Windows XP, 2000 and 2003 provide a feature at the Command Prompt (cmd.exe) known as AutoComplete. User is able to activate or deactivate this feature. In case that is activated, user can type a char (one or more), and then tap the special key. Windows will try to automatically complete the command with the files in the current directory.
Example: If you are in the folder "C:\WINNT", type "WIN", and then press the AutoComplete key, Windows will try to auto complete the command with the files that are inside the "C:\WINNT" folder. "WIN.INI" will be shown on the first try. If you hit the special key again, "WIN.EXE" will be shown, and so on. This can be used with directories as well as with files.
By using this tweak you are able to enable\disable the AutoComplete key for directory at Command Prompt.
For this, go to Start > Run menu, enter "regedit" and navigate to the registry path listed below. You can create a DWORD value "PathCompletionChar", if this value does not exist.
Now, right-click and set the value data with "AutoComplete_Code" values which are listed below for enable the AutoComplete key for directory at command prompt. However, if you want to disable either, change the value to "0".
| AutoComplete Key | AutoComplete_Code |
| TAB | 9 |
| CTRL+D | 4 |
| CTRL+F | 6 |
Restart your system for the change to take effect.