Short Bytes: Command Prompt or CMD is a command line interpreter in the Windows family of operating systems created by Microsoft Corporation. In this article, we have tried to curate an A to Z list of Windows CMD Commands. The list includes both internal and external commands applicable to the command prompt.
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CMD is a command line interpreter – a program designed to understand the commands input by a user, from a text file, or any other medium – in Windows NT family. It is the modern version of the COMMAND.COM which was the default shell present in the DOS operating systems and as a command line interpreter in Windows 9x family.
It's important to know that the commands in Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, and XP are called CMD commands or Command Prompt commands, and the commands in Windows 98/95 and MS-DOS are called DOS commands. We've included all of them in this list to help show changes in commands from operating system to operating system. List Of 100+ CMD Commands. Security Center – wscui.cpl Services – services.msc Shared Folders – fsmgmt.msc Sounds and Audio – mmsys.cpl System Properties – sysdm.cpl User Account Management – nusrmgr.cpl Windows Explorer – explorer. These are best command for windows 10,8.1, 8, 7 and vista. Here is the complete list of Windows 10 CMD Commands. Command prompt i.e CMD is mostly used for administrative purposes, Bug hunters and Hackers also prefer to use Command prompt over Graphical UI. Command Prompt, also known as or cmd is the command-line interpreter on Windows 10.
Similar to Linux command line, the Command Prompt in Windows NT – Windows X, 7, 8, 8.1, 10 – is quite efficient. Using various commands, you can ask your Windows OS to perform desired tasks which you normally do by using the GUI.
286 rows Apr 16, 2019 Here is the list of all Windows CMD commands sorted alphabetically along. Show Command Prompt or Windows PowerShell on Win+X menu in Windows 10 - Windows 10 Customization Tutorials 1. Open the Win+X menu, and click/tap on Command Prompt. Copies of these utility command programs had to be on an accessible disk, either on the current drive or on the command path set in the command interpreter. In the list below, commands that can accept more than one file name, or a filename including wildcards (. and?), are said to accept a filespec (file specification.
Also Read: The Ultimate A To Z List of Linux Commands | Linux Command Line Reference
How to open Windows CMD?
You can open the Windows Command Prompt by typing cmd in the Start Menu search bar. Alternatively, you can press CTRL+R to open the RUN utility, type cmd, and press Enter.
Are the Commands Case-Sensitive?
The commands used in the Windows Command Prompt are not case-sensitive, unlike the Linux command line. For example, when you type dir or DIR, it’s the same thing. But individual commands may have various options which can be case-sensitive.
A to Z List of Windows CMD Commands
Here is an A to Z list of Windows CMD commands which will be beneficial to you. Once you get the hang of these commands, you can do most of your work more quickly without using the normal graphical interface.
To display help for the commands:
command_name /?
Press Enter.
For example, to see help for the ping command:
ping /?
Note: Some of these commands may require relevant service or Windows version to work correctly.
A – Windows CMD commands
A | Description |
---|---|
addusers | Used to add and list users in a CSV file |
admodcmd | Used for bulk modifying contents in an active directory |
arp | Address Resolution Protocol is used to map IP address to the hardware address |
assoc | Used to change associations for file extensions |
associat | One step file association |
at | Run a command at a specific time |
atmadm | Display connection info of the ATM adapter |
attrib | Used to change file attributes |
B – Windows CMD Commands
B | Description |
---|---|
bcdboot | Used to create and repair a system partition |
bcdedit | Used to manage boot configuration data |
bitsadmin | Used to manage the Background Intelligent Transfer Service |
bootcfg | Used to edit boot configuration in Windows |
break | Enable/Disable break capability (CTRL+C) in CMD |
C – Windows CMD Commands
C | Description |
---|---|
cacls | Used to change permissions of files |
call | Used one batch program to call another |
certreq | Used to request a certificate from a certification authority |
certutil | Manage Certification Authority files and services |
cd | Used to change folder (directory) or go to a specific one |
change | Used to change terminal services |
chcp | Displays the number of active console code page |
chdir | Same as cd command |
chkdsk | Used to check and repair issues in the disk |
chkntfs | Used to check the NTFS file system |
choice | Accept user input (via keyboard) to a batch file |
cipher | Used to encrypt/decrypt files and folder |
cleanmgr | Used clean temp files and recycle bin automatically |
clip | Copy result of any command (stdin) to Windows clipboard |
cls | Clear CMD screen |
cmd | Used to start a new CMD shell |
cmdkey | Used to manage stored usernames and passwords |
cmstp | Used to install or remove a connection manager service profile |
color | Change the color of the CMD shell using options |
comp | Compare contents of two files or two sets of files |
compact | Compress files and folders on an NTFS partition |
compress | Compress one or more files |
convert | Convert a FAT partition to NTFS |
copy | Copy one or more files to another location |
coreinfo | Show the mapping between logical and physical processors |
cprofile | Cleans specified profiles of wasted space and disabled user-specific file associations |
cscmd | Configure offline files on a client computer |
csvde | Import or Export the data of an active directory |
D – Windows CMD Commands
D | Description |
---|---|
date | Used to display the date or change it. |
defrag | Used to defragment system hard drive. |
del | Used to delete a file(s). |
delprof | Used to delete user profile(s). |
deltree | Used to delete a folder and its sub-folders. |
devcon | Access the command line device manager utility. |
dir | Used to display files and folders list. |
dirquota | Manage File Server Resource Manager quotas. |
diruse | Used to display disk usage. |
diskcomp | Compare contents of two floppy disks. |
diskcopy | Copy data of one floppy disk to another. |
diskpart | Make changes to partitions of storage, both internal and connected. |
diskshadow | Access the Disk Shadow Copy Service. |
diskuse | View used space in folder(s). |
doskey | Used to edit command line, recall commands, and create macros. |
driverquery | Display a list of installed device drivers. |
dsacls | View and edit access control entries for objects in active directory. |
dsadd | Used to add objects to active directory. |
dsget | View objects in active directory. |
dsquery | Find objects in an active directory. |
dsmod | Used to modify objects in an active directory. |
dsmove | Rename or move an active directory object. |
dsrm | Remove objects from an active directory. |
dsmgmt | Manage Active Directory Lightweight Directory Services |
E – Windows CMD Commands
E | Description |
---|---|
echo | Turn command-echoing feature on/off, display a message on the screen. |
endlocal | End localization environment changes in a batch file. |
erase | Used to delete on or more file(s). |
eventcreate | Add custom event to Windows event log (Admin rights required). |
eventquery | Display list of events and their properties from event logs. |
eventtriggers | Display and configure event triggers on local and remote machines. |
exit | Exit the command line (Quit current batch script). |
expand | Uncompress one or more .CAB file(s) |
explorer | Open Windows Explorer. |
extract | Uncompress one or more Windows cabinet file(s) |
F – Windows CMD Commands
Windows 10 Terminal Commands List
F | Description |
---|---|
fc | Used to compare two files. |
find | Used to search a specified text string in a file. |
findstr | Used to find string patterns in files. |
finger | Display information about user(s) on a specified remote computer. |
flattemp | Used to enable/disable flat temporary folders. |
For | Run a command in a loop for a file(s) for defined parameter. |
forfiles | Used for batch processing of selected file(s) |
format | Used to format a disk. |
freedisk | Used to check free space on a disk. |
fsutil | File system utility to manage file and drive properties. |
ftp | Use FTP service to transfer files from one PC to another. |
ftype | Display/ Modify file extension type associations. |
G – Windows CMD Commands
G | Description |
---|---|
getmac | Used to display the MAC address of your network adapter. |
goto | Used to direct a batch program to a line identified by a label. |
gpresult | Display Group Policy Settings and Resultant Set of Policy for a user. |
gpupdate | Update local and active directory based on group policy settings. |
graftabl | Turn on the ability to display an extended character in graphics mode. |
H – Windows CMD Commands
H | Description |
---|---|
help | Display a list of commands and see online information for them. |
hostname | Used to display hostname of the computer. |
I – Windows CMD Commands
I | Description |
---|---|
icacls | Used to change permissions of files and folders. |
iexpress | Used to create a self-extracting zip archive. |
if | Used for conditional processing in batch programs. |
ifmember | Display the group(s) an active user belongs to. |
inuse | Replace the files which the OS is currently using (restart required). |
ipconfig | Display and change Windows IP configuration. |
ipseccmd | Used to configure IP Security policies. |
ipxroute | Display and modify routing table information used by IPX protocol. |
irftp | Used to send files over an infrared link (infrared functionality required). |
L – Windows CMD Commands
L | Description |
---|---|
label | Used to change the name of a disk. |
lodctr | Update registry values with latest performance counters. |
logman | Used to manage performance monitor logs. |
logoff | Log a user off. |
logtime | Add the date, time, and a message to a text file. |
lpq | Displays print queue status. |
lpr | Used to send a file to a computer running the Line Printer Daemon service. |
M – Windows CMD Commands
M | Description |
---|---|
macfile | Manage files server for Mackintosh. |
makecab | Used to create .cab files. |
mapisend | Used to send email from command line. |
mbsacli | Microsoft Baseline Security Analyser. |
mem | Used to show memory usage. |
md | Used to create directories and sub-directories. |
mkdir | Used to create directories and sub-directories. |
mklink | Used to create symbolic link to a directory. |
mmc | Access Microsoft Management Console. |
mode | Configure COM, LPT, CON system devies. |
more | Display one screen of output at time. |
mountvol | Create, list, or delete a volume mount point. |
move | Used to move files from one folder to another. |
moveuser | Move user account to a domain or between machines. |
msg | Used to send a pop-up message to a user. |
msiexec | Install, modify, consfigure using Windows Installer. |
msinfo32 | Display system information. |
mstsc | Create a remote desktop connection. |
N – Windows CMD Commands
N | Description |
---|---|
nbstat | Display NetBIOS over TCP/IP information. |
net | Used to manage network resources and services. |
netdom | Network Domain Manager utility |
netsh | Display or modify network configuration |
netstat | Display active TCP/IP connections. |
nlsinfo | Used to display locale information |
nltest | List domain controllers, force remote shutdown, etc. |
now | Display date and time. |
nslookup | Check IP address on a Name Server. |
ntbackup | Backup data to tape using CMD or batch file. |
ntcmdprompt | Runs cmd.exe instead of command.exe in an MS-DOS application. |
ntdsutil | Manage Active Directory Domain Services |
ntrights | Used to edit user account privileges. |
ntsd | Only for system developers. |
nvspbind | Used to modify network bindings. |
O – Windows CMD Commands
O | Description |
---|---|
openfiles | Queries or displays open files. |
P – Windows CMD Commands
P | Description |
---|---|
pagefileconfig | Display and configure Virtual memory settings. |
path | Set PATH environment variable for executable files. |
pathping | Latency and Packet loss info for each node in the network path. |
pause | Used to stop processing of a batch file. |
pbadmin | Starts Phone Book Administrator |
pentnt | Detect Floating Point Division error in the Pentium chip. |
perfmon | Access performance monitor in CMD |
perms | Display a user’s ACL permissions for a file. |
ping | Test network connection to a computer. |
popd | Go to the latest path/folder stored by PUSHD command |
portqry | Display TCP and UDP port status. |
powercfg | Used to configure power settings and know battery health. |
Used to print a text file(s) from CMD. | |
printbrm | For backup/recovery/migration of the print queue. |
prncnfg | Used to configure/rename a printing device. |
prndrvr | List/add/delete printer drivers. |
prnjobs | List/pause/resume/cancel print jobs. |
prnmngr | List/add/delete printers, display/set default printer. |
prnport | List/create/delete TCP printer ports, display/change port configuration. |
prnqctl | Clear printer queue, print a test page. |
procdump | Monitor system for CPU spikes, generate a crash report during a spike. |
prompt | Used to change the Prompt in CMD. |
psexec | Run a CMD process on a remote computer. |
psfile | Display remotely opened files, close an open file. |
psinfo | List system information about a local/remote machine. |
pskill | Kill a process(es) using its name or process ID. |
pslist | Display process status and info about active processes. |
psloggedon | See active users on machine. |
psloglist | Display event log records. |
pspasswd | Used to change account password. |
psping | Used to measure network performance. |
psservice | Display and control services on a machine. |
psshutdown | Shutdown/restart/logoff/lock a local or remote machine. |
pssuspend | Used to suspend a process on a local or remote computer. |
pushd | Change current folder and store previous folder for use by POPD. |
Q – Windows CMD Commands
Q | Description |
---|---|
qgrep | Search file(s) for a given string pattern. |
query process or qprocess | Display information about processes. |
R – Windows CMD Commands
R | Description |
---|---|
rasdial | Display Remote Access Service Status. |
rasphone | Manage RAS connections. |
rcp | Copy files to a computer running remote shell service. |
recover | Recover readable data from a defective disk. |
reg | Display/add/change registry keys and values in Windows registry. |
regedit | Import/export/delete settings from a .reg text file. |
regsvr32 | Used to register/unregister a DLL file. |
regini | Used to change registry permissions. |
relog | Export performance counters to other formats like TSV, CSV, SQL. |
rem | Add comments in batch file. |
ren | Used to rename a file(s). |
replace | Used to replace a file with another file of same name. |
reset session | Used to reset a remote desktop session. |
rexec | Run commands on remote machines running Rexec service. |
rd | Used to delete a folder(s). |
rmdir | Used to delete a folder(s). |
rmtshare | Manage file and printer shares local or remote servers. |
robocopy | Used to copy files and folders that have changed. |
route | Display/change the local IP routing table. |
rsh | Run commands on remote servers running RSH service. |
rsm | Manage media resources using Removable storage. |
runas | Run a program as a different user. |
rundll32 | Used to run a DLL program. |
S – Windows CMD Commands
S | Description |
---|---|
sc | Use Service Controller to manage Windows services. |
schtasks | Schedule command(s) to run at a specific time. |
secedit | Configure system security. |
set | Display/set/remove environment variables in CMD. |
setlocal | Control visibility of environment variables in a batch file. |
setspn | Manage Service Principal Names for an Active Directory service account. |
setx | Set Environment Variables permanently. |
sfc | System File Checker |
share | List/edit a file share or print on any computer. |
shellrunas | Used to run a command as a different user. |
shift | Change the position of the batch parameters in a batch file. |
shortcut | Create a Windows shortcut. |
shutdown | Shutdown the computer. |
sleep | Put computer to sleep for specified number of seconds. |
slmgr | Software Licensing Management tool for activation and KMS. |
sort | Used to sort and display a redirected or piped input. |
start | Start a program, command, or batch file. |
strings | Find ANSI and UNICODE strings in binary files. |
subinacl | Display/modify ACEs for file and folder permissions. |
subst | Associate a path with a drive letter. |
sysmon | Monitor and log system activity to Windows event log. |
systeminfo | Display detailed configuration information about the computer. |
T – Windows CMD Commands
T | Description |
---|---|
takeown | Used to take the ownership of a file. |
taskkill | Used to terminate on or more running processes. |
tasklist | Display a list of running apps and services. |
tcmsetup | Enable/disable TAPI client. |
telnet | Communicate with a remote machine using TELNET protocol. |
tftp | Transfer files to and from a remote machine running TFTP protocol. |
time | Display/change system time. |
timeout | Delay a batch file execution for specified seconds. |
title | Change the text on top of CMD window. |
touch | Change file timestamps. |
tracerpt | Process event trace logs and generate trace analysis report. |
tracert | Trace route to a remote host by sending ICMP request messages. |
tree | Display a folder structure in the form of a graphical tree. |
tsdiscon | Terminate a remote desktop connection. |
tskill | Terminate a running process on a RD Session Host server. |
tssutdn | Shutdown/reboot a terminal server remotely. |
type | Show contents of a text file. |
typeperf | Write performance data to a CMD window or a log file. |
tzutil | Time Zone Utility. |
U – Windows CMD Commands
U | Description |
---|---|
unlodctr | Remove performance counter names and explain text for a service from the registry. |
V – Windows CMD Commands
V | Descrption |
---|---|
ver | Show version number of installed OS. |
verify | Verify whether files are saved correctly on the disk. |
vol | Show disk volume label and serial number. |
vssadmin | Show shadow copy backups, installed shadow copy writers and providers. |
W – Windows CMD Commands
W | Description |
---|---|
w32tm | Access Windows Time Service Utility |
waitfor | Used to synchronise events between networked computer(s). |
wevtutil | Retrieve information about event logs and publishers. |
where | Find and display file(s) in the current directory. |
whoami | Display information about the active user. |
windiff | Compare contents of two files or sets of files. |
winrm | Windows Remote Management. |
winrs | Windows Remote Shell. |
wmic | Windows Management Instrumentation Command. |
wuauclt | Windows Update Agent to download new update files. |
X – Windows CMD Commands
X | Description |
---|---|
xcalcs | Change ACLs for files and folders. |
xcopy | Copy files or directory trees to another folder. |
This was the ultimate A-Z List of Windows CMD Commands which has been created with the inputs from SS64 and TechNet. A lot of attention has been paid while preparing it but if you find any discrepancy, feel free to notify.
Did you find this helpful? Tell us in the comments below.
Also Read: The Ultimate A To Z List of Linux Commands | Linux Command Line Reference
This article presents a list of commands used by DOSoperating systems, especially as used on x86-based IBM PC compatibles (PCs). Other DOS operating systems are not part of the scope of this list.
In DOS, many standard system commands were provided for common tasks such as listing files on a disk or moving files. Some commands were built into the command interpreter, others existed as external commands on disk. Over the several generations of DOS, commands were added for the additional functions of the operating system. In the current Microsoft Windows operating system, a text-mode command prompt window, cmd.exe, can still be used.
- 2DOS commands
Command processing[edit]
The command interpreter for DOS runs when no application programs are running. When an application exits, if the transient portion of the command interpreter in memory was overwritten, DOS will reload it from disk. Some commands are internal — built into COMMAND.COM; others are external commands stored on disk. When the user types a line of text at the operating system command prompt, COMMAND.COM will parse the line and attempt to match a command name to a built-in command or to the name of an executable program file or batch file on disk. If no match is found, an error message is printed, and the command prompt is refreshed.
External commands were too large to keep in the command processor, or were less frequently used. Such utility programs would be stored on disk and loaded just like regular application programs but were distributed with the operating system. Copies of these utility command programs had to be on an accessible disk, either on the current drive or on the command path set in the command interpreter.
In the list below, commands that can accept more than one file name, or a filename including wildcards (* and ?), are said to accept a filespec (file specification) parameter. Commands that can accept only a single file name are said to accept a filename parameter. Additionally, command line switches, or other parameter strings, can be supplied on the command line. Spaces and symbols such as a '/' or a '-' may be used to allow the command processor to parse the command line into filenames, file specifications, and other options.
The command interpreter preserves the case of whatever parameters are passed to commands, but the command names themselves and file names are case-insensitive.
Many commands are the same across many DOS systems, but some differ in command syntax or name.
DOS commands[edit]
A partial list of the most common commands for MS-DOS and IBM PC DOS follows below.
APPEND[edit]
Sets the path to be searched for data files or displays the current search path. The APPEND command is similar to the PATH command that tells DOS where to search for program files (files with a .COM, . EXE, or .BAT file name extension).
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 3.2 and later.[1]
ASSIGN[edit]
The command redirects requests for disk operations on one drive to a different drive. It can also display drive assignments or reset all drive letters to their original assignments.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 3 through 5 and IBM PC DOS releases 2 through 5.[1]
ATTRIB[edit]
Attrib changes or views the attributes of one or more files. It defaults to display the attributes of all files in the current directory. The file attributes available include read-only, archive, system, and hidden attributes. The command has the capability to process whole folders and subfolders of files and also process all files.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 3 and later.[1]
BACKUP and RESTORE[edit]
These are commands to backup and restore files from an external disk. These appeared in version 2, and continued to PC DOS 5 and MS-DOS 6 (PC DOS 7 had a deversioned check). In DOS 6, these were replaced by commercial programs (CPBACKUP, MSBACKUP), which allowed files to be restored to different locations.[1]
BASIC and BASICA[edit]
An implementation of the BASIC programming language for PCs. Implementing BASIC in this way was very common in operating systems on 8- and 16-bit machines made in the 1980s.
IBM computers had BASIC 1.1 in ROM, and IBM's versions of BASIC used code in this ROM-BASIC, which allowed for extra memory in the code area. BASICA last appeared in IBM PC DOS 5.02, and in OS/2 (2.0 and later), the version had ROM-BASIC moved into the program code.
Microsoft released GW-BASIC for machines with no ROM-BASIC. Some OEM releases had basic.com and basica.com as loaders for GW-BASIC.EXE.
BASIC was dropped after MS-DOS 4, and PC DOS 5.02. OS/2 (which uses PC DOS 5), has it, while MS-DOS 5 does not.
BREAK[edit]
This command is used to instruct DOS to check whether the Ctrl and Break keys have been pressed before carrying out a program request.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 2 and later.[1]
CALL[edit]
Starts a batch file from within another batch file and returns when that one ends.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 3.3 and later.[1]
CD and CHDIR[edit]
The CHDIR (or the alternative name CD) command either displays or changes the current working directory.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 2 and later.[1]
CHCP[edit]
The command either displays or changes the active code page used to display character glyphs in a console window.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 3.3 and later.[1]
CHKDSK[edit]
CHKDSK verifies a storage volume (for example, a hard disk, disk partition or floppy disk) for file system integrity. The command has the ability to fix errors on a volume and recover information from defective disk sectors of a volume.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 1 and later.[1]
CHOICE[edit]
The CHOICE command is used in batch files to prompt the user to select one item from a set of single-character choices. Choice was introduced as an external command with MS-DOS 6.0;[1][2]Novell DOS 7[3] and PC DOS 7.0. Earlier versions of DR DOS supported this function with the built-in switch command (for numeric choices) or by beginning a command with a question mark.[3] This command was formerly called ync (yes-no-cancel).[citation needed]
CLS[edit]
The CLS or CLRSCR command clears the terminal screen.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 2 and later.[1]
COMMAND[edit]
Start a new instance of the command interpreter.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 1 and later.[1]
COMP[edit]
Show differences between any two files, or any two sets of files.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 3.3 through 5 and IBM PC DOS releases 1 through 5.[1]
COPY[edit]
Makes copies of existing files.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 1 and later.[1]
CTTY[edit]
Defines the terminal device (for example, COM1) to use for input and output.[4]
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 2 and later.[1]
CV[edit]
DATE[edit]
Displays the system date and prompts the user to enter a new date. Complements the TIME command.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 1 and later.[1]
DBLBOOT[edit]
DBLSPACE[edit]
A disk compression utility supplied with MS-DOS version 6.0 (released in 1993) and version 6.2.[1]
DEBUG[edit]
A very primitive assembler and disassambler.
DEFRAG[edit]
The command has the ability to analyze the file fragmentation on a disk drive or to defragment a drive. This command is called DEFRAG in MS-DOS/PC DOS and diskopt in DR-DOS.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 6 and later.[1]
DEL and ERASE[edit]
DEL (or the alternative form ERASE) is used to delete one or more files.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 1 and later.[1]
DELTREE[edit]
Deletes a directory along with all of the files and subdirectories that it contains. Normally, it will ask for confirmation of the potentially dangerous action. Since the RD (RMDIR) command can not delete a directory if the directory is not empty, the DELTREE command can be used to delete the whole directory.
The
deltree
command is included in certain versions of Microsoft Windows and MS-DOSoperating systems. It is specifically available only in versions of MS-DOS 6.0 and higher,[1] and in Microsoft Windows 9x. In Windows NT, the functionality provided exists but is handled by the command rd or rmdir which has slightly different syntax. This command has been deprecated for Windows 7.DIR[edit]
The DIR command displays the contents of a directory. The contents comprise the disk's volume label and serial number; one directory or filename per line, including the filename extension, the file size in bytes, and the date and time the file was last modified; and the total number of files listed, their cumulative size, and the free space (in bytes) remaining on the disk. The command is one of the few commands that exist from the first versions of DOS.[1] The command can display files in subdirectories. The resulting directory listing can be sorted by various criteria and filenames can be displayed in a chosen format.
DISKCOMP[edit]
A command for comparing the complete contents of a floppy disk to another one.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 3.2 and later and IBM PC DOS releases 1 and later.[1]
DISKCOPY[edit]
A command for copying the complete contents of a diskette to another diskette.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 2 and later.[1]
DOSKEY[edit]
A command that adds command history, macro functionality, and improved editing features to the command-line interpreter.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 5 and later.[1]
DRVSPACE[edit]
A disk compression utility supplied with MS-DOS version 6.22.[1]
ECHO[edit]
The ECHO command prints its own arguments back out to the DOS equivalent of the standard output stream. (Hence the name, ECHO) Usually, this means directly to the screen, but the output of echo can be redirected, like any other command, to files or devices. Often used in batch files to print text out to the user.
Another important use of the echo command is to toggle echoing of commands on and off in batch files. Traditionally batch files begin with the
@echo off
statement. This says to the interpreter that echoing of commands should be off during the whole execution of the batch file, thus resulting in a 'tidier' output (the @
symbol declares that this particular command (echo off) should also be executed without echo.)The command is available in MS-DOS versions 2 and later.[1]
EDIT[edit]
EDIT is a full-screen text editor, included with MS-DOS versions 5 and 6,[1] OS/2 and Windows NT to 4.0 The corresponding program in Windows 95 and later, and Windows 2000 and later is Edit v2.0. PC DOS 6 and later use the DOS E Editor and DR-DOS used editor up to version 7.
EDLIN[edit]
DOS line-editor. It can be used with a script file, like debug, this makes it of some use even today. The absence of a console editor in MS-DOS/PC DOS 1-4 created an after-market for third-party editors.
In DOS 5, an extra command '?' was added to give the user much-needed help.
DOS 6 was the last version to contain EDLIN; for MS-DOS 6, it's on the supplemental disks,[1] while PC DOS 6 had it in the base install. Windows NT 32-bit, and OS/2 have Edlin.
EMM386[edit]
The EMM386 command enables or disables EMM386 expanded-memory support on a computer with an 80386 or higher processor.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 5 and later.[1]
EXE2BIN[edit]
Converts an executable (.exe) file into a binary file with the extension.com, which is a memory image of the program.
The size of the resident code and data sections combined in the input .exe file must be less than 64 KB. The file must also have no stack segment.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 1 through 5. It is available separately for version 6 on the Supplemental Disk.[1]
EXIT[edit]
Exits the current command processor. If the exit is used at the primary command, it has no effect unless in a DOS window under Microsoft Windows, in which case the window is closed and the user returns to the desktop.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 2 and later.[1]
EXPAND[edit]
The Microsoft File Expansion Utility is used to uncompress one or more compressed cabinet files (.CAB). The command dates back to 1990 and was supplied on floppy disc for MS-DOS versions 5 and later.[5][1]
FAKEMOUS[edit]
FASTHELP[edit]
Provides information for MS-DOS commands.
FASTOPEN[edit]
A command that provides accelerated access to frequently-used files and directories.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 3.3 and later.[1]
FC[edit]
Show differences between any two files, or any two sets of files.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 2 and later – primarily non-IBM releases.[1]
FDISK[edit]
The FDISK command manipulates hard disk partition tables. The name derives from IBM's habit of calling hard drives fixed disks. FDISK has the ability to display information about, create, and delete DOS partitions or logical DOS drive. It can also install a standard master boot record on the hard drive.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 3.2 and later and IBM PC DOS releases and later.[1]
FIND[edit]
The FIND command is a filter to find lines in the input data stream that contain or don't contain a specified string and send these to the output data stream. It may also be used as a pipe.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 2 and later.[1]
FOR[edit]
Iteration: repeats a command for each out of a specified set of files.The FOR loop can be used to parse a file or the output of a command.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 2 and later.[1]
FORMAT[edit]
Deletes the FAT entries and the root directory of the drive/partition, and reformats it for MS-DOS. In most cases, this should only be used on floppy drives or other removable media. This command can potentially erase everything on a computer's drive.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 1 and later.[1]
GOTO[edit]
Moves execution to a specified label. Labels are specified at the beginning of a line, with a colon (
:likethis
).The command is available in MS-DOS versions 2 and later.[1]
GRAFTABL[edit]
The GRAFTABL command enables the display of an extended character set in graphics mode.[6]
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 3 through 5.[1]
GRAPHICS[edit]
A TSR program to enable the sending of graphical screen dump to printer by pressing <Print Screen>.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 3.2 and later and IBM PC DOS releases 2 and later.[1]
HELP[edit]
Gives help about DOS commands.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 5 and later. Full-screen command help is available in MS-DOS versions 6 and later.[1]
IF[edit]
IF is a conditional statement, that allows branching of the program execution. It evaluates the specified condition, and only if it is true, then it executes the remainder of the command line. Otherwise, it skips the remainder of the line and continues with next command line.
Used in Batch files.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 2 and later.[1]
INTERSVR and INTERLNK[edit]
In MS-DOS; filelink in DR-DOS.
Network PCs using a null modem cable or LapLink cable. The server-side version of InterLnk, it also immobilizes the machine it's running on as it is an active app (As opposed to a TSR app) which must be running for any transfer to take place. DR-DOS' filelink is executed on both the client and server.
New in PC DOS 5.02, MS-DOS 6.0.[7][1]
JOIN[edit]
The JOIN command attaches a drive letter to a specified directory on another drive.[7] The opposite can be achieved via the SUBST command.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 3 through 5. It is available separately for versions 6.2 and later on the Supplemental Disk.[1]
KEYB[edit]
The KEYB command is used to select a keyboard layout.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 3.3 and later.[1]
LABEL[edit]
Changes the label on a logical drive, such as a hard disk partition or a floppy disk.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 3.1 and later and IBM PC DOS releases 3 and later.[1]
LOADFIX[edit]
Loads a program above the first 64K of memory, and runs the program. The command is available in MS-DOS versions 5 and later.[1] It is included only in MS-DOS/PC DOS. DR-DOS used memmax, which opened or closed lower, upper, and video memory access, to block the lower 64K of memory.[8]
LOADHIGH and LH[edit]
A command that loads a program into the upper memory area.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 5 and later.[1]
It is called hiload in DR-DOS.
MD or MKDIR[edit]
Makes a new directory. The parent of the directory specified will be created if it does not already exist.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 2 and later.[1]
MEM[edit]
Displays memory usage. It is capable of displaying program size and status, memory in use, and internal drivers. It is an internal command.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 4 and later.[1]
MEMMAKER[edit]
Starting with version 6,[1] MS-DOS included the external program MemMaker which was used to free system memory (especially Conventional memory) by automatically reconfiguring the AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS files. This was usually done by moving TSR programs and device drivers to the upper memory. The whole process required two system restarts. Before the first restart the user was asked whether he/she wanted to enable EMS Memory, since use of expanded memory required a reserved 64KiB region in upper memory. The first restart inserted the SIZER.EXE program which gauged the memory needed by each TSR or Driver. MemMaker would then calculate the optimal Driver and TSR placement in upper memory and modify the AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS accordingly, and reboot the second time.[9]
MEMMAKER.EXE and SIZER.EXE were developed for Microsoft by Helix Software Company and were eliminated starting in MS DOS 7 / Windows 95. PC DOS uses another program RamBoost to optimize memory, working either with PC DOS's HIMEM/EMM386 or a third-party memory manager. RamBoost was licensed to IBM by Central Point Software.
MIRROR[edit]
The MIRROR command saves disk storage information that can be used to recover accidentally erased files.
The command is available in MS-DOS version 5. It is available separately for versions 6.2 and later on Supplemental Disk.[1]
MODE[edit]
Configures system devices. Changes graphics modes, adjusts keyboard settings, prepares code pages, and sets up port redirection.[10]
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 3.2 and later and IBM PC DOS releases 1 and later.[1]
MORE[edit]
The MORE command paginates text, so that one can view files containing more than one screen of text. More may also be used as a filter. While viewing MORE text, the return key displays the next line, the space bar displays the next page.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 2 and later.[1]
MOVE[edit]
Moves files or renames directories.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 6 and later.[1]
DR-DOS used a separate command for renaming directories,
rendir
.MSAV[edit]
A command that scans the computer for known viruses.[11][12]
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 6 and later.[1]
MSBACKUP[edit]
The MSBACKUP command is used to backup or restore one or more files from one disk to another.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 6 and later.[1]
MSCDEX[edit]
MSCDEX is a driver executable which allows DOS programs to recognize, read, and control CD-ROMs.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 6 and later.[1]
MSD[edit]
The MSD command provides detailed technical information about the computer's hardware and software. MSD was new in MS-DOS 6;[1][13] the PC DOS version of this command is QCONFIG.[citation needed] The command appeared first in Word2, and then in Windows 3.10.
MSHERC[edit]
NLSFUNC[edit]
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 3.3 and later.[1]
PATH[edit]
Displays or sets a search path for executable files.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 2 and later.[1]
PAUSE[edit]
Suspends processing of a batch program and displays the message 'Press any key to continue. . .', if not given other text to display.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 1 and later.[1]
POWER[edit]
The POWER command is used to turn power management on and off, report the status of power management, and set levels of power conservation. It is an external command implemented as POWER.EXE.[14]
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 6 and later.[1]
PRINT[edit]
The PRINT command adds or removes files in the print queue. This command was introduced in MS-DOS version 2.[1] Before that there was no built-in support for background printing files. The user would usually use the copy command to copy files to LPT1.
PRINTFIX[edit]
PROMPT[edit]
The PROMPT command allows the user to change the prompt in the command screen. The default prompt is $p (i.e. prompt $p), which displays the drive and current path as the prompt, but can be changed to anything. 'Prompt $d', displays the current system date as the prompt. Type 'prompt /?' in the cmd screen for help on this function.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 2 and later and IBM PC DOS releases 2.1 and later.[1]
QBASIC[edit]
An integrated development environment and BASICinterpreter.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 5 and later.[1]
RD or RMDIR[edit]
Remove a directory (delete a directory); by default the directories must be empty of files for the command to succeed.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 2 and later.[1]
The deltree command in some versions of MS-DOS and all versions of Windows 9x removes non-empty directories.
RECOVER[edit]
A primitive filesystem error recovery utility included in MS-DOS / IBM PC DOS.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 2 through 5.[1]
REM[edit]
Remark (comment) command, normally used within a batch file, and for DR-DOS, PC/MS-DOS 6 and above, in CONFIG.SYS. This command is processed by the command processor. Thus, its output can be redirected to create a zero-byte file. REM is useful in logged sessions or screen-captures. One might add comments by way of labels, usually starting with double-colon (::). These are not processed by the command processor.
REN[edit]
The REN command renames a file. Unlike the
move
command, this command cannot be used to rename subdirectories, or rename files across drives. Mass renames can be accomplished by the use of the wildcards characters asterisk (*) and question mark (?).[15]The command is available in MS-DOS versions 1 and later.[1]
REPLACE[edit]
A command that is used to replace one or more existing computer files or add new files to a target directory.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 3.2 and later.[1]
RESTORE[edit]
See: BACKUP and RESTORE
SCANDISK[edit]
Disk diagnostic utility. Scandisk was a replacement for the
chkdsk
utility, starting with MS-DOS version 6.2 and later.[1] Its primary advantages over chkdsk
is that it is more reliable and has the ability to run a surface scan which finds and marks bad clusters on the disk. It also provided mouse point-and-click TUI, allowing for interactive session to complement command-line batch run.chkdsk
had surface scan and bad cluster detection functionality included, and was used again on Windows NT based operating systems.SELECT[edit]
The SELECT command formats a disk and installs country-specific information and keyboard codes.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 3.3 and 4 and IBM PC DOS releases 3 through 3.3.[1]
This command is no longer included in DOS Version 6 and later.
SET[edit]
Sets environment variables.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 2 and later.[1]
cmd.exe in Windows NT 2000, 4DOS, 4OS2, 4NT, and a number of third-party solutions allow direct entry of environment variables from the command prompt. From at least Windows 2000, the
set
command allows for the evaluation of strings into variables, thus providing inter alia a means of performing integer arithmetic.[16]SETUP[edit]
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 5 and later.[1]
SETVER[edit]
SetVer is a TSR program designed to return a different value to the version of DOS that is running. This allows programs that look for a specific version of DOS to run under a different DOS.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 5 and later.[1]
SHARE[edit]
Installs support for file sharing and locking capabilities.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 3 and later.[1]
SHIFT[edit]
The SHIFT command increases number of replaceable parameters to more than the standard ten for use in batch files.This is done by changing the position of replaceable parameters. It replaces each of the replacement parameters with the subsequent one (e.g.
%0
with %1
, %1
with %2
, etc.).The command is available in MS-DOS versions 2 and later.[1]
SIZER[edit]
SMARTDRV[edit]
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 6 and later.[1]
SORT[edit]
A filter to sort lines in the input data stream and send them to the output data stream. Similar to the Unix command
sort
. Handles files up to 64k. This sort is always case insensitive.[17]The command is available in MS-DOS versions 2 and later.[1]
SUBST[edit]
A utility to map a subdirectory to a drive letter.[7] The opposite can be achieved via the JOIN command.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 3.1 and later.[1]
SYS[edit]
A utility to make a volume bootable. Sys rewrites the Volume Boot Code (the first sector of the partition that SYS is acting on) so that the code, when executed, will look for IO.SYS. SYS also copies the core DOS system files, IO.SYS, MSDOS.SYS, and COMMAND.COM, to the volume. SYS does not rewrite the Master Boot Record, contrary to widely held belief.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 1 and later.[1]
TELNET[edit]
The Telnet Client is a tool for developers and administrators to help manage and test network connectivity. [18]
TIME[edit]
Display the system time and waits for the user to enter a new time. Complements the DATE command.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 1 and later.[1]
TITLE[edit]
Enables a user to change the title of their MS-DOS window.
TREE[edit]
It is an external command, graphically displays the path of each directory and sub-directories on the specified drive.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 3.2 and later and IBM PC DOS releases 2 and later.[1]
TRUENAME[edit]
The TRUENAME command will expand the name of a file, directory, or drive, and display the result. It will expand an abbreviated form which the command processor can recognise into its full form. It can see through SUBST and JOIN to find the actual directory.
MS-DOS can find files and directories given their names, without full path information, if the search object is on a path specified by the environment variable PATH. For example, if PATH includes C:PROGRAMS, and file MYPROG.EXE is on this directory, then if
MYPROG
is typed at the command prompt, the command processor will execute C:PROGRAMSMYPROG.EXE
. In this case,would display
This command displays the UNC pathnames of mapped network or local CD drives. This command is an undocumented DOS command. The help switch '/?' defines it as a 'Reserved command name'. It is available in MS-DOS 5.00.0. This command is similar to the which command, which, given an executable found in $PATH, would give a full path and name. The C library function
realpath
performs this function. The Microsoft Windows command processors do not support this command.<real code.st>TYPE[edit]
Displays a file. The more command is frequently used in conjunction with this command, e.g. type long-text-file | more. TYPE can be used to concatenate files (type file1 file2 > file3); however this won't work for large files[dubious][citation needed]—use copy command instead.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 1 and later.[1]
UNDELETE[edit]
Restores file previously deleted with del. By default all recoverable files in the working directory are restored; options are used to change this behavior. If the MS-DOS mirrorTSR program is used, then deletion tracking files are created and can be used by undelete.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 5 and later.[1]
UNFORMAT[edit]
The UNFORMAT command is used to undo the effects of formatting a disk.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 5 and later.[1]
VER[edit]
An internal DOS command, that reports the DOS version presently running, and since MS-DOS 5, whether DOS is loaded high.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 2 and later.[1]
VERIFY[edit]
Windows 10 Command Prompt List
Enables or disables the feature to determine if files have been correctly written to disk. If no parameter is provided, the command will display the current setting.[19]
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 2 and later.[1]
VOL[edit]
An internal command that displays the disk volume label and serial number.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 2 and later.[1]
VSAFE[edit]
Minecraft Windows 10 Edition Commands List
A TSR program that continuously monitors the computer for viruses.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 6 and later.[1]
XCOPY[edit]
Command Prompt Windows 10 Commands
Copy entire directory trees. Xcopy is a version of the copy command that can move files and directories from one location to another.
Windows 10 Dos Commands List
XCOPY usage and attributes can be obtained by typing 'XCOPY /?' in the DOS Command line.
The command is available in MS-DOS versions 3.2 and later.[1]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzaaabacadaeafagahaiajakalamanaoapaqarasatauavawaxayazbabbbcbdbebfbgbhbibjbkblbmbnbobpbqbrbsbtbubvbwbxbybzcacbcccdcecfcgchcicjckclcmcnWolverton, Van (2003). Running MS-DOS Version 6.22 (20th Anniversary Edition), 6th Revised edition. Microsoft Press. ISBN0-7356-1812-7.
- ^'MS-DOS choice command help'. Retrieved 2014-09-10.
- ^ ab'Caldera DR-DOS 7.03 User Guide'. Retrieved 2014-09-10.
- ^ Does not automatically appear in Help
- ^https://ss64.com/nt/expand.html
- ^graftabl | Microsoft Docs
- ^ abcEasyDOS Command Index
- ^DR DOS 6.0 User Guide. Digital Research. 1991.
- ^Cooper, Jim (May 2001). Using MS-DOS 6.22. Que Publishing. p. 455. ISBN0789725738.
- ^'MS-DOS mode command help'. Retrieved 2014-09-10.
- ^https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/tn-archive/cc722867(v%3dtechnet.10)
- ^MS-DOS and Windows command line msav command
- ^'MS-DOS msd command help'. Retrieved 2014-09-10.
- ^MS-DOS and Windows command line power command
- ^'Microsoft TechNet Rename (ren) article'.
- ^Karp, David Aaron; Tim O'Reilly; Troy Mott (2005). Windows XP in a nutshell. Nutshell handbook (2 ed.). O'Reilly Media, Inc. p. 422. ISBN978-0-596-00900-7. Retrieved 2010-11-26.
- ^'Microsoft on 'sort''. Retrieved 2014-09-10.
- ^ Client must be activated from Admin
- ^'DOS Command: VERIFY'. Retrieved 2014-09-10.
Further reading[edit]
- Cooper, Jim (2001). Special Edition Using MS-DOS 6.22, Third Edition. Que Publishing. ISBN978-0789725738.
- Wolverton, Van (1990). MS-DOS Commands: Microsoft Quick Reference, 4th Revised edition. Microsoft Press. ISBN978-1556152894.
External links[edit]
Wikibooks has a book on the topic of: Guide to Windows Commands |
- Command-Line Reference : Microsoft TechNet Database 'Command-Line Reference'
- The MS-DOS 6 Technical Reference on TechNet contains the official Microsoft MS-DOS 6 command reference documention.
There are several guides to DOS commands available that are licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License:
- The FreeDOS Spec at SourceForge is a plaintext specification, written in 1999, for how DOS commands should work in FreeDOS
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