Home   MS-DOS Home   A-Z   NS Utilities   Command Syntax

A - Z Index

Home >> MS-DOS Reference >> A - Z Index

Command nameDescription
@ Stops the current line in a batch file being displayed before it is run
APPEND Searches for data files in specified directories as if they were in the current directory.
ASSIGN Reroutes disk requests from one drive to another
ATTRIB Displays or modifies the attributes of a file
BACKUP Backs up up files from one disk to another
CALL CALL is used to run one batch file program from another
CD Changes or displays the current directory
CHDIR Changes or displays the current directory
CHKDSK Checks a disk for errors and fixes any problems there may be.
CHOICE Displays a prompt and asks for a single character response
CLS Clears the screen
COMMAND Starts another copy of the command processor, COMMAND.COM.
COMP Compares two files and displays any differences.
COPY Copies to and from files and devices
CTTY Reroutes input and output to a device other than the console (screen and keyboard)
DATE Changes the system date
DBLSPACE Compresses hard disks to enable more files to be stored.
DEBUG A program testing and editing tool.
DEFRAG Reorganizes the files on a disk to make it work faster
DEL Deletes files
DELOLDOS If you have upgraded to a new version of DOS, this utility deletes the old version.
DELTREE Deletes the specified directory and all the directories below it.
DEVICE Loads a device driver into memory.
DEVICEHIGH Loads a device driver into memory.
DIR Displays a list of files in a directory
DISKCOMP Compares two floppy disks track by track and reports on which tracks are different
DISKCOPY Copies one disk to another sector by sector.
DOS Controls various options regarding where DOS should load itself.
DOSHELP Displays an alphabetical list of DOS commands, or help with any particular command.
DOSKEY A vastly improved method of entering and editing the command line which also allows macros.
DRIVPARM Defines settings for devices such as disk and tape drives.
DRVSPACE Compresses hard disks to enable more files to be stored.
ECHO Either displays text or toggles command echoing from a batch file.
EDIT A full screen text editor based on the QBASIC editor
EDLIN A "line orientated" text editor, that is one where you can only edit one line at a time.
ERASE Deletes files
ERRORLEVEL Returns the error value of the previous command.
EXIT Exits from a secondary command processor
FASTHELP Displays an alphabetical list of DOS commands, or help with any particular command. It is identical to DOSHELP
FASTOPEN Speeds up file access by storing file locations in memory
FC Compares two files or sets of files and displays differences between them.
FCBS Specifies the number of file control blocks that can be opened at one time.
FCBSHIGH Specifies the number of file control blocks that can be opened at one time.
FDISK Prepares a hard disk to be formatted by DOS.
FILES Specifies the number of files that can be open at one time
FILESHIGH Specifies the number of files that can be open at one time
FIND Searches for a string of characters in a file or set of files
FOR Repeats a command a number of times
FORMAT Formats a disk and prepares it for use with DOS
GOTO Branches to a label in a batch file.
GRAFTABL Enables your computer to display special graphics characters
GRAPHICS Enables you to print a screen containing graphics characters using the Print Screen key.
HELP In DOS 6+ starts a menu-driven utility which gives information on commands. In previous versions displays an alphabetical list of commands.
IF Allows conditional commands in batch files.
INSTALL Loads a program into memory in CONFIG.SYS
INSTALLHIGH Loads a program into memory in CONFIG.SYS
INTERLINK AND INTERSVR Connects two computers via their parallel or serial ports so they can share information and resources such as a printer .
INTERLNK Connects two computers via their parallel or serial ports so they can share information and resources such as a printer .
JOIN Connects a disk drive to a directory on another drive.
KEYB Changes the keyboard layout from the US one to a foreign one.
LABEL Allows to to add, change or delete a volume label on a floppy or hard disk.
LASTDRIVE Specifies the maximum number of drives that DOS can support.
LFNFOR Enables/Disables Long file names when processing FOR commands.
LH Loads a memory-resident (TSR) program into upper memory on a 386 or higher computer.
LOADFIX Loads a program above the first 64K of RAM.
LOADHIGH Loads a memory-resident (TSR) program into upper memory on a 386 or higher computer.
MD Creates a directory.
MEM Displays information about how memory is used.
MEMMAKER Optimizes the memory on a 386 or above computer by moving device drivers and TSRs to upper memory.
MENU COMMANDS Various commands covering boot menus.
MIRROR Various disk related functions
MKDIR Creates a directory.
MODE Sets a number of options relating to the computer, printer and other devices
MORE Displays program output and text one screen at a time.
MOVE Moves one or more files to a new location.
MSAV Scans your computer for viruses and gets rid of them or displays information on them
MSD A diagnostic utility which displays information about the computer
NSLFUNC National Language Support. Enables codepage switching .
NUMLOCK Specifies whether the num lock key should be on or off.
PATH Sets the search path used when DOS looks for a program file
PAUSE Displays a message and waits for a key press.
POWER Controls power management and reports on its status. This command is only useful on laptops
PRINT Prints text files in the background allowing other programs to be run.
PROMPT Allows you to change the DOS prompt.
QBASIC A BASIC programming environment.
RD Removes the specified directory
RECOVER Recovers files that have bad sectors or reconstructs files from a disk that has a damages directory structure.
REM Allows you to add comments to batchfiles
REN Renames a file or group of files
RENAME Renames a file or group of files
REPLACE Selectively adds or replaces files from one disk or directory to another.
RESTORE Restores files backed up using the BACKUP command
RMDIR Removes the specified directory
SCANDISK Checks disks for errors and fixes any problems.
SET Displays, sets, modifies and create environment variables
SETVER Sets the reported DOS version number for a certain program.
SHARE Enables file sharing and locking on a hard disk.
SHIFT Shifts the command line parameters downwards
SMARTDRV Starts SMARTDrive, a disk caching program which speeds up access to frequently used files.
SORT Sorts lines of text and writes the results to screen, a file or some other device.
START Starts a Windows or MS-DOS command.
SUBST Associates a drive letter with a directory, turning a directory into a virtual drive.
SYS Transfers system files and makes a disk bootable
TIME Displays and sets the system time
TREE Displays the directory structure of the specified directory and those below it.
TRUENAME Displays the true path of a file or directory, ignoring JOIN, SUBST and other redirection commands
TYPE Displays the contents of a text file on screen
UNDELETE Restores files accidentally deleted with the DEL or ERASE commands
UNFORMAT Rebuilds directories and restores files that were erased with the FORMAT command
VER Displays the DOS version.
VERIFY Turns on or off the switch that controls disk writing verification in commands such as COPY.
VOL Displays the current volume label and serial number assigned to a disk
VSAFE A very basic memory resident virus checker
XCOPY Copies files and directories
XCOPY32 Copies files and directory trees.


Top of page    Home    MS-DOS Home    NS Utilities
Copyright © 2005 Marcus Houlden  |  Copyright and Data Protection

Printed from the NukeSoft MS-DOS Reference. Copyright © 1995 - 2006 Marcus Houlden