I’ve been using Windows as my primary operating system for nearly two decades now, and for the most part, I’ve rarely relied on it. Terminal based commands. Frankly, there was a feeling of confusion. When Windows had troubleshooters and custom settings for everything, using commands seemed redundant. But once I switched to terminal commands, there was no going back.
In most cases, these commands are more powerful and reliable than the fixes buried deep inside Settings app or Control Panel. Some even fix problems that Windows troubleshooters completely miss. Over the past few years, I’ve made a list of commands that I run every time my computer starts up due to slow and buggy Windows, internet issues, or update errors. Honestly, it made troubleshooting so much easier. You run a command, then sit back and wait while it does the job.
Most of these commands require running Windows Terminal with administrative privileges. To do this, search for “Windows Terminal” and then click “Run as administrator”.
sfc / scannow
Repairs damaged system files
SFC (System File Checker) scan is by far my most used terminal command. This is the first command I run when my computer is running slow, throwing errors, or system components are failing. The SFC tool built into Windows repairs damaged system files by replacing the affected versions with their cached copies.
To run it, you just need to use this command:
sfc /scannow I have often seen Windows users complain about the efficiency of the SFC tool. This is mainly because it cannot solve the problems in their system. But in most cases, this is associated with a damaged Windows Component Store that SFC relies on. Therefore, Microsoft recommends running DISM (Servicing and Managing Deployment Images) tool followed by an SFC scan as DISM repairs the component repository.
Command to run DISM tool:
DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /RestoreHealth
ipconfig / flushdns
It helps to solve problems related to the Internet
Internet issues are another area where Terminal comes in as a useful resource. Whether it’s websites showing connection problems or completely unable to load, this command gets the job done in no time. Basically a command clears the system’s DNS cache and forces it to fetch fresh information the next time it looks up the domain.
To clear the DNS cache, simply launch an elevated Terminal and run this command:
ipconfig /flushdns Your system (or browser) stores this DNS cache to load websites faster on subsequent visits. But when it breaks down or wears out, you start facing problems. Remember that clearing the DNS cache is completely safe.
Clear the Windows update cache
This fixes Windows update issues
Almost everyone knows this at this point The recent Windows 11 updates have been a messoften triggers problems in perfectly fine systems. But that’s not even the worst part. Many still encounter it frequently Windows update errors. Even the simplest problems become difficult to solve with outdated Windows troubleshooting tools, which can be solved simply by clearing the update cache. So I now use Terminal to clear the update cache when an update fails to download or install.
The command I used:
del /f /s /q %windir%\SoftwareDistribution\Download\* Remember that before clearing the cache, you must disable Windows Update and a number of related services. This can be done through both the Terminal and the built-in Services utility.
Chkdsk
Scans the driver for errors
Next on the list is Check Disk, a built-in utility that helps you find and fix drive-related errors, accessible through Terminal and CMD. There are several various Disk check commandseach performs a specific function. Basically, Check Disk does two things. First, it scans the drive for file system errors, and if any are found, the tool will try to fix them. Second, it scans the drive for bad sectors and repairs the ones that can be fixed. As for those that cannot be repaired, Check Disk marks those bad sectors so that no data can be written to them.
Check Disk is the first command I run when I encounter drive problems, and I usually use the “/r” switch, Check Disk tries to repair both file system errors and bad sectors. You should only use the “/f” parameter for file system errors. Many recommend running “/f” first, followed by “/r” because the former is faster. Commands for both:
-
File system problems:
chkdsk /f -
For bad sectors (includes file system problems):
chkdsk /r
You may need to restart the system to perform the scan, and depending on the level of problems, it may take some time to complete.
powercfg / power
Generates an energy efficiency report
Given the nature of my work, I have to test many things, especially system settings, install various programs. Sometimes this has a direct impact on battery life, and to check this I use a special Terminal command to generate a power efficiency report. The command for this is:
powercfg /energy When running, Windows scans the system for 60 seconds (default time that can be changed) and then generates a report highlighting any settings, misconfigurations, and driver issues that may be draining the battery. In my experience, this is a useful command that gives you information about your PC that you often miss.
Terminal is definitely better at troubleshooting on Windows
Although Settings has changed significantly over the past few years, and has taken on a more modern form in Windows 11, it is still not the best option for troubleshooting. As soon as you switch to terminal commands, you realize the wide variety of tweaks you can perform, some of which aren’t even available through built-in utilities. I agree, it seems a little intimidating at first, but once you get the hang of it, Terminal commands save both time and effort.
