Enable / Disable Command prompt extensions

Registry Tip #52: Enable / Disable Command (cmd.exe) prompt extensions

Hits: Failed to execute CGI : Win32 Error Code = 3

If the Windows 2000 / Windows XP Command Extensions are enabled the PROMPT command supports the following additional formatting characters:


  $+   zero or more plus sign (+) characters depending upon the
       depth of the PUSHD directory stack, one character for each
       level pushed.

  $M   Displays the remote name associated with the current drive
       letter or the empty string if current drive is not a network
       drive.

To enable or disable the command prompt extension in Windows 2000 or Windows XP, use the following registry hack:

Hive: HKEY_CURRENT_USER
Key: Software\Microsoft\Command Processor
Name: EnableExtensions
Type: REG_DWORD
Value: 1 enable
Value: 0 disable

You can enable/disable the extensions for the command shell you are in by issuing the following commands:

cmd /y disables command extensions for this cmd session
cmd /x enables command extensions for this cmd session

Related tips:

Use prompt unc command as visual key to server name

Keywords: Windows 2000 Registry Tip, Windows XP, enable, disable, command prompt extensions, prompt command, formatting charactrs, command shell