A Complete list of MS-DOS Commands

Below is a listing of the top MS-DOS commands most commonly used and that you will most likely be using during a normal DOS session.

Aansi.sys – This command defines the 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 – This command displays about the information from network devices.

assign – It will assign a drive letter to an alternate letter.

assoc – With the help of this command, you can view the file associations.

at – You can schedule a time to execute commands or programs.

atmadm – Lists connections and addresses seen by Windows ATM call manager.

attrib – You can display and change file attributes with the help of this command.

batch – Its a kind of recovery console that executes a series of commands in a file.

bootcfg – Its a Recovery console command that allows a user to view, modify, and rebuild the boot.ini

break – It will enable / disable CTRL + C feature.

cacls – View and modify file ACL’s.

call – With the help of this command, you can call any batch file from another batch file.

cd – Changes directories.

chcp – Supplement the International keyboard and character set information.

chdir – Changes directories.

chdsk – With this, you can check the hard disk drive running FAT for errors.

chkntfs – With this, you can check the hard disk drive running NTFS for errors.

choice – It will specify a listing of multiple options within a batch file.

cls – It will clear the screen.

cmd – It will opens the command interpreter.

color – You can easily change the foreground and background color of the MS-DOS window.

command – It will opens the command interpreter.

comp – For Compares files.

compact – For Compresses and Uncompress files.

control – To open Control Panel icons from the MS-DOS prompt.

convert – It will convert file format from FAT to NTFS.

copy – To copy any data from one location to another.

ctty – It will change the computers input/output devices.

date – With the help of this command, you can view or change the systems date.

debug – 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 – Its a recovery console command that deletes a file.

deltree – Deletes one or more files and/or directories.

dir – It will list the contents of one or more directory.

disable – Its a recovery console command that disables Windows system services or drivers.

diskcomp – With this, you can compare a disk with another disk.

diskcopy – You can easily copy the contents of one disk and place them on another disk.

doskey – To view and execute commands that have been run in the past.

dosshell – A GUI to help with early MS-DOS users.

drivparm – It will enables the overwrite of original device drivers.

echo – To displays messages and enables and disables echo.

edit – View and edit files.

edlin – View and edit files.

emm386 – It will load extended Memory Manager.

ename – To enable a disable service or driver.

endlocal – It will stops the localization of the environment changes enabled by the setlocal command.

erase – To 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 – It will displays a listing of MS-DOS commands and information about them.

fc – To compare the files.

fdisk – Its a 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 – This command is used to erase and prepare a disk drive.

ftp – This command is used to connect and operate on a FTP server.

ftype – To displays or modifies file types used in file extension associations.

goto – Moves a batch file to a specific label or location.

graftabl – To 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 – Its a network command to view network adapter settings and assigned values.

keyb – To change layout of keyboard.

label – To change the label of a disk drive.

lh – It will load a device driver in to high memory.

listsvc – This command displays the services and drivers.

loadfix – It will load a program above the first 64k.

loadhigh – It will load a device driver in to high memory.

lock – To lock the hard disk drive.

logoff – To logoff the currently profile using the computer.

logon – To list installations and enable administrator login.

map – It will displays the device name of a drive.

md – This command will create a new directory.

mem – It will display memory on system.

mkdir – This command will create a new directory.

mode – It will 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 – It will 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 – To 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 – To unlock a disk drive.

ver – To 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.

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