Welcome to the Matrix in Command Prompt

Here is a little "trick" to impress your friends in Command Prompt. It just makes your command prompt show up like it is the Matrix theme, and continually pressing enter helps it make even cooler!

I learned this a few years ago, and I decided to make it into an Instructable. I love to go to Computer stores, like Circuit City, or Costco, and put this up on the screen.

It is funny to see people's faces when they walk by, and the screen says:

"Welcome to the Matrix"

Step 1: Materials

What do I need to conquer the Matrix?

Any Windows Model with Command Prompt
The "run" module in your start menu
Keyboard
The Power of the Matrix

Step 2: Opening Command Prompt

Once you have "run" open. Type in "cmd" in the text box.

Then click OK, and the wonderful black dialog box of DOS should appear.

If you are at school, and your "run" command is disabled, please refer to last step to find a secondary way to open up command prompt.

Step 3: Typing it all in

Ok, so now you have Command Prompt open, it is now time to type in what we want.

To clear the Microsoft Windows Copyright above the C:\Documents and Settings, just type in "cls"

cls means to clear screen.

So now, you should be left with C:\Documents and Settings\(Name of User>_

Next, type in the word "prompt".

After prompt, put a space, and start to type Welcome to the Matrix. To make sure the the saying is not overlapping to the next line, you have to type:

Welcome to the Matrix Welcome to the Matrix Welcome to the Matrix Welcome to the

As you can see, I did not add Matrix to the last phrase. I did this because it keeps it from running onto the next line.

Type it as you see it above.

Once you type it all in, press Enter. And move on to the next step.

Step 4: Making it Matrix colors

Ok, so now it is time to make it the Matrix colors.

Type in "cls", just to clear everything up. Don't worry, no information will be lost.

You should have your Phrase across the screen now.

To change the color, type in:

color 0a

0a, means Green, and background black.

Now Press ENTER! Hold Enter down, and there you go!

You are one with the Matrix of Command Prompt!

Next Step is how to get around "run" being disabled.

The whole color legend is below:

0=black
1=blue
2=green
3=aqua
4=red
5=purple
6=yellow
7=white
8=Gray
9=Light Blue
a=Light Green
b=Light Aqua
c=Light Red
d=Light Purple
e=Light Yellow
f=Bright White

Step 5: Opening CMD without "run"

So your school admin blocked the Run from the start menu?

Here is how to open command prompt without run!

Open up a new notepad document. AKA a text document.
Now type in start command.com

start command.com

Now click Save
Save it as cmd.bat
Save it to the Desktop
Click the icon that showed up, and command prompt should open now.

minijc says: Feb 11, 2012. 11:37 AM

@echo off
color a
:A
dir /s
tree /f
GOTO A
@echo off
color aa
:A
dir /s
tree /f
GOTO C
@echo off
color a
:A
dir /s
tree /f
GOTO A
@echo off
color aa
:A
dir /s
tree /f
GOTO C
@echo off
color a
:A
dir /s
tree /f
GOTO A
@echo off
color aa
:A
dir /s
tree /f
GOTO C
@echo off
color a
:A
dir /s
tree /f
GOTO A
@echo off
color aa
:A
dir /s
tree /f
GOTO C
@echo off
color a
:A
dir /s
tree /f
GOTO A
@echo off
color aa
:A
dir /s
tree /f
GOTO C
@echo off
color a
:A
dir /s
tree /f
GOTO A
@echo off
color aa
:A
dir /s
tree /f
GOTO C
@echo off
color a
:A
dir /s
tree /f
GOTO A
@echo off
color aa
:A
dir /s
tree /f
GOTO C
@echo off
color a
:A
dir /s
tree /f
GOTO A

this is much better
enter into note pad AND SAVE AS .bat or it will not work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

hackdreamer says: Aug 19, 2012. 4:08 AM

Did this... got a !@#$load of stuff flash up and then it just closed before I could see what it even was... I think I saw Bleach and DeathNote mentioned??

Tried typing pause after the code, but didn't work.

What is the aim/point of this code? I just don't get it .-_-

hackdreamer says: Aug 19, 2012. 4:15 AM

hang on... is this code going through everything on the computer or something?

Spicer__ says: Sep 2, 2007. 10:28 AM

is there anyway to make it so tht it looks like it does in the movie? like: "Wake up neo . . . follow the white rabbit" ?????

grundisimo says: Sep 3, 2011. 3:21 PM

@echo off
echo Wake up Neo...
pause
echo Follow the white rabbit....

etc...

hackdreamer says: Aug 19, 2012. 4:12 AM

Anything written after pause does not come up for me. After 'pause' I get 'Press any key to continue' then it closes... :(

Brennn10 (author) says: Sep 2, 2007. 10:34 AM

Well, the only other way I know is by typing a new prompt phrase. You could type prompt Wake up Neo, Follow the white Rabbit, Wake up Neo, Follow the White Rabbit and continue pressing enter. You could make a few lines of one prompt, stop and make another prompt phrase, and another to make it look a little different.

middletonaustin95 says: Apr 26, 2011. 5:29 PM

you can use this as a delay before it executes the next line
ping localhost -n 4 >> null
the value after -n is the number of pings (each ping is roughly one second)

Spicer__ says: Sep 2, 2007. 4:19 PM

but could u write the code for me bcuz i hav like no knowledge of batch files lol

ksjlkdjlddj says: Sep 24, 2007. 9:47 AM

I made a nice exe file a while a go in pascal that does just that... If you're willing to trust me that It's not a virus, just reply here and I'll get it to you... Alternatly I can just post the source somewhere... J.K.

Brennn10 (author) says: Sep 2, 2007. 6:08 PM

Well just follow the directions.
Here are the steps:

Open command prompt
type in cls
type in prompt
After you type in prompt, type in:

Wake up Neo, Follow the White Rabbit, Wake up Neo, Follow the White Rabbit

press enter

jacobdaniel says: Oct 12, 2011. 9:08 AM

all cls does is clears the screen

its a lion says: Sep 2, 2007. 7:17 PM

may want to add a $g to the end of that so you get the > at the end of the line... ive changed my prompt to words before and forgot that and they kind of ran together. oh, and for information on anyone that does that and wants to change it back, type prompt $p$g

narutopspgamer1 says: Oct 27, 2010. 10:00 AM

thinks but my tech admin blocked all use of cmd prompt you would not know how to get past is without hacking would you and thinks for the echo code cooldog and twenglish1

coreman1530 says: Feb 5, 2012. 6:22 PM

aye man ive got admin restrictions at my school this may work no guarantees but the way i bypass it:
right click on the desktop select new text document
then you type (command.com) without the parentheses
then you save the file to the desktop and make sure that when you save the file you save it as .bat instead of.txt
it will show up on your desktop and you open it just like you would any other application and command prompt should open

minijc says: Jun 7, 2012. 6:56 AM

make at home and save it onto a memory stick !!!!

jacobdaniel says: Oct 12, 2011. 9:08 AM

just go to accesories and find command prompt/cmd

shadowviolinist says: Jan 22, 2011. 5:38 PM

If you have Microsoft Word 2007, enable the developer tab.
Under 'Code' , Click on Macros.
enter the macro name as 'hi'

When it opens, on the left, double click on the document you opened on Microsoft (i.e. Document 1)
Then, type this in:
Sub hi()
Shell ("command.com")
End Sub

Click Play.

qasim ashraf says: May 17, 2012. 4:45 AM

thank you sir .... that's awsum one...:)

minijc says: May 21, 2012. 10:06 AM

if you were comenting on my code thanks

Podhob says: Mar 30, 2011. 11:45 PM

HA HA this so so funny and easy. i found the prank for my computer crazy brother

jacobdaniel says: Oct 12, 2011. 9:07 AM

if you want to know real hacking send me a message

grundisimo says: Sep 3, 2011. 3:22 PM

If you hold alt and press enter it goes full screen.

SAIYAN_5 says: Apr 2, 2011. 12:24 PM

this s cool...

XionII says: Mar 8, 2010. 5:39 PM

This may have been pointed out, but pressing Alt+Enter makes cmd fullscreen.
Filling the screen up with "The Matrix Has You..." in full screen is fun too. Thanks for sharing this fun trick!

butch123 says: Oct 23, 2010. 10:13 AM

thanks thats the info i needed,mine wouldnt go full screen...nice one for adding that comment.andy.

XionII says: Mar 8, 2010. 5:41 PM

oh... that was pointed out just a few posts below. Whoops, and sorry for doublepost.

Illuminati says: Sep 4, 2007. 12:02 AM

So is there a way to keep that prompt every time you use cmd?

BruceR says: Sep 4, 2007. 7:19 AM

yes you just need to add a REG_SZ to the registry here .. HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Command Processor\ Call it AutoRun and put the prompt command in the Value data. for more info "cmd /?"

____Phi____ says: Oct 3, 2010. 2:29 PM

where can I find more info on registry and cmd prompt?

Eddbot says: Sep 1, 2007. 10:51 PM

awesome dude, that would freak out anyone that wasn't a nerd/gamer

Brennn10 (author) says: Sep 2, 2007. 7:40 AM

Yea, it was fun doing it at Costco because people seemed to be amazed at such a simple doing. I love making little tricks in public places because the people's reactions are priceless.

____Phi____ says: Sep 4, 2007. 1:20 PM

as long as they dont hit ctrl+C er ctrl+S ^_ weee