Some Examples of common DOS commands?

The following is a list of useful DOS commands, withexplanations. They are useful on older DOS systems and in thecommand-line interface on modern Windows systems. To access thecommand-line interface:

Windows 7 or Vista: Click Start, typecmd , and then press Enter.Certain commands may require administrative access on Windows 7 orVista. To launch the command line interface in administrative mode,click Start, type cmd , and thenright-click the cmd or cmd.exe search result andchoose Run as Administrator.
Windows XP: Click Start, thenRun. Type cmd , and then pressEnter.

Note: Where example files (e.g.,file.ext, file1, file2), fileextensions (.ext), directories (e.g., diry,diry1, diry2), commands (e.g.,command), and drive letters (e.g., a:,b:, c:) are given, substitute the name ofyour own file, directory, command, or drive letter. Since DOS is notcase-sensitive, you can type these commands in either upper- or lowercase.

`help`	List commands (only in DOS versions 5 orlater).
`help command`	See help for the DOS`command`.
`command /?`	List switches for the DOS`command`.
`path=c:windows` ; `c:dos`	Specify in which directories DOS searches for commands or programs.
`prompt $p$g`	Make the DOS prompt display thecurrent directory.
`dir`	List files in the current directory in onecolumn.
`dir /w`	List files in five columns.
`dir /p`	List files one page at a time.
`dir *.ext`	List all files with an`.ext` extension.
`dir z???.ext`	List files with `.ext`extensions that have four letters and start with `z` (where `z` is acharacter of your choice).
`dir file.ext /s`	Search for the`file.ext` in the current directory and all subdirectoriesunder the current directory; most useful if the current directory isthe root (i.e., `C:` ).
`type file.ext`	View the contents of the text file`file.ext`.
`edit file.ext`	Use the DOS editor to edit thefile `file.ext`.
`a:`	Change to the `a:` drive.
`md c:diry`	Make a new subdirectory named`diry` in the `c:` directory.
`cd c:diry`	Change to subdirectory`diry`.
`rd c:diry`	Remove the existing subdirectorynamed `diry`.
`del file.ext`	Delete a file named`file.ext`.
`ren file1 file2`	Rename file `file1`to `file2`.
`copy file1 file2`	Copy file `file1`to `file2`.
`verify on`	Turn on verification of copycommands.
`verify off`	Turn off verification of copycommands.
`xcopy diry1 diry2 /s`	Copy all files andsubdirectories in directory `diry1` to `diry2`.
`xcopy diry1 diry2 /p`	Ask for confirmation ofeach file before copying it from `diry1` to`diry2`.
`diskcopy a: b:`	Duplicate a disk using twofloppy drives.
`diskcopy a: a:`	Duplicate a disk using the samefloppy drive.
`format a:`	Format a disk in drive`a:` .
`format a: /s`	Format a bootable disk(include system files).
`backup c:diry*.ext a:`	Back up all files withthe extension `.ext` in `c:diry` to drive`a:` .
`backup c: a: /s`	Back up the entire`c: de> drive to drive a: .`
`restore a: c:diry*.ext`	Restore backed-upfiles with the extension `.ext` in drive `a:` tothe `c:diry` directory.
`restore a: c: /s`	Restore backed-up files andsubdirectories from drive `a:` to `c:` .
`ver`	Check the version of DOS.
`time`	Check or correct the system time.
`date`	Check or correct the system date.
`cls`	Clear the screen.
`scandisk`	Scan and check drive `c:`for errors. ScanDisk replaces `chkdsk` (seebelow) on DOS version 6.0 and above (including Windows 95).
`chkdsk`	Check disk and memory usageof the current disk.
`chkdsk /f`	Fix errors reported by`chkdsk`.
`chkdsk file.ext`	Check a particular file.
`chkdsk a:`	Check a particular drive (in thiscase, a floppy in the `a:` drive).
`mem`	Check memory usage.

Some Examples of common DOS commands?

Published by shweta

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