Disk Operating System (D.O.S.) 6.22

What is DOS?

DOS is an acronym for Disk Operating System, a "package" of programs and commands that allow you to direct the jobs a personal computer is to do by specifying what it is to do and how it is to do it.

DOS Commands

There are two types of DOS commands: internal DOS commands and external DOS commands. Internal DOS commands are those that are automatically loaded into RAM when the PC is booted. They are available at anytime and anywhere on the system. External DOS commands must be loaded into memory from the DOS library before they can be executed. They resemble miniature programs in the DOS package.

Basic DOS internal commands:

• DIRectory - display a listing of files on a directory
• DELete - delete a file
• REName - rename a file
• COPY - copy a file from one disk to another or from one directory to another
• CD (CHDIR) - change directory
• MD (MKDIR) - create a directory
• RD (RMDIR) - remove an empty directory
• TYPE - display the contents of a file
• DATE - view or set the date
• TIME - view or set the time

Basic DOS external commands:

• FORMAT - initialize a disk in preparation for initial use
• CHKDSK - check the status of a disk (number of files, space left, bad sectors, etc.)
• DISKCOMP - compare the contents of two disks

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