Sets or clears extended CTRL+C checking.

BREAK [ON | OFF]

Type BREAK without a parameter to display the current BREAK setting.

CHDIR[..]

CD [drive:][path]

CD[..]

.. Specifies that you want to change to the parent directory.

Type CD drive: to display the current directory in the specified drive.

Type CD without parameters to display the current drive and directory.

Displays or sets the active code page number.

CHCP [nnn]

nnn Specifies a code page number.

Type CHCP without a parameter to display the active code page number.

Copies one or more files to another location.

COPY [/A | /B] source [/A | /B] [+ source [/A | /B] [+ ...]] [destination

[/A | /B]] [/V] [/Y | /-Y]

source Specifies the file or files to be copied.

/A Indicates an ASCII text file.

/B Indicates a binary file.

destination Specifies the directory and/or filename for the new file(s).

/V Verifies that new files are written correctly.

/Y Suppresses prompting to confirm you want to overwrite an

existing destination file.

/-Y Causes prompting to confirm you want to overwrite an

existing destination file.

The switch /Y may be preset in the COPYCMD environment variable.

This may be overridden with /-Y on the command line

To append files, specify a single file for destination, but multiple files

for source (using wildcards or file1+file2+file3 format).

Changes the terminal device used to control your system.

CTTY device

device The terminal device you want to use, such as COM1.

Displays or sets the date.

DATE [date]

Type DATE without parameters to display the current date setting and

a prompt for a new one. Press ENTER to keep the same date.

Displays a list of files and subdirectories in a directory.

DIR [drive:][path][filename] [/P] [/W] [/A[[:]attributes]]

[/O[[:]sortorder]] [/S] [/B] [/L] [/V]

[drive:][path][filename]

Specifies drive, directory, and/or files to list.

(Could be enhanced file specification or multiple filespecs.)

/P Pauses after each screenful of information.

/W Uses wide list format.

/A Displays files with specified attributes.

attributes D Directories R Read-only files

H Hidden files A Files ready for archiving

S System files - Prefix meaning not

/O List by files in sorted order.

sortorder N By name (alphabetic) S By size (smallest first)

E By extension (alphabetic) D By date & time (earliest first)

G Group directories first - Prefix to reverse order

A By Last Access Date (earliest first)

/S Displays files in specified directory and all subdirectories.

/B Uses bare format (no heading information or summary).

/L Uses lowercase.

/V Verbose mode.

Switches may be preset in the DIRCMD environment variable. Override

preset switches by prefixing any switch with - (hyphen)--for example, /-W.

Deletes one or more files.

DEL [drive:][path]filename [/P]

ERASE [drive:][path]filename [/P]

[drive:][path]filename Specifies the file(s) to delete. Specify multiple

files by using wildcards.

/P Prompts for confirmation before deleting each file.

Deletes one or more files.

DEL [drive:][path]filename [/P]

ERASE [drive:][path]filename [/P]

[drive:][path]filename Specifies the file(s) to delete. Specify multiple

files by using wildcards.

/P Prompts for confirmation before deleting each file.

Quits the COMMAND.COM program (command interpreter).

EXIT

Loads a program into the upper memory area.

LOADHIGH [drive:][path]filename [parameters]

LOADHIGH [/L:region1[,minsize1][;region2[,minsize2]...] [/S]]

[drive:][path]filename [parameters]

/L:region1[,minsize1][;region2[,minsize2]]...

Specifies the region(s) of memory into which to load

the program. Region1 specifies the number of the first

memory region; minsize1 specifies the minimum size, if

any, for region1. Region2 and minsize2 specify the

number and minimum size of the second region, if any.

You can specify as many regions as you want.

/S Shrinks a UMB to its minimum size while the program

is loading.

[drive:][path]filename

Specifies the location and name of the program.

Creates a directory.

MKDIR [drive:]path

MD [drive:]path

See md command.

Displays output one screen at a time.

MORE [drive:][path]filename

MORE < [drive:][path]filename

command-name | MORE [drive:][path][filename]

[drive:][path]filename Specifies file(s) to display one screen at a time

command-name Specifies a command whose output will be displayed.

Displays or sets a search path for executable files.

PATH [[drive:]path[;...]]

PATH ;

Type PATH ; to clear all search-path settings and direct Windows to search

only in the current directory.

Type PATH without parameters to display the current path.

Changes the Windows command prompt.

PROMPT [text]

text Specifies a new command prompt.

Prompt can be made up of normal characters and the following special codes:

$Q = (equal sign)

$$ $ (dollar sign)

$T Current time

$D Current date

$P Current drive and path

$V Windows version number

$N Current drive

$G > (greater-than sign)

$L < (less-than sign)

$B | (pipe)

$H Backspace (erases previous character)

$E Escape code (ASCII code 27)

$_ Carriage return and linefeed

Type PROMPT without parameters to reset the prompt to the default setting.

Removes (deletes) a directory.

RMDIR [drive:]path

RD [drive:]path

Renames a file/directory or files/directories.

RENAME [drive:][path][directoryname1 | filename1] [directoryname2 | filename2]

REN [drive:][path][directoryname1 | filename1] [directoryname2 | filename2]

Note that you cannot specify a new drive or path for your destination.

Removes (deletes) a directory.

RMDIR [drive:]path

RD [drive:]path

Displays, sets, or removes Windows environment variables.

SET [variable=[string]]

variable Specifies the environment-variable name.

string Specifies a series of characters to assign to the variable.

Type SET without parameters to display the current environment variables.

Displays or sets the system time.

TIME [time]

Type TIME with no parameters to display the current time setting and a prompt

for a new one. Press ENTER to keep the same time.

Displays the contents of text files.

TYPE [drive:][path]filename

Displays the Windows version.

VER

Tells Windows whether to verify that your files are written correctly to a

disk.

VERIFY [ON | OFF]

Type VERIFY without a parameter to display the current VERIFY setting.

Displays the disk volume label and serial number, if they exist.

VOL [drive:]

Displays or changes file attributes.

ATTRIB [+R | -R] [+A | -A] [+S | -S] [+H | -H] [[drive:][path]filename] [/S]

+ Sets an attribute.

- Clears an attribute.

R Read-only file attribute.

A Archive file attribute.

S System file attribute.

H Hidden file attribute.

/S Processes files in all directories in the specified path.

Checks a disk and displays a status report.

CHKDSK [drive:][[path]filename] [/F] [/V]

[drive:][path] Specifies the drive and directory to check.

filename Specifies the file(s) to check for fragmentation.

/F Fixes errors on the disk.

/V Displays the full path and name of every file on the disk.

Type CHKDSK without parameters to check the current disk.

Instead of using CHKDSK, try using SCANDISK. SCANDISK can reliably detect

and fix a much wider range of disk problems.

command

Compresses hard disk drives or floppy disks, and configures drives that were compressed by using DriveSpace.

This is a Window-based utility. For information, use HELP DRVSPACE to see the syntax description.

Runs Debug, a program testing and editing tool.

DEBUG [[drive:][path]filename [testfile-parameters]]

[drive:][path]filename Specifies the file you want to test.

testfile-parameters Specifies command-line information required by

the file you want to test.

After Debug starts, type ? to display a list of debugging commands.

This is a Window-based utility. For information, use HELP DEFRAG to see the syntax description.

Reorganizes the files on a disk to optimize disk performance. Do not use

this command when Windows is running.

To load DEFRAG into conventional memory and specify that DEFRAG sort files

according to the date they were created, from latest created to earliest

created, type the following command:

defrag c: /f /sd- /skiphigh

This example fully optimizes drive C, but slows DEFRAG.

Deletes a directory and all the subdirectories and files in it.

To delete one or more files and directories:

DELTREE [/Y] [drive:]path [[drive:]path[...]]

/Y Suppresses prompting to confirm you want to delete

the subdirectory.

[drive:]path Specifies the name of the directory you want to delete.

Note: Use DELTREE cautiously. Every file and subdirectory within the

specified directory will be deleted.

Copies the contents of one floppy disk to another.

DISKCOPY [drive1: [drive2:]] [/1] [/V] [/M]

/1 Copies only the first side of the disk.

/V Verifies that the information is copied correctly.

/M Force multi-pass copy using memory only.

The two floppy disks must be the same type.

You may specify the same drive for drive1 and drive2.

MS-DOS Editor Version 2.0.026 Copyright (c) Microsoft Corp 1995.

EDIT [/B] [/H] [/R] [/S] [/<nnn>] [/?] [file(s)]

/B - Forces monochrome mode.

/H - Displays the maximum number of lines possible for your hardware.

/R - Load file(s) in read-only mode.

/S - Forces the use of short filenames.

/<nnn> - Load binary file(s), wrapping lines to <nnn> characters wide.

/? - Displays this help screen.

[file] - Specifies initial files(s) to load. Wildcards and multiple

filespecs can be given.

Turns on or off EMM386 expanded memory support.

EMM386 [ON | OFF | AUTO] [W=ON | W=OFF]

ON | OFF | AUTO Activates or suspends EMM386.EXE device driver,

or places it in auto mode.

W=ON | OFF Turns on or off Weitek coprocessor support.

Expands one or more compressed files.

EXPAND [drive:][path]filename [[drive:][path]filename [...]] destination

[drive:][path]filename Specifies the location and/or name of a file

or set of files to be expanded. You cannot use

wildcards.

destination Specifies the new location and/or name of an

expanded file or set of files. Destination can

be a drive letter and colon, directory name,

filename, or combination.

The destination can only be a filename if you have specified a single

filename for the source filename parameter. To expand a file or set

of files to a different directory and keep the original filename(s),

specify only a directory as the destination.

Compares two files or sets of files and displays the differences between

them.

FC [/A] [/C] [/L] [/LBn] [/N] [/T] [/W] [/nnnn] [drive1:][path1]filename1

[drive2:][path2]filename2

FC /B [drive1:][path1]filename1 [drive2:][path2]filename2

/A Displays only first and last lines for each set of differences.

/B Performs a binary comparison.

/C Disregards the case of letters.

/L Compares files as ASCII text.

/LBn Sets the maximum consecutive mismatches to the specified number of

lines.

/N Displays the line numbers on an ASCII comparison.

/T Does not expand tabs to spaces.

/W Compresses white space (tabs and spaces) for comparison.

/nnnn Specifies the number of consecutive lines that must match after a

mismatch.

Starts the Fdisk program, which configures a hard disk for use with MS-DOS.

Fdisk displays a series of menus to help you partition your hard disk(s) for

MS-DOS.

Syntax

To start the Fdisk program, use the following syntax:

FDISK

To display partition information without starting the Fdisk program, use the

following syntax:

FDISK /STATUS

Switch

/STATUS

Displays an overview of the partition information of your computer's

hard disk(s), without starting the Fdisk program.

Searches for a text string in a file or files.

FIND [/V] [/C] [/N] [/I] "string" [[drive:][path]filename[ ...]]

/V Displays all lines NOT containing the specified string.

/C Displays only the count of lines containing the string.

/N Displays line numbers with the displayed lines.

/I Ignores the case of characters when searching for the string.

"string" Specifies the text string to find.

[drive:][path]filename

Specifies a file or files to search.

If a pathname is not specified, FIND searches the text typed at the prompt

or piped from another command.

Formats a disk for use with MS-DOS.

The FORMAT command creates a new root directory and file allocation table

for the disk. It can also check for bad areas on the disk, and it can delete

all data on the disk. In order for MS-DOS to be able to use a new disk, you

must first use this command to format the disk.

Configures a keyboard for a specific language.

KEYB [xx[,[yyy][,[drive:][path]filename]]] [/E] [/ID:nnn]

xx Specifies a two-letter keyboard code.

yyy Specifies the code page for the character set.

[drive:][path]filename Specifies the keyboard definition file.

/E Specifies that an enhanced keyboard is installed.

/ID:nnn Specifies the keyboard in use.

Creates, changes, or deletes the volume label of a disk.

LABEL [drive:][label]

Loads a program above the first 64K of memory, and runs the program.

LOADFIX [drive:][path]filename

Use LOADFIX to load a program if you have received the message

"Packed file corrupt" when trying to load it in low memory.

Displays the amount of used and free memory in your system.

MEM [/CLASSIFY | /DEBUG | /FREE | /MODULE modulename] [/PAGE]

/CLASSIFY or /C Classifies programs by memory usage. Lists the size of

programs, provides a summary of memory in use, and lists

largest memory block available.

/DEBUG or /D Displays status of all modules in memory, internal drivers,

and other information.

/FREE or /F Displays information about the amount of free memory left

in both conventional and upper memory.

/MODULE or /M Displays a detailed listing of a module's memory use.

This option must be followed by the name of a module,

optionally separated from /M by a colon.

/PAGE or /P Pauses after each screenful of information.

Configures system devices.

Printer port: MODE LPTn[:] [COLS=c] [LINES=l] [RETRY=r]

Serial port: MODE COMm[:] [BAUD=b] [PARITY=p] [DATA=d] [STOP=s] [RETRY=r]

Device Status: MODE [device] [/STATUS]

Redirect printing: MODE LPTn[:]=COMm[:]

Prepare code page: MODE device CP PREPARE=((yyy[...]) [drive:][path]filename)

Select code page: MODE device CP SELECT=yyy

Refresh code page: MODE device CP REFRESH

Code page status: MODE device CP [/STATUS]

Display mode: MODE [display-adapter][,n]

MODE CON[:] [COLS=c] [LINES=n]

Typematic rate: MODE CON[:] [RATE=r DELAY=d]

Moves files and renames files and directories.

To move one or more files:

MOVE [/Y | /-Y] [drive:][path]filename1[,...] destination

To rename a directory:

MOVE [/Y | /-Y] [drive:][path]dirname1 dirname2

[drive:][path]filename1 Specifies the location and name of the file or files you want to move.

destination Specifies the new location of the file. Destination can consist of a drive letter and colon, a directory name, or a combination. If you are moving only one file, you can also include a filename if you want to rename the file when you move it.

[drive:][path]dirname1 Specifies the directory you want to rename.

Dirname1 Specifies the new name of the directory.

/Y Suppresses prompting to confirm creation of a directory or overwriting of the destination.

/-Y Causes prompting to confirm creation of a directory or overwriting of the destination.

The switch /Y may be present in the COPYCMD environment variable.

This may be overridden with /-Y on the command line.

Loads country-specific information.

NLSFUNC [[drive:][path]filename]

[drive:][path]filename Specifies the file containing country-specific information.

For information about the command-line parameters supported by

ScanDisk for Windows, look up 'checking for errors, in disks' in

the Windows Help index. Then view the topic 'Checking your disk

for errors every time your computer starts.'

Sets the MS-DOS version number that Windows reports to a program.

Display current version table: SETVER [drive:path]

Add entry: SETVER [drive:path] filename n.nn

Delete entry: SETVER [drive:path] filename /DELETE [/QUIET]

[drive:path] Specifies location of the SETVER.EXE file.

filename Specifies the filename of the program.

n.nn Specifies the MS-DOS version to be reported to the program.

/DELETE or /D Deletes the version-table entry for the specified program.

/QUIET or /Q Hides the message typically displayed during deletion of

version-table entry.

** Under Windows 95/98, do not place this command in AUTOEXEC.BAT. Windows 95 uses another method of disk caching.

Sorts input and writes results to the screen, a file, or another device

SORT [/R] [/+n] [[drive1:][path1]filename1] [> [drive2:][path2]filename2]

[command |] SORT [/R] [/+n] [> [drive2:][path2]filename2]

/R Reverses the sort order; that is, sorts Z to A,

then 9 to 0.

/+n Sorts the file according to characters in

column n.

[drive1:][path1]filename1 Specifies file(s) to be sorted

[drive2:][path2]filename2 Specifies a file where the sorted input is to be

stored.

command Specifies a command whose output is to be sorted.

Runs a Windows program or an MS-DOS program.

START [options] program [arg...]

START [options] document.ext

/m[inimized] Run the new program minimized (in the background).

/max[imized] Run the new program maximized (in the foreground).

/r[estored] Run the new program restored (in the foreground). [default]

/w[ait] Does not return until the other program exits.

Associates a path with a drive letter.

SUBST [drive1: [drive2:]path]

SUBST drive1: /D

drive1: Specifies a virtual drive to which you want to assign a path.

[drive2:]path Specifies a physical drive and path you want to assign to

a virtual drive.

/D Deletes a substituted (virtual) drive.

Type SUBST with no parameters to display a list of current virtual drives.