How/Where do you install Console2 on Windows 7

Here's what I did

  1. Download Console2 from SourceForge (get _32bit.zip or _64bit.zip version depending on your OS)
  2. Download Console2 src just to get the .ico file
  3. Copy the Console2 folder to C:\Program Files
  4. Copy Console.ico file from the Console Source downloads to the folder above
  5. Open Console2 and edit your settings for font or better read Scott Hanselman's blog post on his Console2 setup

To add a Context Menu that will open Console2 on a specific directory update the registry as follows (Windows7):

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\open_console]
@=Open Console2 Here
Icon=C:\Program Files\Console2\Console.ico

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\open_console\Command]
@=C:\Program Files\Console2\Console.exe -d "%v"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Directory\Background\shell\open_console]
@=Open Console2 Here
Icon=C:\Program Files\Console2\Console.ico

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Directory\Background\shell\open_console\Command]
@=C:\Program Files\Console2\Console.exe -d "%v"

The first registry entry for HKCR adds a "Open Console2 Here" context menu item when you are clicking ON a folder.

The second registry entry for HKLM adds a "Open Console2 Here" context menu item when you are in a folder and clicking the background.


I have Console2 running on Windows 7 64bit and resolved it much easier. While having the C drive for programs, I use the D drive for tools and other data.

Installation Path: D:\Tools\Console2

Now you just have to edit your system variable "PATH" and add the installation path to it:

Key: PATH

Value: {other paths};D:\Tools\Console2 (no semicolon required at the end)

Now you can just type "console" (since the file name is "console.exe") to the run command (Windows + R) and Console2 will start right away.

Tip: In combination with "Total Commander", you can just toggle the command bar. So when you place yourself on a specific path and just start typing "console" it will start Console2 with that specific path. That avoids thousands of "cd" commands to get where you want to.


Use Chocolately, perform its installation as stated on its homepage

 @powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Command "iex ((new-object net.webclient).DownloadString('https://chocolatey.org/install.ps1'))" && SET PATH=%PATH%;%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\chocolatey\bin

Then

choco install consolez

after its installed, run

console