[DOS] Windows MS-DOS and command line overview

[retro_killa]

Below is a listing of each of the MS-DOS commands currently listed on Computer Hope and a brief explanation of what each of the commands do. The below commands are all MS-DOS commands, which means not all the below commands will work in your version of MS-DOS and/or Windows command line.

Command    Description

Aansi.sysNSI.SYS    Defines functions that change display graphics, control cursor movement, and reassign keys.
append    Causes MS-DOS to look in other directories when editing a file or running a command.
arp    Displays, adds, and removes arp information from network devices.
assign    Assign a drive letter to an alternate letter.
assoc    View the file associations.
at    Schedule a time to execute commands or programs.
atmadm    Lists connections and addresses seen by Windows ATM call manager.
attrib    Display and change file attributes.
batch    Recovery console command that executes a series of commands in a file.
bootcfg    Recovery console command that allows a user to view, modify, and rebuild the boot.ini
break    Enable / disable CTRL + C feature.
cacls    View and modify file ACL's.
call    Calls a batch file from another batch file.
cd    Changes directories.
chcp    Supplement the International keyboard and character set information.
chdir    Changes directories.
chdsk    Check the hard disk drive running FAT for errors.
chkntfs    Check the hard disk drive running NTFS for errors.
choice    Specify a listing of multiple options within a batch file.
cls    Clears the screen.
cmd    Opens the command interpreter.
color    Easily change the foreground and background color of the MS-DOS window.
command    Opens the command interpreter.
comp    Compares files.
compact    Compresses and uncompress files.
control    Open Control Panel icons from the MS-DOS prompt.
convert    Convert FAT to NTFS.
copy    Copy one or more files to an alternate location.
ctty    Change the computers input/output devices.
date    View or change the systems date.
debug    Debug utility to create assembly programs to modify hardware settings.
defrag    Re-arrange the hard disk drive to help with loading programs.
del    Deletes one or more files.
delete    Recovery console command that deletes a file.
deltree    Deletes one or more files and/or directories.
dir    List the contents of one or more directory.
disable    Recovery console command that disables Windows system services or drivers.
diskcomp    Compare a disk with another disk.
diskcopy    Copy the contents of one disk and place them on another disk.
doskey    Command to view and execute commands that have been run in the past.
dosshell    A GUI to help with early MS-DOS users.
drivparm    Enables overwrite of original device drivers.
echo    Displays messages and enables and disables echo.
edit    View and edit files.
edlin    View and edit files.
emm386    Load extended Memory Manager.
ename    Recovery console command to enable a disable service or driver.
endlocal    Stops the localization of the environment changes enabled by the setlocal command.
erase    Erase files from computer.
exit    Exit from the command interpreter.
expand    Expand a Microsoft Windows file back to it's original format.
extract    Extract files from the Microsoft Windows cabinets.
fasthelp    Displays a listing of MS-DOS commands and information about them.
fc    Compare files.
fdisk    Utility used to create partitions on the hard disk drive.
find    Search for text within a file.
findstr    Searches for a string of text within a file.
fixboot    Writes a new boot sector.
fixmbr    Writes a new boot record to a disk drive.
for    Boolean used in batch files.
format    Command to erase and prepare a disk drive.
ftp    Command to connect and operate on a FTP server.
ftype    Displays or modifies file types used in file extension associations.
goto    Moves a batch file to a specific label or location.
graftabl    Show extended characters in graphics mode.
help    Display a listing of commands and brief explanation.
if    Allows for batch files to perform conditional processing.
ifshlp.sys    32-bit file manager.
ipconfig    Network command to view network adapter settings and assigned values.
keyb    Change layout of keyboard.
label    Change the label of a disk drive.
lh    Load a device driver in to high memory.
listsvc    Recovery console command that displays the services and drivers.
loadfix    Load a program above the first 64k.
loadhigh    Load a device driver in to high memory.
lock    Lock the hard disk drive.
logoff    Logoff the currently profile using the computer.
logon    Recovery console command to list installations and enable administrator login.
map    Displays the device name of a drive.
md    Command to create a new directory.
mem    Display memory on system.
mkdir    Command to create a new directory.
mode    Modify the port or display settings.
more    Display one page at a time.
move    Move one or more files from one directory to another directory.
msav    Early Microsoft Virus scanner.
msd    Diagnostics utility.
msdex    Utility used to load and provide access to the CD-ROM.
nbtstat    Displays protocol statistics and current TCP/IP connections using NBT
net    Update, fix, or view the network or network settings
netsh    Configure dynamic and static network information from MS-DOS.
netstat    Display the TCP/IP network protocol statistics and information.
nlsfunc    Load country specific information.
nslookup    Look up an IP address of a domain or host on a network.
path    View and modify the computers path location.
pathping    View and locate locations of network latency.
pause    Command used in batch files to stop the processing of a command.
ping    Test / send information to another network computer or network device.
popd    Changes to the directory or network path stored by the pushd command.
power    Conserve power with computer portables.
print    Prints data to a printer port.
prompt    View and change the MS-DOS prompt.
pushd    Stores a directory or network path in memory so it can be returned to at any time.
qbasic    Open the QBasic.
rd    Removes an empty directory.
ren    Renames a file or directory.
rename    Renames a file or directory.
rmdir    Removes an empty directory.
route    View and configure windows network route tables.
runas    Enables a user to execute a program on another computer.
scandisk    Run the scandisk utility.
scanreg    Scan registry and recover registry from errors.
set    Change one variable or string to another.
setlocal    Enables local environments to be changed without affecting anything else.
setver    Change MS-DOS version to trick older MS-DOS programs.
share    Installs support for file sharing and locking capabilities.
shift    Changes the position of replaceable parameters in a batch program.
shutdown    Shutdown the computer from the MS-DOS prompt.
smartdrv    Create a disk cache in conventional memory or extended memory.
sort    Sorts the input and displays the output to the screen.
start    Start a separate window in Windows from the MS-DOS prompt.
subst    Substitute a folder on your computer for another drive letter.
switches    Remove add functions from MS-DOS.
sys    Transfer system files to disk drive.
telnet    Telnet to another computer / device from the prompt.
time    View or modify the system time.
title    Change the title of their MS-DOS window.
tracert    Visually view a network packets route across a network.
tree    View a visual tree of the hard disk drive.
type    Display the contents of a file.
undelete    Undelete a file that has been deleted.
unformat    Unformat a hard disk drive.
unlock    Unlock a disk drive.
ver    Display the version information.
verify    Enables or disables the feature to determine if files have been written properly.
vol    Displays the volume information about the designated drive.
xcopy    Copy multiple files, directories, and/or drives from one location to another.