Windows – Run an exe and close the command prompt

Ctrl + C will stop a program running from the command prompt, similar to other operating systems.

To force kill a process from the command prompt, use the following command:

taskkill /F /IM process.exe

/F will force termination, /IM means you're going to provide the executable (image) name, and process.exe is the process to end.

You can either run it by using the explicit path:

c:\file.exe

or add its location to the path (I always have a c:\bin directory to hold my little snippets - not really a kosher location for multiple-user Windows, but none of my Windows installs are multiple-user):

copy c:\file.exe c:\bin  :: put it in a better directory.
path %path%;c:\bin       :: if not already in the path.
file                     :: run it (unless there is another 'file' in path).

Note that, with that second solution, you should be setting up your path so that it's available whenever you start up (in autoexec.bat if you're really using DOS or from the Control Panel -> System -> Environment window if you're using Windows).

And, do note that, if you use the control panel solution, that doesn't affect currently open command windows - you'll need to shut them down and re-open to pick up the new environment variable.