System Administrator Most Commonly Used Commands & Tools

As a Windows system administrator, it is important to have a solid understanding of the various commands and tools available to manage and maintain the system. In this blog post, we will take a look at some of the most commonly used commands and their various options that can be used on a daily basis to keep the server running smoothly.

netstat: This command is used to display active network connections and their status. It can be used to troubleshoot network issues and identify any suspicious connections. Some options that can be used with the netstat command include:

• -a: This option displays all connections and listening ports.

• -b: This option displays the executable responsible for creating each connection or listening port.

• -n: This option displays addresses and port numbers in numerical form.

• -o: This option displays the process ID associated with each connection.

tasklist:This command is used to display a list of all running tasks, including their process IDs. This can be useful for identifying and terminating unresponsive processes. Some options that can be used with the tasklist command include:

• /fi: This option is used to filter the list of tasks based on specific criteria.

• /svc: This option displays the services associated with each task.

• /v: This option displays detailed information about each task, including the process ID and memory usage.

chkdsk: This command is used to check the file system for errors and repair any issues it finds. It is important to run this command regularly to ensure the stability and integrity of the file system. Some options that can be used with the chkdsk command include:

• /f: This option fixes any errors found on the file system.

• /r: This option locates bad sectors and recovers readable information.

• /x: This option forces the volume to dismount before running the check.

sfc /scannow: This command scans all protected system files and replaces incorrect versions with correct Microsoft versions. It can be used to troubleshoot issues with system files and ensure that the system is running smoothly.

Disk Cleanup: This command is used to free up space on the hard drive by deleting temporary files and other unnecessary files. It is important to run this command regularly to ensure that the system has sufficient free space to operate efficiently.

Event Viewer: This command is used to view the event logs on the system. It is important to regularly check event logs to identify and troubleshoot issues with the system or applications.

netstat -aon : It will give you a list of all active TCP connections and the process ID of the associated process. It is useful for troubleshooting network connection issues.

ipconfig: This command is used to display the IP configuration of a network adapter. It can be used to troubleshoot network connectivity issues and identify a system's IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway.

ping: This command is used to test the connectivity to a remote host. It can be used to troubleshoot network issues and identify any problems with routing or connectivity.

net user: This command is used to manage user accounts on a Windows system. It can be used to create, modify, or delete user accounts, as well as to manage their properties and permissions.

net group: This command is used to manage groups on a Windows system. It can be used to create, modify, or delete groups, as well as to manage their properties and permissions. Some options that can be used with the net group command include:

• /add: This option is used to add a new group to the system.

• /delete: This option is used to delete an existing group from the system.

• /users: This option is used to display a list of the members of a group.

• /domains: This option is used to display a list of the groups in the current domain.

net share: This command is used to manage shared resources on a Windows system. It can be used to create, modify, or delete shared resources, such as printers and folders. Some options that can be used with the net share command include:

• /delete: This option is used to delete an existing shared resource.

• /users: This option is used to display a list of the users who have access to a shared resource.

• /add: This option is used to create a new shared resource.

• /remark: This option is used to add a remark to an existing shared resource.

netstat -ab : It will give you a list of all active TCP connections and the process ID of the associated process and which executable is responsible for establishing that connection

Taskkill /F /IM <process_name.exe>: This command is used to forcefully terminate a running process. It is useful when a process is unresponsive or causing issues. The /F the option is used to forcefully terminate the process, and the /IM the option is used to specify the process name.

systeminfo: This command is used to display system information such as OS version, system uptime, system memory, and processor information, and installed hotfixes. Some options that can be used with the systeminfo command include:

• /s: This option is used to specify the target system for remote system information.

• /u: This option is used to specify a username and password for remote system information.