Basic MS-DOS Internal Commands: A beginner

Tutorial by
Jaspreet
Singh

In this tutorial you will learn about basic internal MS-DOS

Commands.

• Clear Screen
• Show date
• Show time
• Show volume label of system
• Version of MS-DOS
• Display directories and sub-directories
• Creating new files
• Renaming files
• View contents of file
• Delete files
• Making Directories and sub-directories
• Change directories and sub-directories
• Remove directories
• Copying files, directories and sub-directories
• Configuring PROMT

(Note that dir. Below in document means directory and sub-dir.

Means sub directory)

• CLS- This command is used to clear screen.

Syntax- CLS
 • DATE- Displays Date
Syntax- DATE

• TIME- Displays the time

Syntax- TIME
• VOL- Displays volume label of system
Syntax- VOL

• VER- Displays Version of MS-DOS

Syntax- VER

• DIR- Displays list of directories and sub-directories

Syntax- DIR

DIR/P- Displays directories and sub-dir. Page wise

DIR/W- Displays dir. And sub-dir. Width wise

DIR/O- Displays alphabetically
DIR/S- Displays directories only

• COPY CON- use to create a new file.

Syntax- C:\>COPY CON FILENAME.EXTENSION .(If you
write only name of file then it will create a text file
by default. When you will press enter then it will
take the cursor to next line. Then you should write.
After writing press Crtl+Z to save) .

• REN- Rename file

Syntax- REN_oldfilename_newfilename

• TYPE- used to open file

Syntax- TYPE_filename.extension
• DEL- deletes file
Syntax- DEL_filename.extension
DEL_*.* (delete all files in a dir. Or sub-dir.)
DEL_R*(put some alphabet in place of R.
deletes all files starting with R)

• MD- Make dir. Or sub-dir.

Syntax- MD_directory name

• CD or CHDIR- To change directory path or sub-dir. Path

Syntax- CD_dir. name
For example- we are in C:/>ABC folder and there is a
DEF subfolder in ABC folder. Type TYPE DEF and press
enter. It will take To you DEF folder
CD.. - back to root directory
CD/ - one step back

• RD- remove dir or sub-dir. (it is necessary to remove all

files and folders in directory or sub directory.
Syntax- RD

• COPY- copy file, dir. Or sub-dir.

Syntax- COPY_sourcepath_targetpath

• PROMPT - C onfigure Prompt

Syntax- PROMPT (default prompt)
PROMPT $P$n (put n = alphabets given below)
T= time
D= date
G= greater sign
L= less sign
N= displays default drive
Q= equal sign