DOS BASICS
BASIC COMMANDS IN MS DOS (CLICK THE HYPERLINKS
FOR MORE DETAILS)
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When you are using a Microsoft MS-DOS command prompt shell window, you can type the following commands into the window. Click the command shown below for a description of how to
use that command.
- cd : Change directory or display current directory path.
- cls : Clear the window.
- dir : Display list of contents of current directory.
- help : Display list of commands or help about a command.
- notepad : Run the Windows Notepad text editor.
- type : Displays the contents of a text file.
Some other useful commands are:
- assoc : Displays or modifies filename extension associations.
- attrib : Displays or changes file attributes.
- call : Calls one batch program file from another.
- chkdsk : Checks a disk and displays a status report.
- chkntfs : Displays or modifies the checking of disk at startup.
- color : Sets the text and background colors.
- comp : Compares the contents of two files or sets of files.
- copy : Copies one or more files to another location. See also: xcopy
- date : Displays or sets the computer's date. See also: time
- del (or erase) : Deletes one or more files.
- defrag : Defragment the specified storage device.
- doskey : Display command history; define macros.
- echo : Displays messages, or turns command echoing on/off.
- edit : Runs the MS-DOS text editor. See also: notepad
- exit : Closes the MS-DOS window.
- fc : Compares two files or sets of files and displays the differences.
- find : Searches for a text string in a file or files.
- findstr : Search for a regular expression text string in a file or files.
- goto : Used in a batch program file to jump to a particular line.
- if : Used in a batch program file to perform conditional testing.
- md (or mkdir) : Creates a directory.
- more : Displays the contents of a file one screen at a time.
- move : Moves one or more files from one directory to another directory.
- rd (or rmdir) : Removes a directory.
- rem : Used in a batch program file to identify comments.
- ren (or rename) : Renames a file or files.
- sort : Sorts input.
- start : Starts a new window to run a specified program or command.
- time : Displays or sets the computer's time.
- tree : Graphically displays the directory structure of a drive or directory.
- xcopy : Copies files and directory trees. The following internet related commands are not
- part of MS-DOS but can be typed at the MS-DOS command prompt:
- arp : Displays ARP (address resolution protocol) translation tables.
- ftp : FTP (file transfer program) to transfer files to/from server.
- ipconfig : Displays internet configuration, including IP address.
- netsh : Network services shell.
- nslookup : Lookup IP address to/from domain name.
- netstat : Displays current TCP/IP network connections and statistics.
- ping : Ping the specified internet IP address or host name.
- telnet : Starts a text-based telnet session to the specified host.
- tftp : Transfers files to/from remote computer running TFTP service.
- tracert : Traces the route to the specified IP address or host.
The following commands are not part of MS-DOS and do not come with Windows but are available from third parties. Some are equivalent to the Linux utility by the same name.
- config : Defragment one or more files (rather than entire drive).
- clip : Copy command output to Windows clipboard.
- du : Displays disk usage for selected files or directories.
- lynx : Text based web browser.
- paste : Paste Windows clipboard to command input.
- strings : Find all strings of a specified minimum length.
- whois : Lookup domain ownership information.
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