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.

Command Description Type

Defines functions that change display graphics, control
ansi.sys File
cursor movement, and reassign keys.
Causes MS-DOS to look in other directories when editing
append External
a file or running a command.
Displays, adds, and removes arp information from
arp External
network devices.
assign Assign a drive letter to an alternate letter. External
assoc View the file associations. Internal
at Schedule a time to execute commands or programs. External
Lists connections and addresses seen by Windows ATM
atmadm Internal
call manager.
attrib Display and change file attributes. External
Recovery console command that executes a series of
batch Recovery
commands in a file.
Recovery console command that allows a user to view,
bootcfg Recovery
modify, and rebuild the boot.ini
break Enable / disable CTRL + C feature. Internal
cacls View and modify file ACL's. External
call Calls a batch file from another batch file. Internal
cd Changes directories. Internal
Supplement the International keyboard and character
chcp External
set information.
chdir Changes directories. Internal
chdsk Check the hard disk drive running FAT for errors. External
chkntfs Check the hard disk drive running NTFS for errors. External
choice Specify a listing of multiple options within a batch file. External
cls Clears the screen. Internal