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DOS Is An Operating System

DOS is an operating system that acts as an interpreter between the user and computer. It converts English-like commands into machine language. MS-DOS consists of essential system files like BOOT.SYS, IO.SYS and COMMAND.COM that are loaded during startup. DOS commands are categorized as internal commands that are memory-resident or external commands stored on the disk. Internal commands like DATE, TIME, DIR, COPY, RENAME can be used directly from the prompt while external commands like LABEL, TREE, SORT require loading from the disk. DOS uses conventions like primary and secondary names separated by a period for files and supports wild cards for specifying multiple files.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
130 views

DOS Is An Operating System

DOS is an operating system that acts as an interpreter between the user and computer. It converts English-like commands into machine language. MS-DOS consists of essential system files like BOOT.SYS, IO.SYS and COMMAND.COM that are loaded during startup. DOS commands are categorized as internal commands that are memory-resident or external commands stored on the disk. Internal commands like DATE, TIME, DIR, COPY, RENAME can be used directly from the prompt while external commands like LABEL, TREE, SORT require loading from the disk. DOS uses conventions like primary and secondary names separated by a period for files and supports wild cards for specifying multiple files.

Uploaded by

Svb Chary
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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DOS is an Operating System. It works as an interpreter between user and computer. We give
English like commands and it converts it into machine language and after the computer has
processed the information, returns the results to you in English. Ms. Dos consist of four
essential programs and a set of additional utilities.

System Files:- MS-DOS is mainly consisting of three files. They are,
>> Boot Record
>>IO.SYS
>>MSDOS.SYS
>>COMMAND.COM

Booting:- Process that starts up a computer is called booting. It checks for proper
functioning of all the peripheral devices attached with the system. It searches for the
operating system and,when located, loads it into the main memory.

>>Booting is devided into 2 types. They are,
Cold Booting:It is done by turning on the computer.
Warm Booting:It is performed by pressing Ctrl+Alt+Del keys simultaneously.

>>>There are two name in DOS and is divided into 2 parts.<<<
1. Primary Name
2. Secondary or extension.

Primary name is separated from the Secondary name extension with the help of a dot (.) look
at the following example.
Example: Invoice.TXT
Primary name can be from 1 to 8 characters long and
Secondary name contains 3 or less than 3 characters and is optional.

The extension tells DOS about what kind of file it is. A valid Character for naming a file are:
from A to Z and the digit 0 to 9
C :\> Is known as DOS/command prompt, where we give the commands.

>>>DOS command is divided into 2 types. They are,<<<
1. Internal Commands or Memory-Resident Commands
2. External Command or Disk-Residence Commands

How to getting start into MS-DOS command window:-
Please follow the few steps:
>> Click on 'Start' button.
>> Click on 'Run'.
>> Type 'cmd' and click on 'OK'
>> Now 'MS-DOS' will be opened.

To Maximize the window: Press 'Alt+Enter key'
To Restore the window: Press 'Alt+Enter key'
To exit the Dos: type command as 'exit' and press enter key.
INTERNAL COMMANDS:- There are also called memory-resident commands. These commands
are automatically loaded into the computers memory during the booting process. They actually
included in the Command.com file. So these commands are executable immediately after getting the
dos prompt.
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Few Internal Commands:- Date, Time, cls, ver (version), Vol (Volume), copy con, type,copy,Ren
(Rename), Erase or Del (Delete), Dir (Disk Information Report),
MD (Make Directory), CD (Change Directory), RD (Remove Directory), Wild Cards, prompt

(i) Date: This command is used to view the syste date and allows you to change the system date. This
date format is MM-DD-YY. The date that you enter will be treated as the current date, untill you enter
a new date.
Syntax: C:\>date

Ex: C:\>date (Press Enter key)
The current date is: Tue 06/24/2014
Enter the new date: (mm-dd-yy) (Here enter date, if you want to change it)

(ii) Time: This command is used view and it allows you to change the time.

Syntax: C:\> time

Ex: C:\> time
The current time is: 15:48:30.7
Enter the new time: (now here enter time and hit enter key)

(iii)CLS: This command is used to clear the screen. All the information on the screen will be cleared
and your cursor will be placed on the top of left corner of your screen.

Syntax: C:\> cls
(iv) Ver (Version): This command is used to display the windows version and dos version.
syntax: C:\> ver

(v) Vol (Volume): This command is used to view the label name of drive and serial number.

syntax: C:\> vol
(i) Copy con: This command is used to create the file.
Syntax: C:\> copy con <filename>

Ex: C:\> copy con manapc
Here you have to enter the text, whatever you want to be save.
^z (Here press 'Ctrl+Z' or 'F6' to save and press enter key to execute the command.

(ii) type: This command is used displays the content of the give n file name.
Syntax: C:\> type <filename>

Ex: C:\> type manapc

(iii) copy: This command is used for one or more files are copies in the specified files. This command
is also used to club the files. Wild cards are allowed while copying the files.
Syntax: C:\> copy <Old File name> <New File Name>

Ex: C:\> copy manapc manapc1

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(iv) Ren (Rename): This command is used to change the existing file name with new name.
Syntax: C:\> ren <old file name> <new File Name>

Ex: C:\> ren manapc1 shiva

(v) Erase or Del(Delete): This command is used to removes the specified file.
Syntax: C:\> erase <file name>
Ex: C:\> del manapc
(i) Dir (Disk Information Report): This command is used to displays the all the
Directories(folder) and files.

Syntax: C:\> dirWe have some switches with this 'dir' command, the following are the
swithces,
Note: / (slash) indicates 'switch'

>> dir/p => It shows the all files in page wise.
>> dir/ah => It show the files and directories which are in hidden.
>> dir/w => It shows the all files in width wise.
>> dir/ad => It shows only the directories.
>> dir/on => It shows all the files in Alphabetically (A-Z)
>> dir/l => It shows the files, which are in lowercase.
>> dir/s => It shows the all files, directories and sub directories.
>> dir/b => It shows the all files in bare format.

(ii) MD (Make Directory) mkdir: This command is used to create a directory(folder) or
sub-directory within the directory or drive.
Syntax: C:\> md <directory name>

Ex: C:\> md manapc

(iii) CD (Change Directory):- This command is used to change the directory.
Syntax: C:\> cd <directory name>
Ex: C:\> cd manapc
C:\manapc>

Note: To exit from that directory, when it is in single directory
Syntax: C:\directory> cd.. ( Press enter key)
C:\>

To exit from that directory, when it is in multiple directories,
Syntax: C:\directory1\directory2\directory3> cd\ (Press enter keY)
C:\>

(iv) RD (Remove Directory): This command is used to Remove a directory or sub-
directory.
Syntax: C:\> rd <directory name>
Ex: C:\> rd manapc
Note:
>> By using this command, we can remove a directory which is empty.
>> By using this command, being inside the directory you can't remove the directory.

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(v) Wild Cards (* ?):- * and ? are called wild cards, because these are the shorthand
notations, used in various commands.

Note:
>> * Represents any number of characters.
>> ? Represents only one character.

Examples:
>> List the files start with 's'
C:\> dir s*.*

>> List the files with length as six characters and third one in them is 'n'
C:\> dir ??n???

>> List the files whose extension(secondary name) is 'mp4'
C:\> *mp4
(i) Prompt: This command is used to change the dos prompt.
Syntax: C:\> prompt <emter any string for prompt>
Ex: C:\> prompt manapc
Result: manapc

How to create a Shortcut icon of MS-DOS on to the Desktop:
>> Right click on Desktop
>> click on "New'
>> Click on 'Shortcut'
>> Click on 'Browse'
>> Click on 'My Computer'
>> Click on C: drive (OS installed Drive)
>> Click on 'Windows'
>> Click on 'System32'
>> Now find the 'cmd.exe' file & Click on that.
>> Click on 'OK'
>> Click on 'Next'
>> Type a name for this shortcut: <Here type the shortcut name as you wish (Ex:MS-DOS).
>> Click on 'Finish'
>> Now finished the task.
External Commands:These are also called Disk-Resident Commands. These commands
are meant for special purpose. These are found in separate files on Hard Disk or Floppy Disk,
So that they dont typically consume valuable memory space. They are loaded into memory
only when called.

Some External Commands List: label, tree, sort, format, more, convert, sort, chkdsk,
mem, xcopy, attrib, mode, move, edit, color.

In this video you are learning about, label, tree, sort, format & more. Remaining
commands will continued in next tutorial.

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(1) Label: To create, change a volume name for a particula disk.
Syntax: C:\> label <enter the drive name>
Ex: C:\> label shiva

(2) TREE: To view pictorial representation of existing sub directories.
Syntax: C:\> tree
Ex: C:\> tree

switch: To view only particula drive/directory and its files list.
Syntax: C:\> tree <directory name/f>

(3) SORT: This command is used to arrages all the data in 'Ascending order' or 'Descending
order'
Syntax:(i) C:\> type <filename>|sort (Ascending Order)
Ex: C:\> type swamy.txt|sort

Syntax:(ii) C:\> type <filename>|sort/r (Descending order)
Ex: C:\> type swamy.txt|sort/r

(4) FORMAT: This command is used to create a file system and during this process data
will be lost (or) To initialize a disk to accept dos information and files. It also checks the disk
for defective tracks and places dos on the diskette.
Syntax: C:\> format <drive>
Ex: C:\> format j:

(5) MORE: This command is used to displays the information of a file page by page.
Syntax: C:\> type <filename>|more
Ex: C:\> type swamy.txt|more

(i) CONVERT: This command is used to change the file system from FAT32 to NTFS file system
Syntax: C:\> convert <drive>:f/fs:ntfs
Ex: C:\> convert j:f/fs:ntfs

(ii) SORT: This command is used to arrages all the data in 'Ascending order' or 'Descending order'
Syntax:(i) C:\> type <filename>|sort (Ascending Order)
Ex: C:\> type swamy.txt|sort

Syntax:(ii) C:\> type <filename>|sort/r (Descending order)
Ex: C:\> type swamy.txt|sort/r

(iii) CHKDSK: This command is used to check the status of the disk and to repair errors in the
directors.
Syntax: C:\> chkdsk

(iv) MEM (MemorY) : This command is used to displays the amount of used and free memory in
your system.
Syntax: C:\> mem
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(v) XCOPY: This command is used to copy files selectively from one disk to another.
Syntax: C:\> xcopy <source> <destination>
Ex: C:\> xcopy temp D:
(i) MODE:- This command is used to change screen width of MS-DOS.
Syntax:- C:\> mode <enter screen size>
Ex:- C:\> mode 40

(ii) MOVE:- This command is used to moves the files from one location to another location.
Syntax: C:\> move <source path> <destination path>
Ex: C:\> move D:\manapc C:\

(iii) EDIT:- This command is used to modifying already created file or creating a new file.
Syntax:(a) C:\> edit <file name> (To modify a file, which is already created)
Ex:
>>C:\> edit swamy
>> Do changes here, what you want.
>> Press 'Alt+F'
>> Press 'Alt+S'
>> Press 'Alt+X'
>> Finished...

Syntax: (b) C:\> edit (To create a new file)
Ex:
>> C:\> edit
>> Type something here, what you want.
>> Press 'Alt+F'
>> Press 'Alt+S'
>> Type File name (Ex: manapc)
>> Press enter key
>> Press 'Alt+X'
>> Finished...

(iv) COLOR:- This command is used to change the text color and background color of MS-
DOS screen.

Color attributes are specified by TWO digits:
>> First corresponds to the background;
>> Second digit for the font color.
>> Below liste some colors codes.

0 = Black 1 = Blue 2 = Green 3 = Aqua 4 = Red 5 = Purple 6 = Yellow
7 = White 8 = Gray 9 = Light Blue A = Light Green B = Light Aqua C = Light Red
D = Light Purple E = Light Yellow F = Bright White

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