DOS and Windows command line

overview

Below is a full list of each of the MS-DOS and Windows

command line commands listed on Computer Hope with a brief
explanation. This list contains every command ever made
available, which means not all the commands are going to
work with your version of MS-DOS or Windows. Click the
command to view a full help page.

Command Description Type

ansi.sys Defines functions that change display File

graphics, control cursor movement,
and reassign keys.

append Causes MS-DOS to look in other External

directories when editing a file or
running a command.

arp Displays, adds, and External

removes arp information from
network devices.

assign Assign a drive letter to an alternate External

letter.

assoc View the file associations. Internal

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at Schedule a time to execute External
commands or programs.

atmadm Lists connections and addresses seen Internal

by Windows ATM (ascynchronous
transfer mode) call manager.

attrib Display and change file attributes. External

batch Recovery console command that Recovery

executes several commands in a file.

bcdedit Modify the boot configuration data External

store.

bootcfg Recovery console command that Recovery

allows a user to view, modify, and
rebuild the boot.ini file.

break Enable and disable Ctrl+C feature. Internal

cacls View and modify file ACL's. External

call Calls a batch file from another batch Internal

file.

cd Changes directories. Internal

chcp Supplement the External

international keyboard and character
set information.

chdir Changes directories. Internal

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chkdsk Check the hard drive running FAT (file External
allocation table) for errors.

chkntfs Check the hard drive External

running NTFS (NTFS file system) for
errors.

choice Specify a listing of multiple options External

within a batch file.

clip Redirect command line output to the External

Windows clipboard.

cls Clears the screen. Internal

cmd Opens the command-line Internal

interpreter called command.com.

color Change Internal

the foreground and background color
of the MS-DOS window.

command Opens the command interpreter. Internal

comp Compares files. External

compact Compresses and uncompress files. External

control Open Control Panel icons from the External

MS-DOS prompt.

convert Convert FAT to NTFS. External

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copy Copy one or more files to an alternate Internal
location.

ctty Change the computer's input/output Internal

devices.

date View or change the systems date. Internal

debug Debug utility to create assembly External

language programs to modify
hardware settings.

defrag Re-arrange the hard drive to help with External

loading programs.

del Deletes one or more files. Internal

delete Recovery console command that Internal

deletes a file.

deltree Deletes one or more files or External

directories.

dir List the contents of one or Internal

more directory.

disable Recovery console command that Recovery

disables Windows system services or
drivers.

diskcomp Compare a disk with another disk. External

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diskcopy Copy the contents of one disk and External
place them on another disk.

dism Command for enumerating, installs, External

uninstalls, configures, and updates
features and packages in Windows
images.

doskey Command to view and execute External

commands that were ran in the past.

dosshell A GUI (graphical user interface) to External

help with early MS-DOS users.

driverquery Display a list of installed device External

drivers.

drivparm Enables overwrite of original device Internal

drivers.

echo Displays messages and enables and Internal

disables echo.

edit View and edit files. External

edlin View and edit files. External

emm386 Load extended memory manager. External

enable Recovery console command to enable Recovery

a disable service or driver.

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endlocal Stops the localization of the Internal
environment changes enabled by
the setlocal command.

erase Erase files from the computer. Internal

exit Exit from the command interpreter. Internal

expand Expand a Microsoft Windows file back External

to its original format.

extract Extract files from the Microsoft External

Windows cabinets.

fasthelp Displays a listing of MS-DOS External

commands and information about
them.

fc Compare files. External

fdisk Setup drive by create and External

managing partitions on the hard
drive.

find Search for text within a file. External

findstr Searches for a string of text within a External

file.

fixboot Writes a new boot sector. Recovery

fixmbr Writes a new boot record to a disk Recovery

drive.

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for Boolean used in batch files. Internal

format Command to erase and prepare a disk External

drive.

ftp Command to connect and operate on External

an FTP (file transfer protocol) server.

fType Displays or modifies file types used Recovery

in file extension associations.

goto Moves a batch file to a Internal

specific label or location.

graftabl Show extended characters in graphics External

mode.

help Display a listing of commands and External

brief explanation.

if Allows for batch files to perform Internal

conditional processing.

ifshlp.sys 32-bit file manager. External

ipconfig Network command to view network External

adapter settings and assigned values.

keyb Change layout of keyboard. External

label Change the label of a disk drive. External

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lh Load a device driver in to high Internal
memory.

listsvc Recovery console command that Recovery

displays the services and drivers.

loadfix Load a program above the first 64 k. External

loadhigh Load a device driver in to high Internal

memory.

lock Lock the hard drive. Internal

logoff Logoff the currently profile using the External

computer.

logon Recovery console command to list Recovery

installations and
enable administrator login.

map Displays the device name of a drive. Recovery

md Command to create a new directory. Internal

mem Display memory on system. External

mkdir Command to create a new directory. Internal

mklink Creates a symbolic link. Internal

mode Modify the port or display settings. External

more Display one page at a time. External

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move Move one or more files from one Internal
directory to another directory.

msav Early Microsoft virus scanner. External

msd Diagnostics utility. External

mscdex Utility used to load and access External

the CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read-
Only Memory).

nbtstat Displays protocol statistics and External

current TCP/IP connections
using NBT (NetBIOS over TCP/IP).

net Update, fix, or view the network or External

network settings.

netsh Configure dynamic and static network External

information from MS-DOS.

netstat Display the TCP/IP network protocol External

statistics and information.

nlsfunc Load country specific information. External

nslookup Look up an IP address of a domain or External

host on a network.

path View and modify the Internal

computer's path location.

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pathping View and locate locations of External
network latency.

pause Command used in batch files to stop Internal

the processing of a command.

ping Test and send information to another External

network computer or network device.

popd Changes to the directory or network Internal

path stored by the pushd command.

power Conserve power with computer External

portables.

print Prints data to a printer port. External

prompt View and change the MS-DOS prompt. Internal

pushd Stores a directory or network path in Internal

memory so it can be returned to at
any time.

qbasic Open the QBasic. External

rd Removes an empty directory. Internal

ren Renames a file or directory. Internal

rename Renames a file or directory. Internal

rmdir Removes an empty directory. Internal

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robocopy A robust file copy command for the External
Windows command line.

route View and configure Windows External

network route tables.

runas Enables users to run a program as a External

different user.

sc Communicate with the Service Control External

Manager and services.

scandisk Run the ScanDisk utility. External

scanreg Scan registry and recover registry External

from errors.

set Change one variable or string to Internal

another.

setlocal Enables local environments to be Internal

changed without affecting anything
else.

setver Change MS-DOS version to trick older External

MS-DOS programs.

share Installs support for file sharing and External

locking capabilities.

shift Changes the position of Internal

replaceable parameters in a batch
program.

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shutdown Shutdown the computer from the MS- External
DOS prompt.

smartdrv Create a disk cache in conventional External

memory or extended memory.

sort Sorts the input and displays the External

output to the screen.

start Start a separate window in Windows Internal

from the MS-DOS prompt.

subst Substitute a directory on your External

computer for another drive letter.

switches Remove add functions from MS-DOS. Internal

sys Transfer system files to disk drive. External

telnet Telnet to another computer or device External

from the prompt.

time View or modify the system time. Internal

title Change the title of their MS-DOS Internal

window.

tracert Visually view a network packets route External

across a network.

tree View a visual tree of the hard drive. External

type Display the contents of a file. Internal

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undelete Undelete a file that was deleted. External

unformat Unformat a hard drive. External

unlock Unlock a disk drive. Internal

ver Display the version information. Internal

verify Enables or disables the feature to Internal

determine if files were written
properly.

vol Displays the volume information Internal

about the designated drive.

xcopy Copy multiple files, directories, or External

drives from one location to another.

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