I created a shortcut key (cntl-alt-D) to bring up a DOS prompt in
Windows 2000.  I'd like for a NEW DOS window to appear EACH time I
press the shortcut key.  Right now, a new window appears the first
time I press the shortcut key, but each successive cntrl-alt-D, I the
SAME DOS window, not a new one.

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Clarification of Question by joechen2000-ga on 09 Apr 2003 07:16 PDT

Making a .bat file in Windows 2000 does bring up a new DOS window each
time one clicks on it, but when a hotkey (shortcut) is assigned to it
(via right-click - properties), when the hotkey is pressed repeatedly,
it'll only refocus on the current DOS window, not bring up a new one.

I'm on NT at the moment, but in case it helps I find creating a batch
file that opens the msdos window does what you want: it opens a new
copy of the window everytime you double-click it.

I would make a .bat file (just containing cmd on the first line and at
least one carriage return) and test it out. (A bat file is just a .txt
file renamed).
If it works on win2k as it does on NT, then you should be able to set
up a hotkey by viewing the properties of the file. (or the properties
of a shortcut to the file.)

Hope this helps.

The shortcuts keys in Windows 2000 are designed to open a new
application and bring the focus back to that application if already
open. This is behaving as designed. After brief research, there
doesn't seem to be a way (through a registry hack or otherwise) to
make Windows deviate from this default behavior. You're most likely
going to have to get a third-party utility that runs in the background
and allows you to set shortcut keys to whatever application (or
command) you want. You'll be able to find one that will open up new
instances of the application each time in this case.

-PWizard