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How To Maximize Windows Vista Command Prompt Window

Copyright © Walker 03 Jun 2007 18:02
By just pressing ALT+ENTER keyboard shortcut, one can easily enable full-screen Command Prompt in Windows XP / Windows 2000, etc.

How to enable full-screen Command Prompt window in Windows Vista? Windows Vista Command Prompt does not support full-screen Command Prompt window.

However, the Windows Vista Command Prompt will refuse to function in full screen mode, when you press ALT+ENTER key, with an alert dialog box that says This system does not support full-screen mode!
How to fully maximize Windows Vista Command Prompt window?
How to fully maximize Windows Vista Command Prompt window?

There are at least TWO ways to either fully maximize or enable full-screen Command Prompt window in Windows Vista.

As shown in the snapshot at above, the Vista Command Prompt window is fully maximized with both horizontal and vertical scroll-bar. Although, it’s not the full-screen mode in Windows XP/2000, this maximized Command Prompt window is easier to scroll up/down or left/right for your convenient of reading a long command line output, such as directory listing or command help information.

Fully maximize Vista Command Prompt window
  1. Open an elevated-privilege Command Prompt window,
  2. At the Vista Command Prompt, type wmic and press ENTER,
  3. Click the Maximize Window button of the Command Prompt window (the middle button at the upper-right corner) to maximize it,
  4. Type exit and press ENTER,
  5. Right-click the Vista Command Prompt Title-bar and select Properties option menu,
  6. Without changing anything, click OK button to close the Command Prompt Properties dialog box,
  7. Type exit and press ENTER to close the current Vista Command Prompt.
  8. Now, re-open the Vista Command Prompt window again (as in step 1), it should have automatically and fully maximized to fit your Desktop resolution! I tested it successfully in Windows Vista Ultimate, and I suppose this tricks will works on other Windows Vista editions as well!

You may also manually configure or set the window size of Vista Command Prompt, via its Properties dialog box, in the Window Size of Layout tab. Though, that’s trivial to configure both the width and height value for different Desktop resolution!

Enable full-screen Command Prompt window in Windows Vista

Please take note that this trick will not working if you’re using Windows Aero interface.

Windows Aero interface present premium visual experience in Windows Vista - to render a thumbnail-sized preview of content for open windows when the ALT+TAB key are pressed.

The full-screen Vista Command Prompt will only work if you have disabled the Windows Aero GUI – the look-through, classy window GUI that’s only available on Windows Vista Home Premium (and above) and is running on Vista Premium type of computer systems!
  1. Open an elevated-privilege Command Prompt window,
  2. Right-click the Vista Command Prompt Title-bar and select Properties option menu,
  3. In the Options tab, set the “Full Screen” option in “Display Options” section.

Remember that this “Display Options” setting is not available or seen in the Command Prompt window Properties dialog box, if Windows Aero interface is turned on.


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  1. Walker June 30th, 2007 10:13 PM

    Update:

    I found that the real FULL SCREEN mode is enabled in Windows Vista Ultimate running in virtual machine, where the Windows Aero is disabled due the virtualized display driver – so I thought that was due to Windows Aero interface.

    However, I read a Microsoft KB926657 today, that the Windows Aero is not directly fail a Command Prompt full-screen mode. In fact, the new Windows Vista device drivers (based on the Windows Vista Display Driver Model, WDDM) do not support running all of the DOS video modes!

  2. How To Disable Windows Vista Run Command – Walker News July 8th, 2007 9:18 PM

    [...] exist to allows user executing a Windows program without open up the Command Prompt window or browse through the Start menu or Windows Explorer, as long as the program specified can be found [...]

  3. guest July 16th, 2007 7:24 AM

    You got some mad skills brother

  4. visitor November 11th, 2007 11:53 PM

    Great tip !!

  5. Subha March 15th, 2008 4:23 PM

    How can I run C++ in full screen mode? Whenever I start Turbo C++ it shows that the system doesn’t supports fullscreen mode…plz help thanx in advance…

  6. jaikrit March 19th, 2008 1:22 AM

    Same problem I’m having to………..!

  7. sw January 7th, 2009 4:40 AM

    ok same to me but in free pascal still no solution thanks in advance

  8. priyanka March 7th, 2009 2:35 PM

    i have a problem with vista. it does not support full screen mode for turboc++. please help me. thanks in advance

  9. Walker March 7th, 2009 8:42 PM

    You may reinstall the display driver with the one built for Windows XP, i.e. a driver that is not based on Windows Vista Display Driver Model (WDDM).

  10. Randolf Richardson March 13th, 2009 2:44 PM

    I hope Microsoft releases some updates soon to fix this because I really like using FAR Manager in full-screen mode since the text is crisper and easier to read.

  11. IT_rais March 28th, 2009 2:45 PM

    Thank buddy this information is very useful resourse.

  12. Ugonna Nwakama May 5th, 2009 6:39 PM

    This has just made MySQL so much better now. Thanks a lot.

  13. Kashif Memon June 4th, 2009 6:04 PM

    I would like to use foxpro on windows vista

    but when i press alt+Enter the massage apper this system does not supprt fullscreen mode.

    how can i solve it.

    regards

  14. Walker June 4th, 2009 7:16 PM

    If you’re using a WDDM class of display driver, you can’t activate full screen mode Command Prompt window with the ALT+Enter hotkey. (See my earlier comment at above).

  15. my iran August 6th, 2009 3:15 AM

    it is easy.
    dos work: change your windows resolution. for example 1024*768 or 800*600
    if you work turbo c++ & C & pascal (CLASSIC), read this link
    http://techtricks.co.in/run-turbo-c-in-windows-vista/
    love world

  16. Vishal September 4th, 2009 3:54 PM

    Try This One…Its Working n I Hav Tested It………. just uninstall the intel media accelerator driver n then try.it will automatically run in fullmode……….graphics r also working……..

  17. prashant January 6th, 2010 11:42 PM

    How can I run C++ in full screen mode? Whenever I start Turbo C++ it shows that the system doesn’t supports fullscreen mode…plz help thanx in advance…

  18. Walker January 6th, 2010 11:49 PM

    You need to use XP-based display driver for that, or refer to the 2nd last comment before you in this post.

  19. OldSklTelco June 12th, 2010 6:28 AM

    This worked great, but I do not always want to be in full screen mode. How do I go back to the original settings?

  20. Anshul Rohilla August 14th, 2010 1:17 AM

    thnx budy…it really works..