Command Prompt in Explorer Context MenuTip for starting a command prompt from Windows Explorer

By Michael Suodenjoki, michael@suodenjoki.dk.

Version 1.0 January 2003.

Abstract

This tiny article describes a tip of how you setup your Windows system so that you easily can start up a command prompt in the selected folder from within the Windows Explorer context menu. The tip works both on Windows 2000 and Windows XP.

Contents

1 Introduction
2 How to

Feedback

I've been looking for something to launch a shell from explorer for a while. Thanks.

Ron Belaire, 2003.12.11

I just ran across your tip on the web. I use this feature all the time at work on Windows NT. At one point a while back, I found some documentation on it (I don't remember where), but it said NOT to use it on Windows 98. I run Windows 98 at home, and would love to have this feature at home. Will what you presented in your article work on Windows 98? [Yes, I think so.]

Erik P. Verret
Harris Corporation, GCSD, 2003.04.30

1 Introduction

The best way to open a command prompt in a selected folder from Explorer is to add a context menu option to folders that will then open a command prompt at the selected folder.

2 How to

1. Startup the Registry Editor (regedit.exe) using the Start menu's Run menu. Simply type in: regedit
   
   

   
   

2. Browse to the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\Shell key.
3. Add a new key (using the Edit menu or the context menu) and name it: MenuText.
4. Double-click the default of the new key and enter the text you want to display when you right-click a folder (e.g. "Command Prompt").
5. Select the key MenuText and add a new key under it called "Command." Double-click the default value of this key and enter:
   
     <system dir>\System32\Cmd.exe /k cd "%1"
   
   where you must substitute the <system dir> with the your systems Windows directory (e.g., C:\Windows or C:\Winnt).
   
   

   
   

6. Close the Registry editor.

You don't have to reboot the machine for this to work. Now, when you select a folder in Explorer and right-click, a new option in the menu called Command Prompt takes you to the currently selected folder.

Hope you can use it.

Tip also available at: http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techenthusiast/tricks/administration/registry.asp