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MS-DOS and command line overview

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. Clicking on the command will open the help page for that command with full details about it.

CommandDescription
Aansi.sysNSI.SYSDefines functions that change display graphics, control cursor movement,
and reassign keys.
appendCauses MS-DOS to look in other
directories when editing a file or running a command.
arpDisplays, adds, and removes arp
information from network devices.
assignAssign a drive letter to an
alternate letter.
assocView the file associations.
atSchedule a time to execute
commands or programs.
atmadmLists connections and
addresses seen by Windows ATM
call manager.
attribDisplay and change file
attributes.
batchRecovery console command that
executes a series of commands in a file.
bootcfgRecovery console command that
allows a user to view, modify, and rebuild the boot.ini
breakEnable / disable CTRL + C
feature.
caclsView and modify file ACL’s.
callCalls a batch file from
another batch file.
cdChanges directories.
chcpSupplement the International keyboard and character set
information.
chdirChanges directories.
chdskCheck the hard disk drive
running FAT for errors.
chkntfsCheck the hard disk drive
running NTFS for errors.
choiceSpecify a listing of multiple
options within a batch file.
clsClears the screen.
cmdOpens the command interpreter.
colorEasily change the foreground
and background color of the MS-DOS window.
commandOpens the command interpreter.
compCompares files.
compactCompresses and uncompress
files.
controlOpen Control Panel icons from
the MS-DOS prompt.
convertConvert FAT
to NTFS.
copyCopy one or more files to an
alternate location.
cttyChange the computers
input/output devices.
dateView or change the systems
date.
debugDebug utility to create
assembly programs to modify hardware settings.
defragRe-arrange the hard disk drive
to help with loading programs.
delDeletes one or more files.
deleteRecovery console command that
deletes a file.
deltreeDeletes one or more files
and/or directories.
dirList the contents of one or
more directory.
disableRecovery console command that
disables Windows system services or drivers.
diskcompCompare a disk with another
disk.
diskcopyCopy the contents of one disk
and place them on another disk.
doskeyCommand to view and execute
commands that have been run in the past.
dosshellA GUI to help with early
MS-DOS users.
drivparmEnables overwrite of original
device drivers.
echoDisplays messages and enables
and disables echo.
editView and edit files.
edlinView and edit files.
emm386Load extended Memory Manager.
enameRecovery console command to
enable a disable service or driver.
endlocalStops the localization of the
environment changes enabled by the setlocal
command.
eraseErase files from computer.
exitExit from the command
interpreter.
expandExpand a Microsoft Windows
file back to it’s original format.
extractExtract files from the
Microsoft Windows cabinets.
fasthelpDisplays a listing of MS-DOS
commands and information about them.
fcCompare files.
fdiskUtility used to create
partitions on the hard disk drive.
findSearch for text within a file.
findstrSearches for a string of text
within a file.
fixbootWrites a new boot sector.
fixmbrWrites a new boot record to a
disk drive.
forBoolean used in batch files.
formatCommand to erase and prepare a
disk drive.
ftpCommand to connect and operate
on a FTP server.
ftypeDisplays or modifies file types used in file extension associations.
gotoMoves a batch file to a
specific label or location.
graftablShow extended characters in
graphics mode.
helpDisplay a listing of commands
and brief explanation.
ifAllows for batch
files to perform conditional processing.
ifshlp.sys32-bit file manager.
ipconfigNetwork command to view
network adapter settings and assigned values.
keybChange layout of keyboard.
labelChange the label of a disk
drive.
lhLoad a device driver in to
high memory.
listsvcRecovery console command that displays
the services and drivers.
loadfixLoad a program above the first
64k.
loadhighLoad a device driver in to
high memory.
lockLock the hard disk drive.
logoffLogoff the currently profile using the computer.
logonRecovery console command to
list installations and enable administrator login.
mapDisplays the device name of a
drive.
mdCommand to create a new
directory.
memDisplay memory on system.
mkdirCommand to create a new
directory.
modeModify the port or display
settings.
moreDisplay one page at a time.
moveMove one or more files from
one directory to another directory.
msavEarly Microsoft Virus scanner.
msdDiagnostics utility.
msdexUtility used to load and
provide access to the CD-ROM.
nbtstatDisplays protocol statistics and current TCP/IP connections using
NBT
netUpdate, fix, or view the network or
network settings
netshConfigure dynamic and static
network information from MS-DOS.
netstatDisplay the TCP/IP network
protocol statistics and information.
nlsfuncLoad country specific
information.
nslookupLook up an IP
address of a domain or host on a network.
pathView and modify the computers
path location.
pathpingView and locate locations of
network latency.
pauseCommand used in batch files to
stop the processing of a command.
pingTest / send information to
another network computer or network device.
popdChanges to the directory or
network path stored by the pushd
command.
powerConserve power with computer portables.
printPrints data to a printer port.
promptView and change the MS-DOS prompt.
pushdStores a directory or network
path in memory so it can be returned to at any time.
qbasicOpen the QBasic.
rdRemoves an empty directory.
renRenames a file or directory.
renameRenames a file or directory.
rmdirRemoves an empty directory.
routeView and configure windows
network route tables.
runasEnables a user to execute a
program on another computer.
scandiskRun the scandisk utility.
scanregScan registry and recover
registry from errors.
setChange one variable or string to another.
setlocalEnables local environments to
be changed without affecting anything else.
setverChange MS-DOS version to trick
older MS-DOS programs.
shareInstalls support for file sharing and locking capabilities.
shiftChanges the position of replaceable parameters in a batch
program.
shutdownShutdown the computer from the
MS-DOS prompt.
smartdrvCreate a
disk cache in conventional memory or extended memory.
sortSorts
the input and displays the output to the screen.
startStart a separate window in Windows from
the MS-DOS prompt.
substSubstitute a folder on your computer for another drive letter.
switchesRemove add functions from
MS-DOS.
sysTransfer system files to disk
drive.
telnetTelnet
to another computer / device from the prompt.
timeView or modify the system
time.
titleChange the title of their MS-DOS window.
tracertVisually view a network
packets route across a network.
treeView a visual tree of the hard
disk drive.
typeDisplay the contents of a
file.
undeleteUndelete a file that has been
deleted.
unformatUnformat a hard disk drive.
unlockUnlock a disk drive.
verDisplay the version
information.
verifyEnables or disables the feature to determine if files have been written properly.
volDisplays the volume information
about the designated drive.
xcopyCopy multiple files,
directories, and/or drives from one location to another.

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April 30, 2009 Ritesh Sanap Internet, Solutions, Windows Cool things, Hacks

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