Windows 7 - Change Directory in Command Prompt

QuackPot · 02-12-2011

Anyone know how to do this in command prompt?

I type "cd .." a few times to get to to C:\

Then when I type "cd e:\" I see E:\ below the command line but I'm still in C:\.

Can anyone help?

Edit: Nevermind, manage to get it working. Just had to type "E:" instead of using CD beforehand. So used to linux.

Bill2 · 02-12-2011

CD command is only meant to change directories, not drives. If you want to change to drive E: , just type E: at the prompt.

Kari · 02-12-2011

Exactly as Bill told here above. Here a bit more information.

CD (change directory) can be used to change the current, active folder (directory as it was called long time ago

) of either the current drive or another drive. If you use CD command to change active folder in another drive than where you currently are, the change can be seen next time you change the active drive.

Some examples here in the screenshot:

Change Directory in Command Prompt-cd_parameters_2.png

(Click to enlarge)

Kari

logicearth · 02-12-2011

use the /D switch with CD to change the drive along with the path.

Code:

> cd /?
Displays the name of or changes the current directory.

CHDIR [/D] [drive:][path]
CHDIR [..]
CD [/D] [drive:][path]
CD [..]

  ..   Specifies that you want to change to the parent directory.

Type CD drive: to display the current directory in the specified drive.
Type CD without parameters to display the current drive and directory.

Use the /D switch to change current drive in addition to changing current
directory for a drive.

If Command Extensions are enabled CHDIR changes as follows:

The current directory string is converted to use the same case as
the on disk names.  So CD C:\TEMP would actually set the current
directory to C:\Temp if that is the case on disk.

CHDIR command does not treat spaces as delimiters, so it is possible to
CD into a subdirectory name that contains a space without surrounding
the name with quotes.  For example:

    cd \winnt\profiles\username\programs\start menu

is the same as:

    cd "\winnt\profiles\username\programs\start menu"

which is what you would have to type if extensions were disabled.

You can read about why this behavior exists here: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/oldnewthing/.../10073890.aspx

Alternatively you could update to PowerShell which is a lot more advance and newer.

Windows 7 - Change Directory in Command Prompt

Change Directory in Command Prompt problems?