Ms dos tutorial

Some basic commands for demostration of MS DOS

1. MS-DOS
START
TUTORIAL
Created By
EHTISHAM ALI

2. How to start MS -DOS
Important Tips
DOS Commands -Quick Review
Choose one of the following options:
Exit Tutorial

3. Starting MS -DOS
Press [win+r] from your keyboard to pop -up Run window.
Type [cmd] and press [Enter]
Now a command prompt window will appear.
Main Menu X

4. Important Tips
In command prompt by default your are in system root drive (c: \) with user account.
for example C: \Documents And Settings \
There are two types of commands External and Internal generally we use Internal commands.
By default your active drive is C, any command you enter is for active drive.
To have general help in command prompt type help and press enter or to get help for a
specific command type the name of command added with /?
for example tree/?
To repeat a command press upward arrow from keyboard.
To stop any processing command press Ctrl+C.
To copy any information displayed in command prompt go to the top left corner of command
prompt window and while clicking on it you get a menu, from there select Edit then Mark.
Now highlight the area of text you want to copy and press Enter. After pressing Enter your
selected text has been stored to clipboard. Now open any word processor or simply notepad
and paste copied data here( Ctrl+V) Show Images
Commands are always same whether you type in uppercase or lowercase.
Press Alt+Enter to run command prompt in full screen.
Main Menu X

5. DOS Commands
Use all commands at your own risk.
Only some basic and frequently used commands are listed here.
Explanation and syntax of some commands is modified to make it simpler for non IT students.
ATTRIB CHKDSK DATE EDIT FORMAT HELP LABEL MD TIME
CLS DEFRAG EXIT TREE
COPY DEL
DIR
Click a command to view its usage and examples.
Main Menu X
All commands are tested on windowXP sp2
with MS-DOS version 5.1.2600

6. ATTRIB
Changes or displays the attributes of a file.
SYNTAX
attrib drive:\path\file(with file extension) /switches
SWITCHES
+R Changes specified file to read -only, which means the file cannot be overwritten or erased
-R Changes specified file to read -write, which means the file may be overwritten or erased
+A Changes file setting to archived.
-A Changes file setting to not archived.
+H Changes specified file to hidden, which means the file will not be visible in explorer.
-H Makes hidden files visible again.
+S Marks specified file as system files (super hidden).
-S Removes system attributes from file.
EXAMPLE
attrib d:\music\rehman.mp3 +s +h
attrib e:\bollywallpapers \hotkatrina.jpg +r -h +a
BACK to
Command List X
Open
MS-DOS

7. CHKDSK
Analyzes, diagnoses, and optionally corrects common
hard-disk errors.
SYNTAX
chkdsk drive: /switches
SWITCHES
/f Enables auto -correction mechanism. When lost clusters are found.
EXAMPLE
chkdsk c:/f
chkdsk d:
X
BACK to
Command List
Open
MS-DOS

8. CLS
Clears the dos screen.
SYNTAX
cls
SWITCHES
BACK to
Command List X
There are no switches for this command.
Open
MS-DOS

9. COPY
Copies and hence can overwrite files.
SYNTAX
Copy sourcedrive :\path\filetargetdrive :\path/switches
SWITCHES
/y Forces overwriting of existing files with same name, without prompting you to overwrite.
/-yForce DOS to prompt for conformation before overwriting existing files.
EXAMPLE
copy h:\music\airtel.mp3 d:\ringtone \/y
copies airtel.mp3 from music folder in Hdrive to ringtone folder in Ddrive
without asking you to overwrite if it already exist there.
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Command List X
copy h:\music\airtel.mp3 d:\ringtone \/-y
copies airtel.mp3 from music folder in Hdrive to ringtone folder in Ddrive. It
will prompt you for confirmation to overwrite existing file.
Open
MS-DOS

10. DATE
Displays the current date and prompts you to
enter another. To leave the date unchanged,
press Enter.
SYNTAX
date
SWITCHES
EXAMPLE
Date
Displays the current date and prompts you enter new.
BACK to
Command List X
This command have no switches.
Open
MS-DOS

11. DEFRAG
Speeds up disk performance by reorganizing
fragmented files.
SYNTAX
defrag sourcedrive :/switches
SWITCHES
-f Forces defragmentation
-a Analyze only
EXAMPLE
defrag h: -a
Only analyze Hdrive if there exists any fragmented files.
BACK to
Command List X
defrag h: -f
Force defragmentation on Hdrive.
Open
MS-DOS

12. DEL
This command can erase or overwrite your files.
Delete Files
SYNTAX
del sourcedrive :\path\file
SWITCHES
EXAMPLE
del h:\music\airtel.mp3
deletes airtel.mp3 from music folder in Hdrive to
BACK to
Command List X
This command do not have any switches.
Use this command cautiously
Open
MS-DOS

13. DIR
Displays a list of files and
directories(folders) stored in a drive.
SYNTAX
dir sourcedrive :\path/switches
SWITCHES
/a:d Displays all folders stored in the drive or path specified.
/a:h Displays all hidden files and folders stored in the drive or path specified.
/s Displays all folders with files contained in them in a sorted manner
EXAMPLE
dir h:\music
Shows all files and folders stored in music folder on Hdrive
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Command List X
dir h:\music /a:d
Shows only folders stored in music folder on Hdrive
dir h:\music /a:h
Shows all hidden files and folders stored in music folder on Hdrive
dir h:\music /s
Shows all folders (in music folder on Hdrive) with files contained in them
in a sorted manner
Open
MS-DOS

14. EDIT
It is a simple text editor for MS -DOS
It can also open a text file from specified location
for editing. ( images)
SYNTAX
edit sourcedrive :\path\file
SWITCHES
EXAMPLE
edit
opens the editor window.
BACK to
Command List X
This command do not have any switches.
edit h:\music\ali.txt
opens the editor window with the file ali.txt stored in music folder of H
drive.
Open
MS-DOS

15. EXIT
It simply brings you out of the command prompt.
Exits MS -DOS
SYNTAX
exit
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Command List X
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MS-DOS

16. FORMAT
This command can format your whole drive with
a new file system.
SYNTAX
format sourcedrive : /switches
SWITCHES
EXAMPLE
format h: /fs:ntfs /v:misc /x
formats Hdrive by ntfsfile system with new volume label as misc
BACK to
Command List X
Use this command cautiously
/fs: Specify file system ntfs, fat or fat32.
/v: Specify new volume label.
/x Forces volume to dismount first if necessary. all opened handles to that volume will be
inaccessible.
Open
MS-DOS

17. HELP
Displays help for various commands in MS -DOS.
SYNTAX
help
SWITCHES
BACK to
Command List X
There are no switches for this command.
Open
MS-DOS

18. LABEL
Adds or modifies a disk volume label.
SYNTAX
label sourcedrive :
SWITCHES
BACK to
Command List X
There are no switches for this command.
Open
MS-DOS
EXAMPLE
label H:misc
This will change volume label of Hdrive to misc.

19. MD
Creates a new folder at specified path.
SYNTAX
mdsourcedrive :\path
SWITCHES
BACK to
Command List X
There are no switches for this command.
Open
MS-DOS
EXAMPLE
mdH:\music\ali_new
This will create a new folder in music folder of Hdrive by the name
ali_new

20. TIME
Display and allow changes to the system time.
SYNTAX
time
SWITCHES
BACK to
Command List X
There are no switches for this command.
Open
MS-DOS
EXAMPLE
time
This will display the current time and prompt you to enter new time.
If you do not want to change simply press Enter.

21. TREE
Display the file -folder structure of the drive
or folder specified.
SYNTAX
tree sourcedrive :/switches
SWITCHES
BACK to
Command List X
Open
MS-DOS
EXAMPLE
tree h:
displays all folders with there subfolders of Hdrive.
/f Includes the filenames in each subfolder.
tree h:/f
displays all folders with there subfolders and files contained in them of H
drive.