What is DOS?
Why You Need DOS
There are a variety of reasons why you need DOS. A few of them are listed below to satisfy your curiosity.
1. DOS controls the flow of information between you and the computer (translator).
2. DOS allows you to store information on your computer.
3. DOS allows you to retrieve information stored on your computer.
4. DOS interprets and translates the software you have on your computer.
5. DOS gives you access to all its function (i.e. saving, copying, and printing files).
TYPES OF MS-DOS COMMANDS
There are two types of MS-DOS commands - internal and external.
Internal commands
Internal commands are built into the operating system as part of a file called COMMAND.COM (or, on a 2000 or XP machine CMD.EXE) . They are loaded into memory whenever you switch on your computer. When you type an internal command, MS-DOS performs it immediately. Many of the MS-DOS internal commands are listed below.
| BREAK | | PATH | TYPE |
| CALL | DIR | PAUSE | VER |
| CHCP | ECHO | PROMPT | VERIFY |
| CHDIR (CD) | EXIT | REM | VOL |
| CLS | FOR | REN(RENAME) | SET |
| COPY | GOTO | RMDIR (RD) | |
| CTTY | IF | SHIFT | |
| DATE | MKDIR(MD) | TIME | |
External Commands
Files with extension COM or EXE are external commands. Because these commands are files, they are not built into the operating system (these are the commands that alter between versions of MS-DOS) .
| APPEND | EDLIN | KEYB | RESTORE |
| ASSIGN | EXE2BIN | KEYBXX | SETVER |
| ATTRIB | FASTOPEN | LABEL | SHARE |
| BACKUP | FC | MODE | SORT |
| CHKDSK | FDISK | MORE | SUBST |
| COMMAND | FIND | NLSFUNC | SYS |
| COMP | FORMAT | PRINT | TREE |
| DELTREE | GRAFTABL | RECOVER | XCOPY |
| DISKCOMP | JOIN | REPLACE | DISKCOPY |
When you type an external command, MS-DOS looks for the command in the current directory. If it is not there, you must guide MS-DOS to the relevant directory with the PATH command.
Practical and In-depth of MS-Dos command at RCA Computer Classes.
