text: When the command prompt window just flashes, it usually means that Windows is flip-flopping between a character mode application and a graphic user interface.  I think you might get a better idea of what's happening from this help article:\n\nhttp://ask-leo.com/when_i_use_startrun_and_type_in_a_command_why_does_a_window_just_flash_and_disappear.html\n\nMicrosoft has also prepared a brief product document about Tracert that might help:\n\nhttp://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/tracert.mspx?mfr=true\n\nI ran the command prompt "tracert yahoo.com" and "tracert www.yahoo.com" from the command prompt window and had no problems. (Click start > run > type in cmd > OK, then type in the command prompt.)\n\nplrr