This is a listing of DOS commands. They may vary slightly depending on the version of DOS your using. There's too many to cover in great detail. A few of the most needed are covered below.

MS-DOS Commands

append	diskcopy	join	restore
assign	doskey	keyb	rmdir
attrib	dosshell	label	set
backup	edit	loadhigh	setver
break	edlin	mem	share
chcp	emm386	mirror	sort
chdir	exit	mkdir	subst
chkdsk	expand	mode	sys
cls	fastopen	more	time
command	fc	nlsfunc	tree
comp	fdisk	path	type
copy	find	print	undelete
ctty	for	prompt	unformat
date	format	qbasic	ver
del	graftable	recover	verify
dir	graphics	rename	vol
diskcomp	help	replace	xcopy

 

Batch Commands

call	for	if	rem
echo	goto	pause	shift

 

CONFIG.SYS Commands

break	devicehigh	files	shell
buffers	dos	install	stacks
country	drivparm	lastdrive	switchs
device	fcbs	rem

 

Edlin Commands

(line)	e (end)	p (page)	t (transfer)
a (append)	i (insert)	q (quit)	w (write)
c (copy)	l (list)	r (replace)
d (delete)	m (move)	s (search)

 

This is a few of the most important commands in greater detail. Some of the commands have additional switches that were intentionally left out due to space. The individual items that may typed after a command are held by [ ]. Place a space in the command wherever a space exist in the example.

 

The Directory command lists all the files and subdirectories in the current directory or in the path specified.

Examples:

ATTRIB -r -s -h C:\*.SYS
ATTRIB +r +s C:\*.*
ATTRIB -h C:\MSDOS.SYS

Switch	Description
/s	Process's files in current directory and all of its subdirectories.
	+h Set files Hidden attribute -h Clears the Hidden attribute +s Set files System attribute -s Clears the System attribute +a Sets files Archiving (backup) attribute -a Clears files Archiving attribute +r Set files Read-Only attribute -r Clears files Read-Only attribute

 

The Change directory command is used to change directories. The command followed by two periods backs up one directory while the backslash returns to the root drive. The root is the drive letter and no directories. For Example, A:\ C:\ and D:\ are roots while C:\games is not.

Examples:

CD C:\Games\Doom
CD Games\Doom
CD..
CD \

 

Clears the screen.

Examples:

CLS

 

The Copy command copies files from one location (the source) to a second location (the destination). If you give a different filename for the destination the name of the file will be changed at the same time it's copied. By using wildcards entire groups of files can be copied at once.

Examples:

COPY A:\*.* C:\*.*
COPY C:\Letters\*.exe A:\Backup /v
COPY note.txt C:\text\notes\note.asc

Switch	Description
/v	Verifies that new files are written correctly

 

The Date command sets the date.

Examples:

DATE [03-12-98]

 

The Delete command deletes files from the specified path. By using wildcards entire groups of files can be deleted.

Examples:

DEL C:\*.txt
DEL C:\Letters\*.doc /p
DEL note.txt

Switch	Description
/p	Prompts for confirmation before deleting files

 

The Directory command lists all the files and subdirectories in the current directory or in the path specified. If you would like to set the Directory command to behave a certain way all the time add the following line to the Autoexec.bat: SET DIRCMD=[switches]. For example, to set the DIR command to always display 1 screen at a time with directories grouped at the top add: SET DIRCMD=/p /og. When DIR is typed the switches /p /og will be understood.

Examples:

DIR A:
DIR C:\Games /p
DIR /p /ah
DIR /w /a-d /on
DIR *.exe

Switch	Description
/p	Displays 1 screen of filenames and stops until a key is pressed
/w	Displays filenames across as well as down
/a	Displays only the files with the attributes listed after the switch h Hidden files -h Files that are not hidden s System Files -s Files other then system files d Directories -d Files only, no directories a Files ready for archiving (backup) -a Files that have not changed since last backup r Read-Only files -r Files that are not read only
/o	Controls the order the files are displayed n In alphabetic order by name -n In reverse alphabetic order e In alphabetic order by extension -e In reverse alphabetic order by extension d By date and time, earliest first -d By date and time, latest first s By size, smallest first -s By size, largest first g With directories grouped before files -g With directories grouped after files

 

The Expand command is used to expand compressed files on the original DOS disks. DOS files are compressed to save room. The compressed files extension ends in "_". By using Expand it's possible to get a single compressed file off the DOS disks and back where it's needed.

Examples:

EXPAND A:\sort.ex_ C:\dos\sort.exe

 

The Format command is used to prepare disks for use with MS-DOS. It's also required to create a Floppy Boot Disk. Note: Format completely erases everything. Make absolutely sure your using the correct drive letter before using Format.

Examples:

FORMAT A: /f:720 /v
FORMAT C: /u

Switch	Description
/v	label Specifies a name for the disk
/q	Deletes the File Allocation Table (FAT) and directory of previously formatted disks for a quick erasing.
/u	Unconditional formatting of the disk. Destroys all existing data on disk and prevents any unformatting.
/f	Specifies the size of the disk to be formatted. If no size is given the disk is formatted to the default size of the floppy drive. 160 160K, single-sided, double density, 5.25" 180 180K, single-sided, double density, 5.25" 320 320K, double-sided, double density, 5.25" 360 360K, double-sided, double density, 5.25" 720 720K, double-sided, double density, 3.5" 1200 1.2Mb, double-sided, high density, 5.25" 1440 1.44Mb, double-sided, high density, 3.5" 2880 2.88Mb, double-sided, 3.5"
/s	Creates a system disk by formatting the disk and copying the IO.SYS, MSDOS.SYS and COMMAND.COM files onto it. Use this option to create a Floppy boot disk.

 

The Label command is used to view and change a disks label. A label is 11 Characters and may not contain: * ? / \ | . , ; : + = [ ] ( ) & ^ < > "

Examples:

LABEL C:
LABEL C:DOS BOOT

 

The Mem command is used to view the amount of free memory. Use this command to see how well your editing the Autoexec.bat and Config.sys to free up memory.

Examples:

MEM
MEM /p

Switch	Description
/p	Program - Displays tyhe status of programs currently loaded into memory
/d	Debug - Displays the status of currently loaded programs, internal drivers and other programming information
/c	Classify - Displays the status of programs loaded into conventional memory and upper memory area.

 

The Prompt command is used to change the DOS prompt. It can include plain text and the symbols listed below.

Examples:

PROMPT
PROMPT $p
PROMPT Windows95 $p
PROMPT The time is: $t $_The date is: $d

Symbols	Description
$q	= (equal sign)
$$	$ (dollar sign)
$t	Current Time
$d	Current Date
$p	Current Drive and Path
$v	MS-DOS version number
$n	Current Drive
$g	> (greater-than sign)
$l	< (less-than sign)
$b	| (pipe)
$_	ENTER+Linefeed
$e	ASCII escape code (code 27)
$h	Backspace (to delete a character in the prompt command line)

 

The Rem command is used to add comments to certain files. The most common use is in the Config.sys and Autoexec.bat. Anything following REM is ignored by DOS when processing the file. It's a good way to temporarily disable lines that may be causing problems.

Examples:

REM the next line is for the CD drivers

 

The Rename command changes the names of existing files. Wildcards can be used to rename groups of files.

Examples:

RENAME C:\*.txt *.doc
REN letter.doc book.doc

 

The Remove Directory command deletes empty directories. You can not remove directories containing files. You must first delete all the files in the directory using the Delete command. Some directories may contain hidden files. If an empty directory says it's not empty use Attrib to check for hidden files.

Examples:

RMDIR C:\games\doom
RD documents

 

The System command copies the current DOS system files to a second drive. The files IO.SYS, MSDOS.SYS and COMMAND.COM are copied.

Examples:

SYS C:\ A:\
SYS C:\DOS A:\

 

The XCOPY command works exactly like COPY except it has advanced features such as copying subdirectories as well as files.

Examples:

XCOPY C:\DOS A: /s /e
XCOPY A: B: /s

Switch	Description
/s	Copies directories and subdirectories, unless they are empty. Without this switch XCOPY works like COPY
/e	Copies empty subdirectories. Must be used with /s
/v	Verifies each file is correctly written as copied

The contents of this page are ©2009 Realm
Last Updated (January 1st, 2007)