MS-DOS File and Filetypes

What is MS-DOS Operating System?

MS-DOS Operating System also called the Disk Operating system was Developed by Microsoft for x86 personal computers. It works on the phenomenon of doing less and getting more. It is a 16-bit operating system. A closed-source model was initially released on August 12, 1981, and the final release on September 14, 2000....

Why is MS-DOS Operating System Used?

It is used for many purposes:...

Features of MS-DOS Operating System

It is a minimalist OS which means it can boot a computer and run programs. Still usable for simple tasks like word processing and playing games. The mouse cannot be used to give inputs instead it uses basic system commands to perform the task. It is a 16-bit, free operating system. It is a single-user operating system. It is very lightweight due to fewer features available and no multitasking....

Working of MS-DOS

MS-DOS input and output occur at the command line in the form of issued commands and system results of those commands. When booted, MS-DOS systems display a command prompt. MS-DOS commands are then entered using a keyboard. Commands are either one of the standard DOS commands, implemented as part of the OS, or they are the file name of an executable program....

Limitations of MS DOS Operating System

It is not a multitasking operating system that is we cannot run too many applications in the background. Files on the system can be easily deleted or the system can also be easily destroyed. It does not provide any warning message before you delete or perform any unwanted task like in windows or Linux.  It is text-based and it does not have any graphical user interface. Not secure to be used in any kind of public network. Encryption is not supported. Difficulty in memory access.  Mouse cannot be used to give inputs....

Types of MS-DOS Commands

There are mainly two types of MS-DOS commands:...

How to open MS-DOS in windows?

Step 1: Click on Windows. Step 2: Search for ‘Run’ or directly use (Windows key+R) to open. Step 3: Type ‘cmd’ in run and press ‘Enter’. Step 4: MS-DOS will open in many cases with default command prompt i.e. c:\>...

Basic MS-DOS Commands

Command Description Type mem Display memory on the system. External mkdir Command to create a new directory. Internal mklink Creates a symbolic link. Internal md Command to create a new directory. Internal chdir Changes directories. Internal chkdsk Check the hard drive running FAT for errors. External chkntfs Check the hard drive running NTFS for errors. External choice Specify a listing of multiple options within a batch file. External append It Causes MS-DOS to look in other directories when editing a file or running a command. External arp Displays, adds and removes arp information from network devices. External assign Assign a drive letter to an alternate letter. External assoc View the file associations. Internal at Schedule a time to execute commands or programs. External batch  Recovery console command that executes several commands in a file. Recovery Console bcdedit  Modify the boot configuration data store. External bootcfg Recovery console command that allows a user to view, modify, and rebuild the boot.ini file. Recovery Console break Enable and disable the Ctrl+C feature. Internal del Deletes one or more files. Internal delete Recovery console command that deletes a file. Internal deltree Deletes one or more files or directories. External disable Recovery console command that disables Windows system services or drivers. Recovery Console lock  Lock the hard drive. Internal...

MS-DOS File and Filetypes

A computer file created by an application running under the DOS operating system. is called an MS-DOS file. There are three main files of DOS. During the Booting process, the computer loads the operating system into its memory. DOS booting involves reading the following files into memory namely...

Conclusion

MS-DOS allows the user to navigate, open, and otherwise manipulate files on their computer from a command line instead of a GUI like Windows. Although it is not widely used nowadays, however, the command shell, also known as the Windows command line, is still used by many users. Legacy systems, specifically older IBM PC-compatible computers, are still in use. Many are still running some versions of MS-DOS. Compatible OSes have been published over the years, including at least two open-source implementations of MS-DOS that are still actively maintained. It’s still around supporting legacy usually standalone applications, generally because they work well and the applications would be expensive and risky to “modernize”....