MS-DOS and command line overview

Below is a listing of each of the MS-DOS commands currently listed on Computer Hope and a brief explanation of what each of the commands do. The below commands are all MS-DOS commands, which means not all the below commands will work in your version of MS-DOS and/or Windows command line. Clicking on the command will open the help page for that command with full details about it.

Command	Description
Aansi.sysNSI.SYS	Defines functions that change display graphics, control cursor movement, and reassign keys.
append	Causes MS-DOS to look in other directories when editing a file or running a command.
arp	Displays, adds, and removes arp information from network devices.
assign	Assign a drive letter to an alternate letter.
assoc	View the file associations.
at	Schedule a time to execute commands or programs.
atmadm	Lists connections and addresses seen by Windows ATM call manager.
attrib	Display and change file attributes.
batch	Recovery console command that executes a series of commands in a file.
bootcfg	Recovery console command that allows a user to view, modify, and rebuild the boot.ini
break	Enable / disable CTRL + C feature.
cacls	View and modify file ACL's.
call	Calls a batch file from another batch file.
cd	Changes directories.
chcp	Supplement the International keyboard and character set information.
chdir	Changes directories.
chdsk	Check the hard disk drive running FAT for errors.
chkntfs	Check the hard disk drive running NTFS for errors.
choice	Specify a listing of multiple options within a batch file.
cls	Clears the screen.
cmd	Opens the command interpreter.
color	Easily change the foreground and background color of the MS-DOS window.
command	Opens the command interpreter.
comp	Compares files.
compact	Compresses and uncompress files.
control	Open Control Panel icons from the MS-DOS prompt.
convert	Convert FAT to NTFS.
copy	Copy one or more files to an alternate location.
ctty	Change the computers input/output devices.
date	View or change the systems date.
debug	Debug utility to create assembly programs to modify hardware settings.
defrag	Re-arrange the hard disk drive to help with loading programs.
del	Deletes one or more files.
delete	Recovery console command that deletes a file.
deltree	Deletes one or more files and/or directories.
dir	List the contents of one or more directory.
disable	Recovery console command that disables Windows system services or drivers.
diskcomp	Compare a disk with another disk.
diskcopy	Copy the contents of one disk and place them on another disk.
doskey	Command to view and execute commands that have been run in the past.
dosshell	A GUI to help with early MS-DOS users.
drivparm	Enables overwrite of original device drivers.
echo	Displays messages and enables and disables echo.
edit	View and edit files.
edlin	View and edit files.
emm386	Load extended Memory Manager.
ename	Recovery console command to enable a disable service or driver.
endlocal	Stops the localization of the environment changes enabled by the setlocal command.
erase	Erase files from computer.
exit	Exit from the command interpreter.
expand	Expand a Microsoft Windows file back to it's original format.
extract	Extract files from the Microsoft Windows cabinets.
fasthelp	Displays a listing of MS-DOS commands and information about them.
fc	Compare files.
fdisk	Utility used to create partitions on the hard disk drive.
find	Search for text within a file.
findstr	Searches for a string of text within a file.
fixboot	Writes a new boot sector.
fixmbr	Writes a new boot record to a disk drive.
for	Boolean used in batch files.
format	Command to erase and prepare a disk drive.
ftp	Command to connect and operate on a FTP server.
ftype	Displays or modifies file types used in file extension associations.
goto	Moves a batch file to a specific label or location.
graftabl	Show extended characters in graphics mode.
help	Display a listing of commands and brief explanation.
if	Allows for batch files to perform conditional processing.
ifshlp.sys	32-bit file manager.
ipconfig	Network command to view network adapter settings and assigned values.
keyb	Change layout of keyboard.
label	Change the label of a disk drive.
lh	Load a device driver in to high memory.
listsvc	Recovery console command that displays the services and drivers.
loadfix	Load a program above the first 64k.
loadhigh	Load a device driver in to high memory.
lock	Lock the hard disk drive.
logoff	Logoff the currently profile using the computer.
logon	Recovery console command to list installations and enable administrator login.
map	Displays the device name of a drive.
md	Command to create a new directory.
mem	Display memory on system.
mkdir	Command to create a new directory.
mode	Modify the port or display settings.
more	Display one page at a time.
move	Move one or more files from one directory to another directory.
msav	Early Microsoft Virus scanner.
msd	Diagnostics utility.
msdex	Utility used to load and provide access to the CD-ROM.
nbtstat	Displays protocol statistics and current TCP/IP connections using NBT
net	Update, fix, or view the network or network settings
netsh	Configure dynamic and static network information from MS-DOS.
netstat	Display the TCP/IP network protocol statistics and information.
nlsfunc	Load country specific information.
nslookup	Look up an IP address of a domain or host on a network.
path	View and modify the computers path location.
pathping	View and locate locations of network latency.
pause	Command used in batch files to stop the processing of a command.
ping	Test / send information to another network computer or network device.
popd	Changes to the directory or network path stored by the pushd command.
power	Conserve power with computer portables.
print	Prints data to a printer port.
prompt	View and change the MS-DOS prompt.
pushd	Stores a directory or network path in memory so it can be returned to at any time.
qbasic	Open the QBasic.
rd	Removes an empty directory.
ren	Renames a file or directory.
rename	Renames a file or directory.
rmdir	Removes an empty directory.
route	View and configure windows network route tables.
runas	Enables a user to execute a program on another computer.
scandisk	Run the scandisk utility.
scanreg	Scan registry and recover registry from errors.
set	Change one variable or string to another.
setlocal	Enables local environments to be changed without affecting anything else.
setver	Change MS-DOS version to trick older MS-DOS programs.
share	Installs support for file sharing and locking capabilities.
shift	Changes the position of replaceable parameters in a batch program.
shutdown	Shutdown the computer from the MS-DOS prompt.
smartdrv	Create a disk cache in conventional memory or extended memory.
sort	Sorts the input and displays the output to the screen.
start	Start a separate window in Windows from the MS-DOS prompt.
subst	Substitute a folder on your computer for another drive letter.
switches	Remove add functions from MS-DOS.
sys	Transfer system files to disk drive.
telnet	Telnet to another computer / device from the prompt.
time	View or modify the system time.
title	Change the title of their MS-DOS window.
tracert	Visually view a network packets route across a network.
tree	View a visual tree of the hard disk drive.
type	Display the contents of a file.
undelete	Undelete a file that has been deleted.
unformat	Unformat a hard disk drive.
unlock	Unlock a disk drive.
ver	Display the version information.
verify	Enables or disables the feature to determine if files have been written properly.
vol	Displays the volume information about the designated drive.
xcopy	Copy multiple files, directories, and/or drives from one location to another.