The MS-DOS Command Line [Everything You Need to Know]

Introduction

If you want to interact with your operating system and other line-based command software, MS-DOS commands can play a big role in that interaction. While many users have moved away from MS-DOS, many Microsoft users still use the command shell, also known as the Windows command line.

In this post, you'll learn about various commonly used MS-DOS commands. Once you open the Microsoft MS-DOS Command Prompt window, you can type these commands in the window to accomplish your objective and carry out operations on your computer. Let's get started!

What is MS-DOS?

MS-DOS stands for Microsoft Disk Operating System, and it's also referred to as the Microsoft Disk Operating System. It was Microsoft's first operating system and was widely installed on personal computers.

In 1981, IBM renamed MS-DOS to PC-DOS and licensed and sold it for use on its PCs. MS-DOS ran on x86 computers and went through eight major versions before all active support ended in 2006.

Most users of this DOS referred to it as Disk Operating System.

MS-DOS was not a graphically based, command-driven, event-oriented operating system. It had a neat, user-friendly interface. The prompt for entering an MS-DOS command looked something like C:.

Unlike Windows, MS-DOS is navigated using MS-DOS commands. For example, to look for all files within a folder in Windows, you can double-click the folder to open it in Windows Explorer. In MS-DOS, you would use the CD command to navigate to the folder and then use the DIR command to list the files.

We see various features of the Microsoft Disk Operating System, or MS-DOS, which included

• It is a 16-bit operating system.
• It does not support mouse operations; input is through basic system commands.
• The maximum available space is 2 GB.
• It is a free operating system.
• It uses a text-based interface, requiring text and code for operation.
• It does not support a graphical user interface (GUI).

MS-DOS Command Reference

MS-DOS commands are instructions that allow Windows users to perform tasks on files and folders. As you know, a file is a container for information or data, while a directory is a group of files.

At the command prompt, when we input MS-DOS commands, the operating system performs its default functions. Depending on the Microsoft version, there are approximately 100 MS-DOS commands. Here are some common MS-DOS commands along with their descriptions: 1. **DIR** - Lists files and subdirectories within a directory. 2. **CD** - Changes the current working directory. 3. **MD** - Creates a new directory. 4. **RD** - Removes an empty directory. 5. **COPY** - Copies a file to another location. 6. **TYPE** - Displays the contents of a text file. 7. **DEL** - Deletes a file. 8. **REN** - Renames a file or directory. 9. **CLS** - Clears the command prompt window. 10. **FORMAT** - Formats a disk. 11. **HELP** - Provides assistance for commands. 12. **DATE** - Sets or displays the system date. 13. **TIME** - Sets or displays the system time. 14. **PROMPT** - Modifies the appearance of the command prompt. 15. **VER** - Displays information about the MS-DOS version. 16. **GOTO** - Jumps to a specified label in a batch file. 17. **IF** - Performs conditional checks in a batch file. 18. **FOR** - Executes a loop operation in a batch file. This is just a small portion of the MS-DOS commands, and the full list is longer. It's worth noting that many of these commands have been replaced by more advanced graphical user interfaces with newer Windows updates. However, having a basic understanding of them can still be beneficial.

The date command is used to display or change the current system date.

The TIME command is used to change and/or display the current system time.

The VER command is used to display the version information of Windows.

VOL command: This command displays the volume label and serial number of a disk.

The disk tag command is used to create, update, and delete the serial number for a specific disk.

The echo command is used to display text on the command screen and to turn command echoing on or off.

PROMPT Command: This command is used to change the command prompt.

The title command allows you to change the title of the MS-DOS screen.

The MKDIR/MD command creates a directory in the specified drive.

The CHDIR/CD command is used to change the current working directory.

CD and CD\ Commands:

The CD... command is used to exit from the current working directory.

The CD command exits all directories and returns you to the root directory of the current drive.

The COPY CON command is used to create a text file.

The TYPE command is used to display the contents of a file.

The EDIT command opens the DOS Editor, which can be used to create, display, and modify files.

The DIR command: The DIR command is used to display a list of files and subdirectories within a directory.

The tree command: This command displays files and subdirectories within a specific directory.

The DEL/ERASE command is used to delete one or more files.

The RM/RMDIR command: This command is used to delete (remove) a directory (folder).

The SHUTDOWN command is used to close the window.

Final Award

From the above, you now know that MS-DOS is a command-line operating system without a graphical user interface, which originated from 86-DOS, and primarily ran on PCs manufactured by companies like Compaq, IBM, and HP. Remember the MS-DOS commands we showed you, and try entering them on your computer – you'll find it easier to execute certain tasks.