Windows XP DOS Commands and Tricks

Typing DOS commands at the Windows command line is a very efficient and quick way of doing things in Windows XP. Here is a rundown of the most useful DOS commands in Windows XP. Some of these DOS commands are not visual on an alternative.

DOS command-line tools to run at the command prompt of the Cmd.exe command interpreter. To open the command prompt, click Start, click Run, type cmd and click OK.

ipconfig - Windows IP Configuration

Helpful when troubleshooting Internet connection. Displays the current IP address of your computer and the DNS server address. When you ask your ISP for reporting a bad internet connection, he will probably ask, run ipconfig.

fc - Free Beyond Compare in XP

FC is an advanced DOS Command that compares two files and shows the differences between them. Although the file comparison results are not as interactive or Altova DiffDog, fc Beyond Compare is still very useful. You can even synchronize files on fc, the search of a mismatch.

ping - Say hello to another computer

Ping network command followed by informing the web address or IP address on the health of the connection and if the other party answers your handshake request. Ping tool can also be used to display the Web address to a physical IP address to be converted.

Tree - visual directory structure

You often need to take prints of your physical directory structure but XP has no simple "visual" commands for printing the contents of the directory. Here, try the Tree DOS command and export to a text file.

Tree> mydirectory.txt

Print mydirectory.txt

type - open text files sans Notepad

Similar to Unix cat command, Type is my favorite DOS command for displaying the contents of a text files without modifying them. When used in combination with more switch, type splits the contents of lengthy text files into multiple pages. Avoid using the type command with binary files or you'll hear alien PC beeps and see some greek characters on your PC.

attrib - make hidden files visible

Attrib lets you change attributes of System files and even hidden files. This is great for troubleshooting Windows XP. Say your XP doesn't boot ever since you edited that startup boot.ini file (Hidden), use attrib to remove the Hidden attibute and edit the file using EDIT dos command.

assoc - which program will open that .xyz file

The assoc DOS command can be used to either isplay or even modify the file name extension associations. The command assoc .htm will quickly tell you the name of your default web browser (see picture) 

move - more flexible than copy-paste

Suppose you have a lot of XLS and DOC files in your My Documents folder and would only move the XLS files with names ending in 2011. In XP Explorer, you must manually select each file and then copy and paste it into another folder. However, the DOS command sets things much easier. Simply type the following at the command prompt:

* Move 2011.xls c: \ 2011Reports \

find - advanced file search with filter

To the most powerful DOS command and even more useful than the Windows Desktop Search tool or the Windows Search Assistant. The command searches to find specific text in a file or files. After searching the specified file or files, find displays any lines of text that contain the specified string.

Found for the search of your hard disk and the file name on the C: drive that contains the string "Google" with the pipe (|) to the results of a dir command follows immediately available as:

dir c: \ / s / b | find "Google"

Quick tip - Drag to avoid typing : When your command is working on a file or folder, enter the path to this folder after the command. Tap time by selecting the file or folder from Windows Explorer into the command window.

To use the command line at the command prompt, type the following:

CommandName /?

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Get to a MS-DOS prompt or Windows command line

DOS-Prompt

A. Windows Vista and 7 users

1. Click Start.
2. Type cmd and press enter.

If you're attempting to get into a MS-DOS prompt to troubleshoot the computer boot the computer intoSafe Mode.

B. Windows NT, 2000, and XP users

1. Click Start.
2. Click Run.
3. Type cmd or command and press enter.

• Difference between the command.com and cmd.exe.

If you get into an MS-​​DOS command prompt to try to solve the computer, restart the computer, enter the safe mode.

Windows 2000 and XP users who are unable to start the computer in normal Windows mode or in Safe Mode, the Recovery Console to manage their computer from a command prompt. For more information about how to do this can be found on document CH000627.

Finally, if you have problems with Windows NT, 2000 or XP, it may be necessary to perform the troubleshooting steps in an MS-​​DOS command prompt. It is recommended that the Network Administrator in MS-​​DOS command prompt, using a standard MS-DOS startup disk (note: not able to access data through a standard MS-DOS bootable floppy disk) to preserve or the ERD disks that after installing Windows NT, or boot from the Windows XP CD.

C. Windows 95, 98, and ME users

If you are able to get into Windows 95, 98 or ME, you can get to a MS-DOS prompt by following the steps below.

1. Click Start
2. Click Run
3. Type "command" and press enter.

This will open a MS-DOS shell. However, if you are attempting to troubleshoot an issue with the computer and are using Microsoft Windows 95 or Windows 98, we suggest you restart the computer into MS-DOS. To do this follow the below steps.

1. Click Start
2. Click Shutdown
3. Choose the option to restart the computer into a MS-DOS prompt.

If you are unable to get into Windows 95 or Windows 98 to get into a MS-DOS prompt, follow the below instructions (Windows ME does not have this option).

1. Reboot the computer
2. As the computer is booting, press the F8 key when you hear a beep or when you see "Starting Windows 95" or "Starting Windows 98." Windows 98 users sometimes may find it easier to press and hold the left CTRL key as the computer is booting.
3. If done properly the user should get to a screen similar to the below screen.

Microsoft Windows 95 Startup Menu ============================= 1. Normal 2. Logged (\BOOTLOG.TXT) 3. Safe mode 4. Step-by-step confirmation 5. Command prompt only 6. Safe mode command prompt only Enter a choice: 1 F5=Safe Mode Shift+F5=Command prompt Shift+F8= Step-by-step confirmation [N]

   4.   Select the option for Safe mode command prompt only.

D. MS-DOS users

If you are using MS-​​DOS with no other operating systems, you can automatically start the computer in an MS-​​DOS command prompt, if you have a shell or another program has loaded automatically.

If your computer is not permitted and does not have an MS-​​DOS command prompt, restart the computer and the computer starts, press the F5 key when the message "Starting MS-​​DOS" or MS-​​DOS version. This is the default standard MS-DOS.

If you want to avoid in an MS-​​DOS command prompt and successful would be like the computer, loading the program you off, to prevent MS-DOS command prompt, or if you correct any mistakes you might want during the reception to start the computer, edit the autoexec.bat and config.sys files.

E. Windows 3.x users

If you are using Windows 3.x, it is likely that the computer into Windows automatically and bypassing the MS-DOS command prompt. If Windows loads successfully into Windows, to end MS-DOS Prompt from the Program Manager, click File, then Exit.

When the computer tries to load Windows, but encounters errors during startup, restart the computer and press F5 when the message "Starting MS-​​DOS" or MS-​​DOS version. This is the default standard MS-DOS.

If you do not want to load automatically with Windows 3.x, Windows 3.x, you need autoexec.bat file and remove the "win" line.

F. Other operating system users

If you use another operating system like OS / 2, Linux versions or flavors of Unix, and you have to go to an MS-​​DOS command prompt, it is recommended that an MS-​​DOS startup disk if you have a dual have the computer starts . Remember that booting from an MS-​​DOS disk will not allow you to use the files from different operating systems access. But if you delete everything and start again start this you can remove all existing information and over again.

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Start button

Start Button

A. The Start button was first introduced with the release of Windows 95 and found in all future versions of Microsoft Windows since then. The Start button allows users to access their computer programs, or Microsoft Windows to configure. In the photo on the right are some examples of the Start button in Windows. The first launch was the first gray button to start many of the original versions of Microsoft Windows found. Secondly, the start button, a brief appearance in Windows XP. Load, the start button, also called the Start Orb, only the Windows logo in a circle and are familiar with Windows Vista and Windows 7.

By default, the Windows Start button is always found in the lower left of the screen. This can be on the top left or top right of the screen by the Windows taskbar can be changed. By pressing the Start button, open the Start menu to access all programs installed on your computer, search, run, access the Control Panel and documents.

B. Start is a command that allows a user in a separate window in Windows from the Windows command line to start. See the start command for further information about this command.

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