Disk Operating System Commands

In this article, you will learn about the disk operating system commands. But before discussing the DOS commands, you should know about the disk operating system.

What is Disk Operating System?

A disk operating system is an OS that operates on a hard drive. The operating system commands and regulates the computer's hardware and peripheral devices while also controlling the program and its operation. Microsoft created and released it as IBM PC DOS for the first time. In 1981, it also referred to the family of DOS known as MS-DOS.

The DOS is a 16-bit operating system, which implies that it may save and process 16 bits of data at once. It is a single-user, single-tasking OS. It is NON-GUI (Graphical User Interface), and it operates within a CUI (Character User Interface) environment.

The Dos operating system allows you to control the computer's behavior and functionality. It is a command-line operating system, which implies that you must use commands on the command line interface to achieve your desired results. The DOS has been improved from 1.00 to 1.1, 1.25, 6.0, 8.0, and so on over the years.

Features of DOS

There are various features of the disk operating system. Some features of the operating system are as follows:

It is a free OS.
It doesn't support GUI.
It is a single-user OS.
It is a 16-bit OS.
The mouse could not be used to operate it, i.e., the input is provided via the basic system commands.
It aids make file management, e.g., creating, editing, deleting files, etc.
It has a text-based interface and relies on text and codes to function.

DOS Commands

DOS Commands are instructions that allow Windows users to conduct tasks on files and folders. As you may know, a file is a container for a collection of information or data, and a directory is a collection of files. These are case insensitive.

The file name in MS-DOS is in 8dot format and broken into two parts - primary and secondary names. The primary name can be up to eight characters long, while the secondary name can be up to four characters with a dot. For example, in the filename Logo.jpg, the primary name is Logo, while the secondary name is .jpg. Secondary names are set for each type of file, so for system files, the secondary name is .sys, and for text files, it is .txt, etc. Special characters such as >, ., /, *, ?, |, & Space are not permitted in file or directory names. Here is a list of the most common file types, along with their default secondary names:

File name	Extension
Text file	.txt
Program file	.prg
Library file	.lib
Command file	.com
Batch file	.bat
System file	.sys
Executable file	.exe
Database file	.dbm

Types of DOS Commands

There are mainly two types of DOS Commands. These are as follows:

Internal Commands
External Commands

Internal Commands

Internal commands are loaded into the system memory during system booting. These internal commands may not be seen, modified, detected, or deleted because they do not exist in the form of a file. An internal command is the MS-DOS command stored in system memory and loaded from command.com or cmd.exe. Internal commands include MD, DATE, COPY, CD, TIME, COPR CON, TYPE, etc.

External Commands

External commands are stored in the system memory after system booting. These external commands may easily be viewed, changed, deleted, or copied as they are present in the form of a file. External commands include FORMAT, SYS, EDIT, PROMPT, COPY, PRINT, TREE, SORT, etc.

Why are internal and external commands needed?

Internal commands are more common and essential to the functioning and use of Windows OS. They could be instantly accessible and always available in MS-DOS and Windows by embedding them in the command.com file.

External commands are really effective. They help in the resolution of problems, the enhancement of performance, and the execution of other tasks. External commands typically need more resources than internal commands. These commands keep separate from internal commands aids to decrease the load on Windows. They could also be added to Windows at any time by copying the file containing the external command to the computer.

Commands of Disk Operating System

Here, you will learn the commands of the disk operating system. There are three types of MS-DOS commands: Internal, External, and Recovery Console Commands.

Internal Commands

There are various internal disk operating system commands. Some of the internal commands are as follows:

Commands	Description
assoc	It is used to view the file association.
atmadm	It lists the connections and addresses seen by the Windows ATM call manager.
break	It is used to enable or disable the computer's breaking capability.
call	It is used to call the batch file from another file.
cd	This command is used to modify the system directory.
chdir	It is used to modify the system directory.
cls	This command is used to clear the system screen.
cmd	It is used to open the command interpreter.
color	It is used to modify the foreground and background color of the window screen.
command	It is used to open the command interpreter.
copy	It is used to copy one or more files to a different position.
ctty	It is used to change the computer's input and output devices.
date	It is used to see or change the system date.
del	It is used to delete one or multiple files.
delete	It is used to delete the file.
dir	It is used to list the contents of one or multiple dictionaries.
drivparm	It allows overwriting of original device drivers.
echo	It is used to show messages and enables and disables echo.
endlocal	It is used to halt the localization of environment changes enabled by the setlocal command.
erase	It is used to erase the files from the system.
exit	This command is used to exit from the DOS command interpreter.
for	It is used to Boolean used in the batch files.
goto	It is used to move a batch file to a particular label or location.
if	It allows batch files to carry out conditional processing.
lh	It is used to load a device driver into a large amount of memory.
loadhigh	It is used to load a device driver into a large amount of memory.
lock	It is used to lock the system's hard drive.
md	This command is used to make a new directory in the system.
mkdir	This command is used to make a new directory in the system.
mklink	This command is used to create a symbolic link.
move	It is used to move one or multiple files from one directory to another.
path	It is used to view and modify the path location of the system.
pause	It is used in batch files to stop the command's processing.
popd	The popd command modifies the directory or network path that the pushd command has saved.
prompt	This command is used to view or change the DOS prompt.
pushd	It is used to store a directory or network path so that it may be restored at any time.
rd	It is used to remove an empty directory from the system.
ren	This command is used to rename a file in the system.
rename	This command is used to rename a file in the system.
rmdir	It is used to remove an empty directory from the system.
set	It is used to modify one variable or string to another.
setlocal	It enables modifications to be done to local contexts without affecting the rest of the system.
shift	It is used in batch programs to modify the location of replaceable parameters.
start	It is used to start a specific window in Windows from the DOS prompt.
switches	It is used to remove the add functions from the disk operating system.
time	This command is used to view and change the system time.
title	It is used to change the title of the disk operating system window.
type	It is used to show the contents of files.
unlock	It is used to unlock a system disk drive.
ver	This command is used to show the version of MS-DOS.
verify	It enables or disables the feature that determines whether files were properly written.
vol	It is used to show the volume information about the specified drive.

External Commands

There are various external disk operating system commands. Some of the external commands are as follows:

Commands	Description
append	It enables open files in a different directory as if they were in the current one.
arp	It is used to display, add, and remove arp data from network devices.
assign	It is used to assign a drive letter to a different letter.
at	It is used to set a time for commands to be executed.
attrib	It is used to show and modify the file attributes.
bcdedit	This command is used to change the boot configuration data store.
cacls	This command is used to see and change file ACL's.
chcp	It supplements the international keyboard and character set knowledge.
chkdsk	It is used to check the hard drive running FAT for errors.
chkntfs	It is used to check the hard drive running NTFS for errors.
choice	It is used to define a listing or various options within a batch file.
clip	It is used to redirect the command line output to the windows clipboard.
comp	It is used to compare the files.
compact	This command is used to compress and uncompress the files.
control	It is used to open control panel icons from the DOS prompt.
convert	It is used to convert FAT to NTFS.
debug	It is used to debug utility applications that are written in assembly language to change hardware settings.
defrag	It is used to rearrange the hard drive to aid with loading programs.
deltree	It is used to delete one or multiple files and directories.
diskcomp	It is used to compare a disk with another system disk.
diskcopy	It is used to copy the information of one disk and put them on another.
doskey	It is used to see and execute commands that were run in the past.
driverquery	It is used to show a list of installed device drivers.
edit	It is used to see and edit files.
edlin	It is used to see and edit files.
emm386	It is used to load the extended memory manager.
expand	It is used to expand a Microsoft Windows file back to its original format.
extract	It is used to extract files from the Microsoft cabinets.
fasthelp	It is used to show a listing of MS-DOS commands and their information.
fc	It is used to compare the files.
fdisk	It is used to set up drive-by, create and manage partitions on the hard drive.
find	This command is used to search for text in the file.
findstr	It is used to search for a text string within a file.
format	It is used to delete and prepare a disk drive for another task.
ftp	It is used to connect and work on an FTP server.
graftabl	This command is used to show longer characters in graphics mode.
help	It is used to show a list of commands with their description.
ifshlp.sys	It is used to the 32-bit file manager.
ipconfig	It is used to see adapter settings and assigned values.
keyb	It is used to modify the layout of the keyboard.
label	It is used to modify the label of the disk drive.
loadfix	It is used to load a program above the first 64 k.
logoff	It is used to log off the current profile using the system.
mem	It is used to show the memory on the system.
mode	It is used to modify the port or display setting.
more	It is used to show a single page at a time.
msav	It is used for early Microsoft virus scanners.
msd	It is used for disagnostics utility.
mscdex	It is used to enable CD-ROM access from the MS-DOS.
nbtstat	It is used to show protocol statistics and current TCP and IP connections using NBT.
net	It is used to update, fix, and view the network and its settings.
netsh	It is used to configure static and dynamic network data from DOS.
netstat	It is used to show the TCP and IP network protocol statistics and data.
nlsfunc	It is used to load country-specific data.
pathping	It is used to see and locate locations of network latency.
ping	It is used to test and send data to another network system.
power	It is used to conserve power with portable systems.
print	It is used to print data to a printer port.
qbasic	It is used to open the qbasic.
robocopy	It is a robust file command for the Windows command line.
route	It is used to see and configure windows network route tables.
runas	It allows a user to execute a program as another user.
sc	It is used to communicate with the Service Control Manager and services.
scandisk	It is used to execute the ScanDisk utility.
scanreg	It is used to scan the registry and recover the registry from errors.
setver	It is used to modify the disk operating system version to trick older disk operating system programs.
share	It is used to install support for file sharing and locking capabilities.
shutdown	It is used to shut down the system from the DOS prompt.
smartdrv	It is used to make a disk cache in conventional memory.
sort	It is used to sort the input and shows the output to the window screen.
subst	It is used to substitute a directory on the system for another drive letter.
sys	It is used to transfer system files to the disk drive.
telnet	It is used to telnet to another device from the prompt.
tracert	It is used to see a network packets route over a network.
tree	It is used to see a visual tree of the hard drive.
undelete	It is used to undelete the file that was deleted.
unformat	It is used to unformatted a system hard drive.
xcopy	It is used to copy various files, directories, or drives from one position to another position.

Recovery Console Commands

There are various recovery console commands. Some of the recovery console commands are as follows:

Commands	Description
batch	It is used to execute various commands in a file.
bootcfg	It allows a user to view, change, and rebuild the boot.ini file.
disable	It disables the Windows system services or system drivers.
enable	It enables a disabled system service or system drivers.
fixboot	It is used to create a new boot sector.
fixmbr	It is used to create a new boot record to a system disk drive.
fType	It is used to show or changes file types used in file extension associations.
listsvc	It shows the system services and system drivers.
logon	It is used to list the installations and enable the administrator login.
map	It is used to display the device name of a drive.