Data loss and system crashes are the specters of each user. The Windows developers do try to keep risky functions of the surface and instead to banish to the command line. However, there are still features that are to be used with extreme caution.
Knowledge Protects: We present 10 particularly dangerous, but also useful Windows commands. You will learn what all the features that offer advantages, but also the risks they pose. We show you ways to minimize the dangers or the best deal and so completely manage your data.
1. Be careful when copying many files with the Explorer
Risk: 2 Use: 4
The explorer should be able to file manager to control the copying of files and folders without residual risk for your data. But this is not the case.
Hidden password: By default, hidden files are hidden. This can result in copying that they are not considered. This happens when you select all files and directories in a folder, holding <Shift>-click and copy. Since embedded hidden files appear not here, they are also missing in the copy. Better that the hot key is Control– ¶. These select the entire folder contents. If hidden files or folders are in the process warns Windows and gives you the opportunity to copy.
Demolition Chaos: Under XP can also lead to loss of data copying crashes (in Vista, the problem was defused). If you copy large amounts of data and files from the umpteenth subfolder cannot be copied because it is locked, so the copy process just stops (the button “Skip” is only from Vista). You have to find it, what it all was copied, and dispatch on the rest manually. This is tedious and error-prone. Alternatively, you can ensure that the file is not locked, start the initial copy operation again and the first “Replace” dialog with <Shift> and “No” to ensure that none of the files will be overwritten.
NTFS Data Loss: The NTFS file system can attach any file additional data (streams) and permissions. If you copy files from NTFS to a FAT (32) – copy or a network drive, go this extra data and permissions lost on principle. If you want to copy them back to get the files, you must get the permissions of the destination folder.
Solution: Rather unsatisfactory the Explorer hot key is Control– ¶. Here you get just a warning. When copying large files better using fault-tolerant tools, such as Xcopy, Robocopy, Total Commander or Rich Copy 4.0.
2. Be careful when defragmenting drives with Windows
Risk: 3 Use: 3
Defragmenting a drive usually has a limited impact on system performance. When it does bring a very fragmented drives to a speed increase, In connection with accidentally deleted files Defrag is but the data killer.
Remove Deleted: With the Windows Recycle Bin provides protection against accidental deletion. Many users empty the trash but reflexively as soon as it is “full”. Can keep free Unease tools recover deleted files really quickly, provided the space has not been rewritten. After a defragmentation but such tools have no chance: The Windows own defrag (Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Disk Defragmenter) ordered like any other tool of its kind all files in a partition as to ensure that a contiguous block of data and a block result of free space. Here, the holes are closed, the results from the deletion of individual files. The data stored there are thus permanently destroyed.
Remedy: Be careful with defragmenting, and you waive automatic defragmenting.
3. Be careful when renaming multiple files in Explorer
Risk: 3 Benefit: 2
Rename many files into a logical pattern is for the Windows Explorer, no trivial task – it appears so overwhelmed in general. Now, if a large amount of files is named incorrectly, you may have to examine each substance in order to restore the correct name – the borders of data loss.
Filename overwrite rename a single file with the Explorer is not a problem – simply highlight <F2> key and enter the new name. However, several files in a folder given a new name, take a look at the Explorer usually bad. If you allow multiple files by holding down <Shift> – mark or Control-key and then press <F2>, first change the name of the last file. The confirmation <Return> then leads to get all the selected files to the first file plus an index number – the original name are gone. In Vista, you can rename multiple <Ctrl> – <Z> make in one go undone. In XP, you need the action for each file with <Ctrl> – Reset <Z>. However, after ten files final – all other file names cannot be restored.
Solution: Use the renaming of many files, a special tool like Oscar’s File Renamer 1.1.
4. Be careful when inserting special NTFS links
Risk: 3Nutzen: 4
The NTFS file system allows now a whole range of folder links. The new junctions and symlinks folder can easily embed any source elsewhere. This poses some risks, however – under Vista and even more so on XP.
Stray Delete: As long as you use the Explorer, deleting and moving folders, which in turn contain junctions and symbolic links Order, now secure. The Vista Explorer could always, the XP Explorer was an update a few years, “Junction-safe” patched. That is: who drops a folder with junctions or moves, deletes or moves not with the files of the link target. How the other hand, other applications and commands remains are piecemeal and so dangerous: Cmd commands such as “rd / s”, “del / s” or “robocopy / mir” delete the files from the junction or symlink folder simply. Packer also is considered as Winrar all connected by those links delete data and consequently, if the user is requested by option or call parameters. Who has forgotten that he as in C: has suspended data an extensive archive of a USB hard disk or a network drive via Junction / Symlink may be surprised at best, about the size of file actions in the worst case is the data set for board.
Note: Our systems are provided only junctions and symlinks on Vista, and even then only on the command line command “MKLINK. Too popular and easily accessible will not shape the Microsoft NTFS link revealed. In XP you can only use the junctions, and only using external tools such as the Junction.exe from Sysinternals.
Remedy: symlinks and junctions, even if they cause is usually no loss of data, confusing in many situations. Only experienced users should really get involved with the topic. Some special tools are really prepared for junctions. Eg, Robocopy the / XJ (“exclude junctions”) ignore to such folders explicitly.
5. Be careful when idle or standby mode
Risk: 3 Use: 3
Instead of shutting down Windows, you can put it in different power saving modes. If you close the lid of your notebook around, it changes default to the standby mode. Is even more economical to sleep, one use the various power-saving states in common: the contents of memory is preserved or saved to disk. After waking up, so you can theoretically continue working on the open applications.
Windows coma: the energy-saving states but unfortunately not always work correctly. In Vista, there were initially some problems on some notebooks “wake up”. This helped only a forced restart, go where all unsaved work lost.
Remedy: Always backup any open files before you put the computer into a power saving state. On desktop PCs it is often better to disable standby and hibernation in the Power Options. Who wants to put up starting work on a running system can adjust in the bios when his PC will boot up automatically.
Next day i will continue to discuss the other five of riskful Windows command’s.
Top 10 most dangerous Windows commands (1)