# Windows CLI Basics (TryHackMe)

[**Windows CLI Basics**](https://tryhackme.com/room/windowsclibasics) is a beginner-friendly TryHackMe room if you’re getting started with Operating Systems, i.e., Windows, or even if you’re used to navigating other OS like linux or Unix used in Mac this room help you understand some basic command-line concepts.

## Introduction

In the previous Linux CLI Basics room, you took your first steps into the Linux command line. Today, you're continuing your journey, but this time on **Windows**. Windows is one of the most widely used operating systems in workplaces worldwide. As someone interested in cyber security, you will often investigate or troubleshoot **Windows machines**, especially user desktops and laptops.

In this room, you'll learn how to use the **Windows Command Prompt** to navigate files, search for information, and gather basic system details using the same hands-on, story-driven approach as before.

From a security perspective, Windows is important because many real-world attacks and investigations involve Windows systems.

## **What Is the Windows Command Line?**

The **Command Prompt** (often referred to as CMD) is a text-based interface for interacting with the Windows operating system. Instead of clicking folders and menus, you type commands to tell the system exactly what you want to do, such as listing files, moving between folders, or checking system information. It might look simple, but it's a powerful and widely used tool.

## **Learning Objectives**

By the end of this room, you will be able to:

* Use the Windows command line confidently
    
* Navigate folders without clicking
    
* Find files when you only know their name
    
* Read files using the terminal
    
* Collect basic system and network information
    

## **Prerequisites**

This room expects you to have explored the following rooms to understand better:

* [Operating Systems](https://tryhackme.com/room/operatingsystemsintroduction)
    
* [Linux CLI Basics](https://tryhackme.com/room/linuxclibasics)
    

### **Storyline: Day 2 on the Job**

You arrive for **the second day** of your internship. Your supervisor greets you with a quick update:

![](https://tryhackme-images.s3.amazonaws.com/user-uploads/5e8dd9a4a45e18443162feab/room-content/5e8dd9a4a45e18443162feab-1770377216081.png align="left")

So here you are on your own for now, faced with a terminal prompt and a bit of mystery. Don't worry, though. Each step in this room will guide you through exactly what to do. You'll learn how to move around the system, read files, and gather information - the same basic skills that cyber security professionals use every day.

## Windows CLI: Navigating Files and Finding Your First File

## **A Quick Recap About the Terminal**

Before we begin exploring, let's take a moment to familiarize ourselves with the tool we're using.

The **terminal** is a text-based interface for interacting with the Windows OS. Instead of clicking windows and folders, you type commands that tell the computer exactly what to do. cyber security professionals use it because:

* It's faster than clicking around
    
* It gives more control
    
* Many security tools only run in the terminal
    

By the end of this room, it will feel far more comfortable,  and you'll see it as a straightforward tool rather than something intimidating. Click on the Terminal file present on the Desktop:

![Image shows the Windows Terminal interface](https://tryhackme-images.s3.amazonaws.com/user-uploads/5e8dd9a4a45e18443162feab/room-content/5e8dd9a4a45e18443162feab-1767562398056.png align="left")

## **Overview**

Before you can explore anything on a Windows system, you need to know how to move around and look for files using the command line. In this task, you'll learn how to explore folders, move between directories, search for a file when you don't know where it is, and read the contents of a text file, all using **Command Prompt**.

These are the same kinds of skills you'll use later when troubleshooting systems.

### **Task: Find the mission\_brief.txt file**

Your boss has left you another note, with a task to find the task\_brief.txt file:

![Note left on stickynote to find the task_brief.txt file](https://tryhackme-images.s3.amazonaws.com/user-uploads/5e8dd9a4a45e18443162feab/room-content/5e8dd9a4a45e18443162feab-1770379583184.png align="left")

> *"I've left a file called* ***task\_brief.txt*** *somewhere in your user folder.  
> You'll need to find it using the command line and read what it says."*

You're only given the **name of the file**, not its location.

Let's explore how to navigate through the Windows filesystem using the command line and how to locate a file without knowing its actual location.

## **Step 1: Where Am I?**

Before doing anything else, open the terminal on the Desktop, and check your current location by typing the command `cd`, as shown below: 

![Shows output of cd command](https://tryhackme-images.s3.amazonaws.com/user-uploads/5e8dd9a4a45e18443162feab/room-content/5e8dd9a4a45e18443162feab-1767568026270.png align="left")

This shows the full path of the directory you're currently in. On Windows, this is usually your **user folder**. Please note that the `cd` command is also used to change the directory, which we will use later in the task.

## **Step 2: What's Around Me?**

Now, list the contents of the current directory using the command: `dir`

This command will list down the files and the folders present in the current directory, as shown below:

![Shows output of dir command](https://tryhackme-images.s3.amazonaws.com/user-uploads/5e8dd9a4a45e18443162feab/room-content/5e8dd9a4a45e18443162feab-1767568027687.png align="left")

You'll see files and folders that are visible by default. Take a moment to look around; not everything you need will always be obvious. From the output, we can see that the command has returned 16 directories.

## **Step 3: Are There Hidden Files?**

Some files and folders on Windows are marked as hidden, which means they don't appear in a normal listing. To show everything, including hidden items, run: `dir /a`

![Shows output of dir/a command](https://tryhackme-images.s3.amazonaws.com/user-uploads/5e8dd9a4a45e18443162feab/room-content/5e8dd9a4a45e18443162feab-1770670365538.png align="left")

The output clearly indicates that more than 12 hidden folders were found. It is important to note that hidden doesn't mean secret; it just means Windows hides them by default.

### **Step 4: Moving Around the Filesystem**

Let's use the `cd` command to navigate through the folders. We can use the format `cd folder_name` to move to the specified folder. The command `cd Documents` will move us to the Documents folder, as shown below. To move back one level, we can use `the cd command`.

![Shows the output of cd command](https://tryhackme-images.s3.amazonaws.com/user-uploads/5e8dd9a4a45e18443162feab/room-content/5e8dd9a4a45e18443162feab-1767568026785.png align="left")

To become familiar with the environment, use the `dir` or `dir /a` command to move to see what's inside each folder. You can explore a few folders to get comfortable, but the file you're looking for probably isn't in an obvious place.

### **Step 5: Finding the File on the Disk**

Instead of guessing where the file is, let Windows search for it. Use the following command: `dir /s task_brief.txt`. The `/s` flag tells Windows to search **all subfolders** starting from your current directory and show you the full path if the file exists.

![Shows the command to search for the files on the system](https://tryhackme-images.s3.amazonaws.com/user-uploads/5e8dd9a4a45e18443162feab/room-content/5e8dd9a4a45e18443162feab-1767876516240.png align="left")

As we can see, the command above helped us locate the file and provided its full path. Take note of the path shown in the output.

### **Step 6: Navigate to the File**

Now that we know where the file is located, let's use the cd command to navigate to the folder using the command format `cd <path_to_the task_brief.txt>`. Use `dir` again to confirm that **task\_brief.txt** is in the folder, as shown below:

![Shows output of the cd command](https://tryhackme-images.s3.amazonaws.com/user-uploads/5e8dd9a4a45e18443162feab/room-content/5e8dd9a4a45e18443162feab-1767876516174.png align="left")

### **Step 7: Read the File**

Now read the contents of the file using: `type task_brief.txt`. This will print the contents of the file directly in the command prompt, as shown below:

![Shows the use of type command to read the file content](https://tryhackme-images.s3.amazonaws.com/user-uploads/5e8dd9a4a45e18443162feab/room-content/5e8dd9a4a45e18443162feab-1767568990065.png align="left")

Perfect.

You have not only learned how to navigate Windows directories using the CLI, but also how to find files and read their contents. 

The content of `task_brief.txt` leads us to our next task: inquiring about the system we are currently using. Let's explore that in the next task.

### Answer the questions below

1. What is the full path of the task\_brief.txt found on the system?  
      
    `cd Documents`
    
    `dir /a`
    
    `dir /s task_brief.txt`  
    `cd REDACTED_PATH`
    
    `type task_brief.txt`  
    
    ![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1770752838544/8f708c26-b6a2-415b-815e-772965f6ad45.png align="center")
    
2. What message and flag are written inside task\_brief.txt?
    

## Gathering System Information on Windows

### **Overview**

Now that you know how to move around and find files using the Windows command line, it’s time to learn how to **ask the system questions about itself**. cyber security and IT professionals do this all the time. Before fixing a problem or investigating an incident, they first want to know:

* Who am I logged in as?
    
* What machine is this?
    
* What version of Windows is it running?
    
* How is it connected to the network?
    
    ![Image depicts a system under observation](https://tryhackme-images.s3.amazonaws.com/user-uploads/5e8dd9a4a45e18443162feab/room-content/5e8dd9a4a45e18443162feab-1770380933656.png align="left")
    

In this task, you'll learn how to gather that information step by step.

## **Step 1: Who Am I Logged In As?**

When working on a system, one of the first things to check is **which user account you’re using**. This matters because different users can have different permissions.

Run the following command:`whoami`. This command prints the username of the account you’re currently logged into.

![Shows output of whoami](https://tryhackme-images.s3.amazonaws.com/user-uploads/5e8dd9a4a45e18443162feab/room-content/5e8dd9a4a45e18443162feab-1767570764040.png align="left")

## **Step 2: What Is the Name of This Computer?**

Every Windows machine has a name. In workplaces, this helps identify network systems. To see the computer’s name, run: `hostname`.

![](https://tryhackme-images.s3.amazonaws.com/user-uploads/5e8dd9a4a45e18443162feab/room-content/5e8dd9a4a45e18443162feab-1767570764023.png align="left")

You’ll see a short name printed in the terminal.

## **Step 3: What Version of Windows Is This?**

Next, let’s look at details about the operating system itself. Run:`systeminfo`

This command prints a lot of information. Don’t worry, you’re **not expected to understand everything** yet.

![](https://tryhackme-images.s3.amazonaws.com/user-uploads/5e8dd9a4a45e18443162feab/room-content/5e8dd9a4a45e18443162feab-1767570763969.png align="left")

Focus on these parts:

* OS Name
    
* OS Version
    
* System Type
    

These details indicate the version of Windows the machine is running and whether it’s 32-bit or 64-bit.

## **Step 4: How Is This Machine Connected to the Network?**

Finally, let’s look at basic network information. Run: `ipconfig`

This shows the machine's network configuration.

Look for:

* An **IPv4 Address**
    
* A **Default Gateway**
    

![](https://tryhackme-images.s3.amazonaws.com/user-uploads/5e8dd9a4a45e18443162feab/room-content/5e8dd9a4a45e18443162feab-1767570763938.png align="left")

This information helps analysts understand how a machine connects to the network.

## **Summary**

In this task, you learned how to ask a Windows system simple but important questions using the command line.

You practiced:

* Identifying **who** you are logged in as
    
* Finding the **name of the computer**
    
* Checking **Windows version and system details**
    
* Viewing **basic network information**
    

These are some of the first commands analysts and IT staff run when they start working on a Windows machine.

### Answer the questions below

1. What is the computer name shown by hostname?#
    
      
    `whoami`
    
    `hostname`
    
    ![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1770752986430/ae41681e-52b6-4b38-afdc-2e6551a7d723.png align="center")
    
2. What Windows version is listed in the systeminfo output?
    
      
    `systeminfo`
    

## Conclusion

### **Overview**

You’ve reached the end of this room - nice work.

In this room, we learned how to interact with a Windows system using the command line instead of relying on the graphical interface. This task is a short wrap-up to reflect on what you’ve learned and why it’s important.

## **What You Learned**

In this room, you practiced using the **Windows Command Prompt** to:

* Navigate files and folders without clicking
    
* Locate files even when you didn’t know where they were
    
* Reveal hidden files and directories
    
* Read file contents directly from the terminal
    
* Gather basic system and network information
    

These are foundational skills that apply across many roles in IT and cybersecurity.

## **Why This Matters**

In real-world environments:

* Not everything is visible in the graphical interface
    
* Files may be hidden or buried deep in the system
    
* Analysts often need quick answers without clicking through menus
    
* Command-line tools are faster, more precise, and easier to automate
    

Being comfortable with the Windows command line gives you more control and better visibility into a system.