Professional Documents
Culture Documents
By Ravindra Reddy
MS-DOS basics:
What is MS-DOS?
MS-DOS stands for Microsoft Disk Operating System.
MS-DOS controls the computer’s hardware and provides an environment for programs to run.
This system program must always be present when working with your computer.
Why You Need MS-DOS
These Commands are Built into the OS and already in memory if the OS is loaded.
Available anytime the computer is displaying a command prompt.
Generally, the more frequently used commands.
Examples include:
• DIR
• COPY
• PATH
• CD
• MD
• DEL
• TIME
• DATE.
External Commands
Examples include:
• FORMAT
• DEFRAG
• DISKCOPY
• MEMMAKER
• SCANDISK.
Syntax
• A specific set of rules that you must follow when writing commands.
• The order in which you arrange the elements of the command.
• The rules of grammar for the command line.
Commands have three parts:
Optional Values
What they Do?
Keyword
Parameter
Switches
A few are little more than memory aids: EMM386 and MSCDEX.
Parameter
A special type of parameter that enables or disables optional functions of the command.
The /P switch with the DIR command displays the directory one screen at a time.
The /W switch with the DIR command displays the directory in the wide format (five columns wide).
Two Common Forms of Commands:
OR
DEL ravindrareddy_resume.doc
KEYWORD FILE
Using Command - Example
DEL D:/ravindrareddy_resume.doc
KEYWORD FILE
Using Command - Example
COPY D:/ravindrareddy_resume.doc E:
Target
KEYWORD FILE or
Destination
Using Command - Example
COPY D:/ravindrareddy_resume.doc E:
SPACE SPACE
Using Command - Example
COPY D:/ravindrareddy_resume.doc E: /V
SWITCH
KEYWORD FILE
Target
or
Destination
Backslash Vs. Forward Slash
/ Forward slashes are used to notify DOS that the next character is a command line switch.
Bad command or file name.