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Custom cmd.exe appearance

When you start cmd.exe in Windows 2008 or Windows 7 you will get little small tinny window:

 

Small cmd.exe

Small cmd.exe

 

This is getting on my nerves to change is on every server/workstation I log in.

So I started RegSnap and find out that all settings which affects settings for cmd.exe are stored at registry key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\\Console.

I change my cmd.exe window to following:

  • Font: Lucida Console
  • Font size: 14
  • Enable QuickEdit
  • Changes to buffer sizes 9999×9999
  • Changes to windows sizes 150×60
  • Change font color to Yellow (255/255/0)

When I change to my favorite settings I see following changes:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Console]
“CurrentPage”=dword:00000002
“ScreenColors”=dword:0000000e
“PopupColors”=dword:000000f5
“ColorTable00″=dword:00000000
“ColorTable01″=dword:00800000
“ColorTable02″=dword:00008000
“ColorTable03″=dword:00808000
“ColorTable04″=dword:00000080
“ColorTable05″=dword:00800080
“ColorTable06″=dword:00008080
“ColorTable07″=dword:00c0c0c0
“ColorTable08″=dword:00808080
“ColorTable09″=dword:00ff0000
“ColorTable10″=dword:0000ff00
“ColorTable11″=dword:00ffff00
“ColorTable12″=dword:000000ff
“ColorTable13″=dword:00ff00ff
“ColorTable14″=dword:0000ffff
“ColorTable15″=dword:00ffffff
“InsertMode”=dword:00000001
“QuickEdit”=dword:00000001
“ScreenBufferSize”=dword:270f270f
“WindowSize”=dword:003c0096
“FontSize”=dword:000e0000
“FontFamily”=dword:00000036
“FontWeight”=dword:00000190
“FaceName”=”Lucida Console”
“CursorSize”=dword:00000019
“HistoryBufferSize”=dword:00000019
“NumberOfHistoryBuffers”=dword:00000004
“HistoryNoDup”=dword:00000000
 

And now we need to think how to automate it. We have couple options:

  • Windows 2003 AD – Login script running .reg file
  • Windows 2008 AD – Using GPO Preferences
  • Manual runnig .reg file

Windows 2003 AD – Login script running .reg file

1.) Create .reg file in GPO login script location with following content:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Console]
“CurrentPage”=dword:00000002
“ScreenColors”=dword:0000000e
“PopupColors”=dword:000000f5
“ColorTable00″=dword:00000000
“ColorTable01″=dword:00800000
“ColorTable02″=dword:00008000
“ColorTable03″=dword:00808000
“ColorTable04″=dword:00000080
“ColorTable05″=dword:00800080
“ColorTable06″=dword:00008080
“ColorTable07″=dword:00c0c0c0
“ColorTable08″=dword:00808080
“ColorTable09″=dword:00ff0000
“ColorTable10″=dword:0000ff00
“ColorTable11″=dword:00ffff00
“ColorTable12″=dword:000000ff
“ColorTable13″=dword:00ff00ff
“ColorTable14″=dword:0000ffff
“ColorTable15″=dword:00ffffff
“InsertMode”=dword:00000001
“QuickEdit”=dword:00000001
“ScreenBufferSize”=dword:270f270f
“WindowSize”=dword:003c0096
“FontSize”=dword:000e0000
“FontFamily”=dword:00000036
“FontWeight”=dword:00000190
“FaceName”=”Lucida Console”
“CursorSize”=dword:00000019
“HistoryBufferSize”=dword:00000019
“NumberOfHistoryBuffers”=dword:00000004
“HistoryNoDup”=dword:00000000
 

2.) Create .bat file in GPO login script location:

reg import console.reg

 

3.) Configure .bat file as login script in GPO and apply GPO

 

It’s good thing to delete registry HKEY_CURRENT_USER\\Console before aplying new registries.

You can download my backup of GPO and use it.

Windows 2008 AD – Using GPO Preferences

Don’t forget to put all mentioned registries.

Console registry settings

Console registry settings

 

So I hope this helps you to administer server more effective way.

 

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