet Properties                                 inetcpl.cpl
Internet Setup Wizard                            inetwiz
IP Configuration (Display Connection Configuration)    ipconfig /all
IP Configuration (Display DNS Cache Contents)    ipconfig /displaydns
IP Configuration (Delete DNS Cache Contents)    ipconfig /flushdns
IP Configuration (Release All Connections)    ipconfig /release
IP Configuration (Renew All Connections)    ipconfig /renew
IP Configuration (Refreshes DHCP & Re-Registers DNS)    ipconfig /registerdns
IP Configuration (Display DHCP Class ID)    ipconfig /showclassid
IP Configuration (Modifies DHCP Class ID)    ipconfig /setclassid
Java Control Panel ( if installed )            jpicpl32.cpl
Java Control Panel ( if installed )            javaws
Keyboard Properties                              control keyboard
Local Security Settings                          secpol.msc
Local Users and Groups                         lusrmgr.msc
Logs You Out of Windows                     logoff
Malicious Software Removal Tool          mrt
Microsoft Access ( if installed )             access.cpl
Microsoft Chat                                       winchat
Microsoft Excel ( if installed )                excel
Microsoft Diskpart                                diskpart
Microsoft Frontpage ( if installed )        frontpg
Microsoft Movie Maker                          moviemk
Microsoft Management Console            mmc
Microsoft Narrator                                 narrator
Microsoft Paint                                      mspaint
Microsoft Powerpoint                            powerpnt
Microsoft Word ( if installed )                winword
Microsoft Syncronization Tool               mobsync
Minesweeper Game                                winmine
Mouse Properties                                   control mouse
Mouse Properties                                   main.cpl
MS-Dos Editor                                       edit
MS-Dos FTP   ftp
Nero ( if installed )                                 nero
Netmeeting                                            conf
Network Connections                            control netconnections
Network Connections                            ncpa.cpl
Network Setup Wizard                            netsetup.cpl
Notepad                                                 notepad
Nview Desktop Manager ( if installed )   nvtuicpl.cpl
Object Packager                                     packager
ODBC Data Source Administrator           odbccp32
ODBC Data Source Administrator           odbccp32.cpl
On Screen Keyboard                               osk
Opens AC3 Filter ( if installed )              ac3filter.cpl
Outlook Express                                    msimn
Paint                                                      pbrush
Password Properties                               password.cpl
Performance Monitor                              perfmon.msc
Performance Monitor                              perfmon
Phone and Modem Options                     telephon.cpl
Phone Dialer                                           dialer
Pinball Game                                           pinball
Power Configuration                               powercfg.cpl
Printers and Faxes                                  control printers
Printers Folder                                        printers
Private Characters Editor                         eudcedit
Quicktime ( if installed )                         quicktime.cpl
Quicktime Player ( if installed )               quicktimeplayer
Real Player ( if installed )                         realplay
Regional Settings                                    intl.cpl
Registry Editor                                        regedit
Registry Editor                                        regedit32
Remote Access Phonebook                     rasphone
Remote Desktop                                     mstsc
Removable Storage                                  ntmsmgr.msc
Removable Storage Operator Requests    ntmsoprq.msc
Resultant Set of Policy ( xp pro )      rsop.msc
Scanners and Cameras                             sticpl.cpl
Scheduled Tasks                                      control schedtasks
Security Center                                         wscui.cpl
Services                                                    services.msc
Shared Folders                                         fsmgmt.msc
Sharing Session                                        rtcshare
Shuts Down Windows                               shutdown
Sounds Recorder                                       sndrec32
Sounds and Audio                                     mmsys.cpl
Spider Solitare Card Game                         spider
SQL Client Configuration                          clicongf
System Configuration Editor                     sysedit
System Configuration Utility    msconfig
System File Checker Utility ( Scan Immediately )    sfc /scannow
System File Checker Utility ( Scan Once At Next Boot )    sfc /scanonce
System File Checker Utility ( Scan On Every Boot )    sfc /scanboot
System File Checker Utility ( Return to Default Settings)    sfc /revert
System File Checker Utility ( Purge File Cache )    sfc /purgecache
System File Checker Utility ( Set Cache Size to Size x )    sfc /cachesize=x
System Information                                  msinfo32
System Properties                                     sysdm.cpl
Task Manager                                           taskmgr
TCP Tester                                                tcptest
Telnet Client                                             telnet
Tweak UI ( if installed )                             tweakui
User Account Management                       nusrmgr.cpl
Utility Manager                                         utilman
Volume Serial Number for C:                    label
Volume Control                                        sndvol32
Windows Address Book                            wab
Windows Address Book Import Utility      wabmig
Windows Backup Utility ( if installed )      ntbackup
Windows Explorer                                     explorer
Windows Firewall                                      firewall.cpl
Windows Installer Details                          msiexec
Windows Magnifier                                    magnify
Windows Management Infrastructure        wmimgmt.msc
Windows Media Player                               wmplayer
Windows Messenger                                  msnsgs
Windows Picture Import Wizard (Need camera connected)    wiaacmgr
Windows System Security Tool                  syskey
Windows Script host settings                    wscript
Widnows Update Launches                        wupdmgr
Windows Version ( shows your windows version )    winver
Windows XP Tour Wizard                           tourstart
Wordpad                                                    write
Zoom Utility                                              igfxzoom