Introduction

Windows Vista has a command called shell that enables you to quickly open a hard to find folder or object.

Example: Let’s say you want to open the folder that holds Internet Explorer’s Cookies. You would simply type shell:Cookies in the search box located in Windows Vista’s Start Menu and press Enter on your keyboard. The folder that contains Internet Explorer’s Cookies will open.

My Favorite Shell Commands

Here are a few shell commands I think are worth noting.

Shell:Cache Opens Internet Explorer’s temporary internet files folder.

Shell:CD Burning Opens the location where files are stored temporarily before Windows Vista burns them.

Shell:Common Administrative Tools Open the Administrative Tools section of the Control Panel.

Shell:Common Startup and Shell:Startup Opens the location where shortcuts to programs that are set to start when Windows Vista boots up are saved. Remove these shortcuts to speed up your computer’s boot time and overall performance.

Shell:ConnectionsFolder Quickly open Network Connections.

Shell:Cookies Open the folder where Internet Explorer saves it’s cookies.

Shell:History Open Internet Explorer’s history of websites visited.

Shell:OEM Links Get rid of those damn links placed on your computer by your computer manufacturer.

Shell:Start Menu Open the location of the links in your Start Menu.

Complete List of Shell Commands

AddNewProgramsFolder
Administrative Tools
AppData
AppUpdatesFolder
Cache
CD Burning
ChangeRemoveProgramsFolder
Common Administrative Tools
Common AppData
Common Desktop
Common Documents
Common Programs
Common Start Menu
Common Startup
Common Templates
CommonDownloads
CommonMusic
CommonPictures
CommonVideo
ConflictFolder
ConnectionsFolder
Contacts
ControlPanelFolder
Cookies
CredentialManager
CryptoKeys
CSCFolder
Default Gadgets
Desktop
Downloads
DpapiKeys
Favorites
Fonts
Gadgets
Games
GameTasks
History
InternetFolder
Links
Local AppData
LocalAppDataLow
LocalizedResourcesDir
MAPIFolder
My Music
My Pictures
My Video
MyComputerFolder
NetHood
NetworkPlacesFolder
OEM Links
Original Images
Personal
PhotoAlbums
Playlists
PrintersFolder
PrintHood
Profile
ProgramFiles
ProgramFilesCommon
ProgramFilesCommonX86
ProgramFilesX86
Programs
Public
PublicGameTasks
Quick Launch
Recent
RecycleBinFolder
ResourceDir
SampleMusic
SamplePictures
SamplePlaylists
SampleVideos
SavedGames
Searches
SendTo
Start Menu
Startup
SyncCenterFolder
SyncResultsFolder
SyncSetupFolder
System
SystemCertificates
SystemX86
Templates
TreePropertiesFolder
UserProfiles
UsersFilesFolder
Windows