How to Change Directory Using Windows Command Line

How to Change Directory Using Windows Command Line

I'm using cmd.exe (C:\WINDOWS\System32\cmd.exe) and I have to change my current directory to "D:\temp" i.e. temp folder in the D drive.

When I try to cd nothing happens.

C:\> cd D:\temp

C:\>

I don't know what else to do here. Even pressing tab key does not give any hints. I have never got the reason to use cmd.exe until now when I have to. I mostly use Linux for development.

If this helps: I'm on a remote login to another computer and D:\temp in on the remote machine, but so is C:\ where I have opened the terminal (cmd.exe).

5

7 Answers

The "cd" command changes the directory, but not what drive you are working with. So when you go "cd d:\temp", you are changing the D drive's directory to temp, but staying in the C drive.

Execute these two commands:

D:
cd temp

That will get you the results you want.

3

Another alternative is pushd, which will automatically switch drives as needed. It also allows you to return to the previous directory via popd:

C:\Temp>pushd D:\some\folder
D:\some\folder>popd
C:\Temp>_
2

cd has a parameter /d, which will change drive and path with one command:

cd /d d:\temp

( see cd /?)

1

Just type your desired drive initial in the command line and press enter

Like if you want to go L:\\ drive, Just type L: or l:

You can try this it works for me

C:\Users\user>cd..
C:\Users>cd ..
C:\>D:
D:\>cd \foldername
cd /driveName driveName:\pathNamw
1

You can use these three commands: 1.cd.. 2.d: 3.cd temp

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James H. Sterling
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James H. Sterling

James Sterling reports on renewable energy developments, climate policy, ecological conservation, and green tech innovations around the globe.