How to do a simple file search in cmd

dir *.txt /s /p will give more detailed information.

dir /s *foo* searches in current folder and sub folders.

It finds directories as well as files.

where /s means(documentation):

/s Lists every occurrence of the specified file name within the specified directory and all subdirectories.

dir /b/s *.txt  

searches for all txt file in the directory tree. Before using it just change the directory to root using

cd/

you can also export the list to a text file using

dir /b/s *.exe >> filelist.txt

and search within using

type filelist.txt | find /n "filename"

EDIT 1: Although this dir command works since the old dos days but Win7 added something new called Where

where /r c:\Windows *.exe *.dll

will search for exe & dll in the drive c:\Windows as suggested by @SPottuit you can also copy the output to the clipboard with

where /r c:\Windows *.exe |clip

just wait for the prompt to return and don't copy anything until then.

EDIT 2: If you are searching recursively and the output is big you can always use more to enable paging, it will show -- More -- at the bottom and will scroll to the next page once you press SPACE or moves line by line on pressing ENTER

where /r c:\Windows *.exe |more

For more help try

where/?