Question: Opening the command prompt ("cmd") on Vista into full screen causes the application to take up 100% vertical space, but only about 50% horizontal. Is there not a way I can make this fullscreen? If it's simply not possible, what is a good replacement?

Answer: 
To increase the window width you can right-click the title bar, go to Properties, and change the buffer size under the Layout tab. After this you can make the window larger. In modern versions of Windows, however, text wrapping is on by default, which resizes the buffer automatically.

You can also use the [`mode`](https://docs.microsoft.com/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/mode#display-mode) command to resize the buffer and window, e.g.:

```
mode con lines=90000 cols=90000

```

Furthermore, from Windows 10 onward you can again use `Alt`+`Enter` or `F11` to actually make it fullscreen (since Windows 7 this did not work anymore).
[This](http://www.walkernews.net/2007/06/03/how-to-maximize-vista-command-prompt-window/) article explains how to do it in Vista

In short you need to specify the screen resolution manually in the Display Options.

Replacement? [Powershell](http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/technologies/management/powershell/default.mspx) of course.