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# WTF? Windows DOS changing path
- URL: https://helpmonks.com/blog/wtf-windows-dos-changing-path/
- Published: 2012-08-19T00:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-04-04T01:57:46.000Z
- Description: Right, so we all know our trusted little command, “cd”, to change directories in the DOS shell of Windows, right? Well, I was in for quite a surprise today w
- Author: Nitai
- Tags: email marketing

Right, so we all know our trusted little command, “cd”, to change directories in the DOS shell of Windows, right?

Well, I was in for quite a surprise today when I could not change to any directory at all. I kept on trying doing a simply:

\[code\]C:>cd D:somedir  
D:somedir

C:>  
\[/code\]

As you can see, I was still in the “C:” drive. Needless to say, I was totally baffled and didn’t know what was going on here. So, a little trip to the manual for “cd” revealed that Microsoft changed our little well know “cd” command to “cd /d” in order to change the drive!

Low and behold, this now works as:

\[code\]C:>cd /d D:somedir

D:somedir>  
\[/code\]

What the hell? Thank you Microsoft for wasting (another) 30 minutes of my live.

Hope this helps anyone out there.