How to launch PowerShell not a script from the command line

Question

I am new to PowerShell and am struggling with what I assume should be a simple operation mdash I am trying to launch a PowesShell window from the command line     If I launch a command line instance and type either powershell or start powershell  I am getting a PowerShell instance within the command line interface  i e  the typical black background with white text  What I would like is for the typical PowerShell interface to launch mdash blue background with white text  I am running Windows nbsp XP with PowerShell 2 0 installed

User · Answer

The color and window sizing are defined by the shortcut LNK file. I think I found a way that will do what you need, try this:

explorer.exe "Windows PowerShell.lnk"

The LNK file is in the all user start menu which is located in different places depending whether your on XP or Windows 7. In 7 the LNK file is here:

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\Windows PowerShell

User · Answer

Set the default console colors and fonts   http   poshcode org 2220 From Windows PowerShell Cookbook  O Reilly  by Lee Holmes  http   www leeholmes com guide     Set-StrictMode -Version Latest  Push-Location Set-Location HKCU  Console New-Item     SystemRoot  system32 WindowsPowerShell v1 0 powershell exe  Set-Location     SystemRoot  system32 WindowsPowerShell v1 0 powershell exe   New-ItemProperty   ColorTable00 -type DWORD -value 0x00562401 New-ItemProperty   ColorTable07 -type DWORD -value 0x00f0edee New-ItemProperty   FaceName -type STRING -value  Lucida Console  New-ItemProperty   FontFamily -type DWORD -value 0x00000036 New-ItemProperty   FontSize -type DWORD -value 0x000c0000 New-ItemProperty   FontWeight -type DWORD -value 0x00000190 New-ItemProperty   HistoryNoDup -type DWORD -value 0x00000000 New-ItemProperty   QuickEdit -type DWORD -value 0x00000001 New-ItemProperty   ScreenBufferSize -type DWORD -value 0x0bb80078 New-ItemProperty   WindowSize -type DWORD -value 0x00320078 Pop-Location

User · Answer

If you go to C  Windows system32 Windowspowershell v1 0  and C  Windows syswow64 Windowspowershell v1 0 on x64 machines  in Windows Explorer and double-click powershell exe you will see that it opens PowerShell with a black background  The PowerShell console shows up as blue when opened from the start menu because the console properties for shortcuts to powershell exe can be set independently from the default properties   To set the default options  font  colors and layout  open a PowerShell console  type Alt-Space  and select the Defaults menu option   Running start powershell from cmd exe should start a new console with your default settings

[powershell] How to launch PowerShell (not a script) from the command line

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