Basic MS-DOS

History
 MS-DOS 1.0 was released in August
1981, and was updated until April 1994
when it was replaced by Windows 95
 All versions of windows still contain
some type of DOS, in windows 95 and
98 you can go to run and type command
to get to DOS prompt, in NT, 2000, and
XP you can type CMD and get DOS.
Basic Structure
 Most DOS commands use the same
structure
 Command Source Destination /Switch
 The switch will give options to the
command
 Example COPY A:\file.txt c:\ /v
 /v will verify if the file copied correctly
MS-DOS Prompt

 The prompt in MS-DOS displays your

current directory

 C:\dos\commands> means you are in

that directory, and any command
you use will apply to the current
directory unless you specify a
different one.
DOS Naming

 The file name cannot be longer

then 8 characters, and extensions
cannot be longer then 3
characters.
 Characters like * + = | \ [ ] : ; “ < > ,
? / cannot be used in DOS names.
Wildcard characters
 Wildcard character will replace a single
letter, or word with a wild character
 * will replace any amput of characters,
and ? Will replace one.
 Example: copy a:/*.txt c:/ will copy all
text files to drive c:/
 Example 2: copy a:/?????.txt c:/ will
copy any 5 letter text file to c:/
Basic Commands CD

 CD- Change directory

 You use this command when you
want to change the directory.
 Example: CD C:\DOS will bring
you to the dos folder
Basic Commands CD..

 CD.. - brings you to the previous

directory.
 Example: if you are in
C:\DOS\FOLDER
CD.. Will bring you to C:\DOS
Basic Commands COPY

 COPY will copy the file from one

location to another
 Example COPY A:\file.txt c:\ will
copy the file from a:\ to c:\
Basic Command XCOPY

 XCOPY can move files,

directories, and whole drives
from one location to another, It
is more powerful then the copy
command, and has a lot of
switches.
Basic Commands DIR

 DIR will display the contents of

the folder
Basic Command DEL

 DEL will delete a file or an

empty directory from the drive
Basic Command EDIT

 EDIT will open a text file

Basic Commands MOVE

 MOVE will move the file or

directory from one location to
another

 Example: MOVE a:\file.txt c:\file.txt

will move the file to the c:\ drive
Basic Commands REN

 REN will rename the file

 Example : REN file.txt myfile.txt
will rename the file.txt to
myfile.txt
Basic Commands MD

 MD is used to make a directory

(folder) in MS-DOS.
 Example: MD myfolder will make
a folder called myfolder in
current directory
Basic Commands DELTREE

 DELTREE command will delete

the folder and all of its contents,
including other folders.
 Example: DELTREE C:\myfolder
will delete the folder and all the
contents.
Basic Command TREE

 TREE shows you all of the

folders and files in current
directory like explorer in
windows.
Basic Commands CLS

 CLS Will clear the contents of

the screen
Attributes

 Attributes are the properties of a

file such as hidden, read-only,
archive or system file.
 In MS-DOS you can view/change
attributes with the attrib command.
 Example: attrib +r file.txt will make
the file read-only.
The Help Switch /?

 You can use the help switch with

any command. It will give you
the command structure, and the
availible switches.