Windows setup / OOBE
| Topic | Procedure / notes |
|---|
| Ctrl + Shift + F3 | Enters Audit Mode from Windows Setup/OOBE on supported builds; system reboots. Intended for OEM deployment and preparation, not everyday sign-in. |
| Shift + F10 | Opens Command Prompt during many Windows Setup/OOBE screens; availability depends on edition, device and policy. |
| start ms-cxh:localonly | From an OOBE command prompt, may open local-account creation on some Windows 11 builds; Microsoft can change or remove this behavior. |
| OOBE\BYPASSNRO | Legacy Windows 11 setup command to restart and expose an offline setup path on some builds; removed or restricted in newer builds. |
| Win + R → msinfo32 | System Information for hardware, BIOS, OS version and drivers. |
Repair and system health
| Topic | Procedure / notes |
|---|
| sfc /scannow | Elevated terminal: check and repair protected Windows system files. |
| DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth | Elevated terminal: repair the component store; may require Windows Update or repair source. |
| chkdsk C: /scan | Online scan for NTFS filesystem issues; avoid unnecessary repair writes on failing drives. |
| powercfg /batteryreport | Generate an HTML battery history report in the current directory. |
| Get-PhysicalDisk | PowerShell: view storage device health and media type. |
Network and device inventory
| Topic | Procedure / notes |
|---|
| ipconfig /all | List network interface IP, DNS and DHCP details. |
| ipconfig /flushdns | Clear local DNS resolver cache. |
| Test-NetConnection example.com -Port 443 | PowerShell: check TCP reachability to a service. |
| Get-CimInstance Win32_BIOS | PowerShell: BIOS version and serial information. |
| Get-PnpDevice -PresentOnly | PowerShell: list currently present Plug and Play devices. |
Service note: Model, firmware version and region can change key combinations and hardware options. Verify the exact device service manual and back up important data before repairs.
