List of DOS commands

A list of DOS commands for Microsoft's DOS operating system. follows. You can also get help by typing HELP in the shell prompt.

Table of contents

1 dir
2 copy
3 ren
4 cd or chdir
5 md or mkdir
6 rd or rmdir
7 type
8 del
9 attrib
10 deltree
11 ver
12 tree
13 move
14 xcopy
15 format
16 diskcopy
17 undelete
18 unformat

dir

Displays contents of a directory.

/w : Wide list format
/p : Pause at every page
/s : Also look in subdirectories
/a[xx] : Display files with the specified attributes only
/o[xx] : Modifies sort order

copy

Copies a file from one location to another.

Syntax - copy "source" "destination"

ren

Syntax - ren "oldname" "newname"

cd or chdir

Change current directory

Syntax - cd "directoryname"

md or mkdir

Create a directory

Syntax - md "directory name"

rd or rmdir

Remove a directory

Syntax - rd "directory name"

type

Display an ASCII file

Syntax - type "filename"

del

Deletes a file. This commands accepts wildcards

Syntax - del "filename|wildcards"

attrib

Changes attributes of a file

Syntax - attrib "attribute string" "filename|wildcards"

To add an attribute attach a '+' in front of it.
To remove an attribute attach a '-' in front of it
Attributes include
- A - Archived (used mainly by file archiving software)
- H - Hidden
- S - System
- R - Read-only

deltree

Deletes a complete directory tree along with the files in the directories and subdirectories.

Syntax - deltree "directory"

ver

Shows the version of MS-DOS you are using

tree

Shows the directory tree of the current directory

Syntax - tree

move

Syntax - move "source" "target"

xcopy

format

diskcopy

undelete

unformat