If you find yourself using the Command Prompt frequently, you’ll probably benefit from the following solution. Instead of having to use the cd command to change to a given folder, you can simply open a Command Prompt window on the fly in Explorer, already rooted in the selected folder.
Important This section, method, or task contains steps that tell you how to modify the registry. However, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up and restore the registry, How to back up and restore the registry in Windows - Backing Up And Restoring Individual Registry Entries In Registry Editor
- Open the Registry Editor.
- Expand the branches to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell.
- Create a new key by going to Edit – New - Key, and type cmd for the name of this new key.
- Double-click the (default) value in the new cmd key, and type the following for its contents: Open Command &Prompt Here
- Next, create a new key here by going to Edit – New - Key, and type command for the name of the new key.
- Double-click the (default) value in the new command key, and type the following for its contents: cmd.exe /k "cd %1 && ver" This line launches the cmd.exe application, and then, using the /k parameter, instructs it to carry out these two commands:
cd %1
ver
which change the working directory to the folder that has been right clicked, and then displays the Windows version, respectively.
- Close the Registry Editor when you’re done; the change will take effect immediately. Just right-click any folder and select Open Command Prompt Here to open a Command Prompt window at the selected folder.
A simpler and somewhat slicker solution is to use Creative Element Power Tools. Once you turn on the Open a Command Prompt in any folder option, you can right-click any folder icon or the background of any open folder window (or the desktop), and select Command Prompt to open a new Command Prompt window rooted at the selected folder. The tool supports Administrator mode (for UAC) and can also be configured to open the Windows PowerShell (covered next) or any third-party Command Prompt application.
