this history at the cmd.com prompt?
I think your still missing the context. We're talking about the command history provided by cmd.exe at the command line prompt. This has nothing to do with the run dialog (Win+R).
(I needed an excuse to kick over the winXP vm.)
Logging in..
- Win+R = cmd [Enter]
- CMD.exe > Up Arrow returns nothing
- CMD.exe > "dir" returns directory/file listing
- CMD.exe > Up Arrow returns previous command "dir" which returns directory/file listing
Logging out..
Logging in..
- Win+R = cmd [Enter]
- CMD.exe > Up Arrow returns nothing
- CMD.exe > "dir" returns directory/file listing (to create a history)
- Win+R = cmd [Enter] (second terminal open)
- CMD.exe > Up Arrow returns nothing
When first logging in, no history exists within cmd.exe/command.com. Up arrow returns no previous commands.
After entering one or more commands, Up Arrow will return history for that session and terminal combination.
When opening a second cmd.exe terminal while the first remains open, Up Arrow in that second terminal does not return the first terminal session's history or it's own prior history since the up arrow is the first interaction with the new terminal session.
For comparison using Bash inside Konsole:
- bash $ Up Arrow returns "exit"
- bash $ Up Arrow returns "su"
- bash $ Up Arrow returns "exit"
- bash $ Up Arrow returns "ls -l"
- bash $ "ls thetest" returns No such file (run to create identifiable history)
second Bash inside Konsole:
- bash $ Up Arrow returns "exit"
- bash $ Up Arrow returns "su"
Close first Konsole, Close second Konsole, open third Bash inside Konsole:
- bash $ Up Arrow returns "ls thetest"
- bash $ Up Arrow returns "exit"
- bash $ Up Arrow returns "su"
Bash remembers my history from the last session and across logins.
Bash saves my history globally within my user account so opening a terminal after closing the previous will include the previous terminal's history.
Opening a second terminal will provide history excluding the first open terminal since terminal1 hasn't been closed to save it's history globally.
If I want to see what I've been up to I can "less ~/.bash_history". If Root wants to see what users have been up to; "less /home/user/.bash_history". Root could also script something quick and easy to dump user's .bash_history into a central file retaining the history even if users deleted there personal .bash_history file.
Also, if you keep clean machines including removing form field history between logins, that history in the Win+R pulldown is going to be pretty short.
