Master PowerShell: Top 10 Commands for Windows Management in 2024

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 PowerShell, a command-line shell and scripting language, has become an indispensable tool for Windows administrators. Its flexibility, automation capabilities, and integration with the .NET Framework make it a powerful choice for managing Windows systems.

Here are the top 10 PowerShell commands that every administrator should know in 2024:

1. Get-Command

• Purpose: Lists all available commands in your PowerShell session.
• Example:
  PowerShell

  Get-Command

2. Get-Service

• Purpose: Retrieves information about running services on your system.
• Example:
  PowerShell

  Get-Service | Where-Object {$_.Status -eq "Running"}

3. Stop-Service

• Purpose: Stops a running service.
• Example:
  PowerShell

  Stop-Service "Spooler"

4. Start-Service

• Purpose: Starts a stopped service.
• Example:
  PowerShell

  Start-Service "Spooler"

5. Get-Process

• Purpose: Retrieves information about running processes on your system.
• Example:
  PowerShell

  Get-Process | Sort-Object CPU -Descending
  

  Use code with caution.

6. Stop-Process

• Purpose: Stops a running process.
• Example:
  PowerShell

  Stop-Process -Name "notepad"

7. Get-ChildItem

• Purpose: Lists files and directories in a specified path.
• Example:
  PowerShell

  Get-ChildItem C:\Windows

8. Copy-Item

• Purpose: Copies files or directories.
• Example:
  PowerShell

  Copy-Item C:\temp\file.txt D:\backup

9. Move-Item

• Purpose: Moves files or directories.
• Example:
  PowerShell

  Move-Item C:\temp\file.txt D:\backup

10. Invoke-Command

• Purpose: Executes commands on remote computers.
• Example:
  PowerShell

  Invoke-Command -ComputerName "Server1" -ScriptBlock {Get-Process | Sort-Object CPU -Descending}

These commands provide a solid foundation for Windows administration using PowerShell. By mastering these, you can efficiently manage your system, automate tasks, and troubleshoot issues. Remember to experiment with different parameters and options to explore the full potential of these commands.