ESSENTIAL DOS COMMANDS

ATTRIB (External) Sets or displays the read-only, archive, system, and hidden attributes of a file or directory.

ATTRIB [d:][path]filename [/S]

ATTRIB [+R|-R] [+A|-A] [+S|-S] [+H|-H] [d:][path]filename [/S]

+R makes a file read-only. Read-only files may be read but they can`t be changed or deleted.
-R removes the file protection attribute (so it can be read, changed, or deleted).
+A sets the ARCHIVE attribute of a file.
-A turns off the ARCHIVE attribute.
+H sets the HIDDEN attribute of a file.
-H turns off the HIDDEN attribute.
+S sets the SYSTEM attribute and the file will not appear in a directory listing.
-S turns off the SYSTEM attribute.
/S sets attributes on subdirectories found within the specified path.

CD (Internal) Displays working (current) directory and/or changes to a different directory.

CD [d:]path

CHKDSK (External) Checks a disk and provides a file and memory status report.

CHKDSK [d:][path][filename] [/F][/V]

CLS (Clear Screen) (Internal) Clears (erases) the screen.

CLS

COMMAND (External) Starts a new version of the DOS command processor.

COMMAND [d:][path] [device] [/P][/E:(size)] [/MSG][/Y [/C (command)|/K (command)]

COMP (External) Compares two groups of files to find information that does not match.

COMP [d:][path][filename] [d:][path][filename] [/A][/C][/D][/L][/N:(number)]

COPY (Internal) Copies and appends files.

COPY [/Y|-Y] [/A][/B] [d:][path]filename [/A][/B] [d:][path][filename] [/V]

DATE (Internal) Displays and/or sets the system date.

DATE mm-dd-yy

DEBUG (External) An MS-DOS utility used to test and edit programs.

DEBUG [pathname] [parameters]

DEFRAG (External) Optimizes disk performance by reorganizing the files on the disk.

DEFRAG [d:] [/F][/S[:]order] [/B][/skiphigh [/LCD|/BW|/GO] [/H]

DEL (ERASE) (Internal) Deletes (erases) files from disk.

DEL (ERASE) [d:][path]filename [/P]

DELTREE (External) Deletes (erases) a directory including all files and subdirectories that are in it.
DELTREE [/Y] [d:]path [d:]path[...]

DEVICE (Internal) Used in the CONFIG.SYS file to tell DOS which device driver to load.

DEVICE=(driver name)

DEVICEHIGH (Internal) Used to install the device driver into the upper memory area.

DEVICEHIGH=(driver name)

DIR (Internal) Displays directory of files and directories stored on disk.

DIR [d:][path][filename] [/A:(attributes)] [/O:(order)] [/B][/C][/CH][/L][/S][/P][/W]

DISKCOMP (External) Compares the contents of two diskettes.

DISKCOMP [d:] [d:][/1][/8]

DISKCOPY (External) Makes an exact copy of a diskette.

DISKCOPY [d:] [d:][/1][/V][/M]

DOS (Internal) Used in the CONFIG.SYS to load DOS into the upper memory area and to specify upper memory blocks.

DOS=[high|low],[umb|noumb]

DOSKEY (External) Program used to recall DOS commands.

DOSKEY [reinstall] [/bufsize=size][/macros][/history][/insert|/overstrike] [macroname=[text]]

ECHO (Internal) Displays messages or turns on or off the display of commands in a batch file.

ECHO on|off
ECHO (message)

EDIT (External) Starts the MS-DOS editor, a text editor used to create and edit ASCII text files.

EDIT [d:][path]filename [/B][/G][/H][/NOHI]

EMM386 (External) Enables EMM386 expanded-memory support on a computer with an 80386 or higher processor.

EMM386 [on|off|auto] [w=on|off]

FASTHELP (External) Displays a list of DOS commands with a brief explanation of each.

FASTHELP [command][command] /?

FC (External) Displays the differences between two files or sets of files.

FC [/A][/C][/L][/Lb n][/N][/T][/W][number] [d:][path]filename [d:][path]filename

or (for binary comparisons)
FC [/B][/number] [d:][path]filename [d:][path]filename

FDISK (External)

FDISK [/status]

Prepares a fixed disk to accept DOS files for storage.

/status Displays partition information.

/mbr copies the Master Boot Record

Undocumented FDISK commands:

FDISK 1/PRI:100 - Command line to create a 100 meg DOS partion on hard drive 1.
FDISK 1/EXT:500 - Command line to create a 500 meg extended DOS partion on hard drive 1.
FDISK 1/LOG:250 - Command line to create a 250 logical drive.
FDISK /PARTN - Saves the partion to a file called PARTSAV.FIL

FILES (Internal) Used in CONFIG.SYS to specify the maximum number of files that can be open at the same time.

FILES=(number)

FORMAT (External) Formats a disk to accept DOS files.

FORMAT d:[/1][/4][/8][/F:(size)] [/N:(sectors)] [/T:(tracks)][/B|/S][/C][/V:(label)] [/Q][/U][/V]

/1 - Format for single-sided use, regardless of the drive type.

/4 - Formats a double-density diskette in a high-density type disk drive.
/8 - Formats at 8 sectors per track. If /8 is not specified, FORMAT defaults to 9 or 15 sectors per track.
/F:(size) - Formats disks to specific sizes.
/N:(sectors) - Specifies the number of sectors per track on the disk.
/T:(tracks) - Specifies the number of tracks on the disk.
/B - Formats a disk reserving room on the disk to later copy the DOS system files.
/S - Copies the operating system files to the disk after formatting.
/C - Causes FORMAT to retest badclusters.
/V:(label) - Volume label is named.
/Q - Quick format; erases the file allocation table and the root directory, but does not identify bad sectors.
/U - Completely erases all data on the target disk making it impossible to perform an UNFORMAT later.

HELP (External) Displays information about DOS commands.

HELP [command] [/B][/G][/H][/NOHI]

INTERLINK (External) Connects two computers via parallel or serial ports to share disks and printer ports.

INTERLINK [client[:]=[server][:]]

INTERSVR (External) Starts the Interlink server.

INTERSVR [d:][...][/X=d:][...] [/LPT:[n|address]] [/COM:[n|address]][/baud:rate] [/B][/V]

INTERSVR /RCOPY

LABEL (External) Creates or changes or deletes a volume label for a disk.

LABEL [d:][volume label]

LASTDRIVE (Internal) Used in CONFIG.SYS to set the maximum number of drives that can be accessed.

LASTDRIVE=(drive letter)

LOADHIGH (Internal) Loads memory resident application into reserved area of memory (between 640K-1M).

LOADHIGH (LH) [d:][path]filename [parameters]

MEM (External) Displays installed and available memory, including extended, expanded, and upper memory.

MEM [/program|/debug|/classify|/free|/module(name)] [/page]

MEMMAKER (External) Starts the MemMaker program, a program that lets you optimize memory.
MEMMAKER [/B][/batch][/session][/swap:d] [/T][/undo][/W:size1,size2]

MIRROR (External) Saves disk storage information that can be used to recover accidentally erased files.

MIRROR [d:]path [d:] path [...]

MIRROR [d1:][d2:][...] [/T(drive)(files)] [/partn][/U][/1]

MD (Internal) Creates a new subdirectory

MKDIR (MD) [d:]path.

MODE (External) Sets mode of operation for devices or communications.

MODE n
MODE LPT#[:][n][,][m][,][P][retry]
MODE [n],m[,T]
MODE (displaytype,linetotal)
MODE COMn[:]baud[,][parity][,][databits][,][stopbits][,][retry]
MODE LPT#[:]=COMn [retry]
MODE CON[RATE=(number)][DELAY=(number)]

MOVE (Internal) Moves one or more files to the location you specify. Can also be used to rename directories.

MOVE [/Y|/-Y] [d:][path]filename[,[d:][path]filename[...]] destination

MSCDEX (External) Used to gain access to CD-ROM drives.

MSCDEX /D:driver [/D:driver2. . .] [/E][/K][/S][/V][/L:letter] [/M:number]

/D:driver specifies the driver signature of the first CD-ROM device driver. This parameter must match the /D switch on
the CONFIG.SYS command that starts the corresponding CD-ROM device driver. The MSCDEX command
must include at least one /D switch.
/E Specifies that the CD-ROM driver be allowed to store sector buffers in expanded memory.
/K Specifies that DOS should recognize CD-ROM volumes encoded in Kanji. By Default, MS-DOS does not recognize Kanji
CD-ROM values.
/S Enables sharing of CD-ROM drives on MS-NET or Windows for Workgroups servers.
/V Verbose switch to direct MSCDEX to display memory statistics when it starts.
/L:letter Specifies the drive letter to assign to the first CD-ROM drive. If you have more than one CD-ROM drive, MS-DOS
assigns additional CD-ROM drives subsequent drive letters.
/M:number Specifies the number of sector buffers (uses RAM).

MSD (External) Provides detailed technical information about your computer.

MSD [/B][/I]
MSD [/I] [/F[d:][path]filename [/P[d:][path]filename [/S[d:][path]filename

PATH (Internal) Sets or displays directories that will be searched for programs not in the current directory.

PATH [d:]path[;][d:]path[...]

PROMPT (Internal) Changes the DOS command prompt.

PROMPT [prompt text] [options]

$ invokes the meta-string for the letter instead of the letter itself. P=path; G=”>”; D=date; T=time; etc.

REM (Internal) Used in batch files and in CONFIG.SYS to insert remarks (that will not be acted on).

REM [comment]
RENAME (Internal) Changes the filename under which a file is stored.

RENAME (REN) [d:][path]filename [d:][path]filename

RD (Internal) Removes a subdirectory.

RD [d:]path

SCANDISK (External) Disk analysis and repair tool used to check a drive for errors and correct any problems that it finds.

SCANDISK [d: [d: . . .]|/all][/checkonly|/autofix[/nosave]|/custom][/surface][/mono][/nosummay]

SCANDISK volume-name[/checkonly|/autofix[/nosave]|/custom][/mono][/nosummary]
SCANDISK /fragment [d:][path]filename
SCANDISK /undo [undo-d:][/mono]

SET (Internal) Inserts strings into the command environment.

SET (string1)=(string2)

SETVER (External) Displays the version table and sets the version of DOS that is reported to programs.

SETVER [d:]:path][filename (number)][/delete][/quiet]

SHARE (External) Installs support for file sharing and file locking.

SHARE [/F:space] [/L:locks]

SHELL (Internal) Used in CONFIG.SYS to specify the command interpreter that DOS should use.

SHELL=[d:][path]filename [parameters]

SMARTDRV (External) Installs and configures the SMARTDrive disk-caching utility.

SMARTDRV [/X] [[drive[+|-]]...] [/U] [/C | /R] [/F | /N] [/L] [/V | /Q | /S]
[InitCacheSize [WinCacheSize]] [/E:ElementSize] [/B:BufferSize]

/X Disables write-behind caching for all drives.

drive Sets caching options on specific drive(s). The specified drive(s) will have write-caching disabled unless you add +.
+ Enables write-behind caching for the specified drive.
- Disables all caching for the specified drive.
/U Do not load CD-ROM caching module.
/C Writes all information currently in write-cache to hard disk.
/R Clears the cache and restarts SMARTDrive.
/F Writes cached data before command prompt returns (default).
/N Doesn't write cached data before command prompt returns.
/L Prevents SMARTDrive from loading itself into upper memory.
/V Displays SMARTDrive status messages when loading.
/Q Does not display status information.
/S Displays additional information about SMARTDrive's status.
InitCacheSize Specifies XMS memory (KB) for the cache.
WinCacheSize Specifies XMS memory (KB) for the cache with Windows.
/E:ElementSize Specifies how many bytes of information to move at one time.
/B:BufferSize Specifies the size of the read-ahead buffer.

STACKS (Internal) Used in CONFIG.SYS to set the number of stack frames and the size of each stack frame.

STACKS=(number),(size)

SYS (External) Transfers the operating system files to another disk.

SYS [source] d:

TIME (Internal) Displays and sets the current time setting of system clock.

TIME hh:mm[:ss][.cc][A|P]

TREE (External) Displays directory paths and (optionally) files in each subdirectory.

TREE [d:][path] [/A][/F]

/A Specifies ASCII characters will be used to draw the tree diagram

/F Displays the names of the files found within each directory listed.

TYPE (Internal) Displays the contents of a file.

TYPE [d:][path]filename

UNDELETE (External) Restores files deleted with the DELETE command.

UNDELETE [d:][path][filename] [/DT|/DS|/DOS]

UNDELETE [/list|/all|/purge[d:]|/status|/load|/U|/S[d:]|/Td:[-entries]]

UNFORMAT (External) Used to undo the effects of formatting a disk.

UNFORMAT d: [/J][/L][/test][/partn][/P][/U]

VER (Internal) Displays the DOS version number.

VOL (Internal) Displays a disk's volume label.

XCOPY (External) Copies directories, subdirectories, and files.

XCOPY [d:][path]filename [d:][path][filename] [/A][/D:(date)] [/E][/M][/P][/S][/V][/W][Y\-Y]

/A Copies only files that have been set as archive files

/D:(date) Copies only those files that have been changed on or LATER than the specified date.
/S Copies all files in the current directory and in any subdirectory within it.
/E Copies subdirectories, even if they are empty. If you use this option, you must use the /S option also.
/M Copies archive files (as in the /A option) however, the files on the destination disk are not marked as archive files. This
switch checks the archive attribute of a file: if the file`s archive attribute is set to off (-A), the file will not be copied.
/P Prompts you to confirm that you want each file copied.
/V Verify that each file is copied identically to the original.
/W Waits until you respond to a prompt to begin copying.
/Y Causes XCOPY to replace existing files without a confirmation prompt.
/-Y Causes XCOPY to give you a confirmation prompt before replacing an existing file.

SYNTAX NOTES
1. COMMAND NAME The DOS command name is the name you enter to start the DOS program.
2. SPACE Always leave a space after the command name.
3. DRIVE DESIGNATION The drive designation (abbreviated in this book as "d:") is an option for many DOS commands.
4. COLON When referring to a drive in DOS you must always follow the drive designator with a colon “:”.
5. PATHNAME A pathname (path) refers to the path you want DOS to follow in order to act on the DOS command.
6. FILENAME A filename is the name of a file stored on disk. A filename can be eight characters.
7. FILENAME EXTENSION A filename extension follows the filename after a period and can be three characters.
8. PARAMETERS The files and directories to be manipulated by DOS. Usually comprised of SOURCE and DESTINATION.
9. SWITCHES Characters preceded by a forward slash (for example, "/S") are command options.
10. BRACKETS Items enclosed in brackets are optional.
11. ELLIPSES Ellipses (...) indicate that an item in a command syntax can be repeated as many times as needed.
12. VERTICAL BAR Items separated by a vertical bar (|), means you enter either one of the items. For example: ON | OFF.