****************
Luser Alert: Anyone who thinks this GTMHH will reveal how to blow up people's TV sets and steal Sandra Bullock's email is going to find out that I won't tell them how.
****************
The key to doing amazing things with XP is as simple as D O S. Yes, that's right, DOS as in MS-DOS, as in MicroSoft Disk Operating System. Windows XP (as well as NT and 2000) comes with two versions of DOS. Command.com is an old DOS version. Various versions of command.com come with Windows 95, 98, SE, ME, Window 3, and DOS only operating systems.
The other DOS, which comes only with the XP, 2000 and NT operating systems, is cmd.exe. Usually cmd.exe is better than command.com because it is easier to use, has more commands, and in some ways resembles the bash shell in Linux and other Unix-type operating systems. For example, you can repeat a command by using the up arrow until you back up to the desired command. Unlike bash, however, your DOS command history is erased whenever you shut down cmd.exe. The reason XP has both versions of DOS is that sometimes a program that won?t run right in cmd.exe will work in command.com
****************
Flame Alert: Some readers are throwing fits because I dared to compare DOS to bash. I can compare cmd.exe to bash if I want to. Nanny nanny nah nah.
****************
DOS is your number one Windows gateway to the Internet, and the open sesame to local area networks. From DOS, without needing to download a single hacker program, you can do amazingly sophisticated explorations and even break into poorly defended computers.
****************
You can go to jail warning: Breaking into computers is against the law if you do not have permission to do so from the owner of that computer. For example, if your friend gives you permission to break into her Hotmail account, that won't protect you because Microsoft owns Hotmail and they will never give you permission.
****************
****************
You can get expelled warning: Some kids have been kicked out of school just for bringing up a DOS prompt on a computer. Be sure to get a teacher's WRITTEN permission before demonstrating that you can hack on a school computer.
****************
So how do you turn on DOS?
Click All Programs -> Accessories -> Command Prompt
[hide=5]That runs cmd.exe. You should see a black screen with white text on it, saying something like this:
Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
