In Windows 8, right-click the Start menu, and then click Run. You can also access this menu by pressing the WIN + X keys.;
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The Command Prompt is a program lets you control your computer with text commands.
 The Notepad text editor opens.


Notepad is a text editor included in every version of Windows.
The start command tells the computer to open a software program.
In order for this to work, you need to know the exact name of the software program's file name that you want to open.
 This opens the Windows File Explorer.



You can use any other software program folder, too.
 This is the filename for Internet Explorer.
, Try opening the files using the start command.


These steps only work when programs are in the Windows Program Files folder. If you want to run a program outside of the Program Files folder, click here for instructions on how to do that.
 Command Prompt prints a series of file paths separated by semi-colons. This is the PATH. When you use the start command, Command Prompt looks in all of these directories for the filename you typed.
 The Command Prompt will be able to find the executable program file there.


If you'd rather not move the program files, you can edit the PATH to add new file paths.
 Find the program file ending in .exe that you'd like open with Command Prompt. Right-click the program file, and then click Properties.



Copy and paste don't work in Command Prompt.
 The setx command will let you add a file path to the PATH.Type setx path "%path%;, type the file path you wrote down, and then type ". Press Return.
 The file path is added to PATH.

Click the Start menu, and then click Run.
In the Run dialog box, type cmd.

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The Command Prompt window opens.
In the Command Prompt window, type start notepad.
In the Command Prompt window, type start explorer.
Go to the Program Files folder, and then open the Internet Explorer folder.
Find iexplore.exe.
In the Command Prompt window, type start explore.

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Locate other programs you use frequently, and write down their file names.
In the Command Prompt window, type path.
If you can, move the program folder into the Program Files folder.
Open the program properties.
In the Properties window, next to Location, write down the full file path.
Use the setx command.
Type path.
Type start and the filename located in the directory you added to PATH.
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