C:\>cmd-line.com

introduction

What is Windows?

Windows is the most popular operating system on x86 PC (Personal Computer with x86 CPU). Unlike GNU Linux, Windows does not have a CLI mode that works without a GUI. But we can use the command interpreter in the GUI.

Command interpreter in Windows interface

Cmd.exe is a command interpreter in Windows. Cmd.exe is derived from COMMAND.COM - a MS-DOS interpreter. Because of this, many cmd.exe commands are compatible with MS-DOS commands.

How to run command prompt in Windows NT?

1. Start > write command prompt or cmd.exe
2. Start > Programs > System tools > Command prompt
3. Start > Programs > Accessories > Command prompt
4. Start > Run > cmd.exe

How to run MS-DOS prompt in Windows NT (only 32-bit)?

1. Start > write command.com
2. Start > Run > command.com

How to run MS-DOS prompt in Windows 9x?

1. Start > Programs > MS-DOS prompt
2. Start > Run > command.com

What is MS-DOS / PC-DOS?

MS-DOS / PC-DOS (Disk Operating System) is a text-based & single-tasking operating system for PC with x86 CPU. It was popular in the 80s and early 90s. It doesn't have GUI, so we can use DOS only in Command-Line Interface. Nowadays, DOS is practically not used as the primary operating system.

What is FreeDOS?

FreeDOS is an open-source operating system compatible with MS-DOS.

How to run DOS on modern computer?

On modern computers, we will not run the original DOS versions (MS-DOS / PC-DOS) as the plain operating system.

Ways to use DOS:

1. emulator, e.g. DOSBox
2. virtual machine, e.g. VirtualBox
3. "modern DOS" - FreeDOS

DOS-based Windows vs Windows NT

* Windows 1-3: 1.x, 2.x, 3.x
* Windows 9x: 95, 98, Me
* DOS-based Windows: 1.x, 2.x, 3.x, 95, 98, Me
* Windows NT family: NT, 2000, XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10, Server

1. Windows 3.1 / 3.11: there is an additional Win32s API which allows to run some 32-bit programs
2. PowerShell: in Windows 7 and later
3. From Windows /386 2.1, DOS programs can run in virtual mode
4. In Windows 95/98 it is possible to run pure DOS in real mode without Windows
5. FAT32: supported in Windows 95 OSR2 and later Win9x

cmd.exe vs COMMAND.COM vs FREECOM.COM

MS-DOS 6.22 vs FreeDOS 1.2

MS-DOS versions

Windows 1.x - 3.x versions

Windows 9x versions

1. Windows 1.x - 3.x are only programs that run in DOS. They need DOS in version written above.
2. Windows 9x are installed with DOS. They are complete operating systems.
3. Windows real mode works in processor real mode (need 8086 CPU)
   Windows standard mode can work in processor protected and real mode (need 80286 CPU)
   Windows enhanced 386 mode can work in protected, virtual and real mode (need 80386 CPU)
   Real / Standard mode: possible run DOS program in fullscreen, but programs in background are stopped
   Enhanced mode: possible run mulitple DOS programs, in window, programs in background can work
4. Windows 95, 98, 98SE can boot in DOS real mode without Windows system extenders (GUI, etc)

Windows NT versions

keyboard shortcuts

• ctrl + alt + del - reboot the system
• ctrl + c - cancel the current task
• ctrl + s - stop the text

wildcard characters

• ? - replace one character
• * - replace many characters or none

examples

dir *.exe - display all files with the extension exe

del *.* - delete all files in current directory

partitions & drives

Sample numbering of partitions and drives

• A - floppy disk drive no. 1
• B - floppy disk drive no. 2
• C - partition no. 1
• D - partition no. 2
• E - CD / DVD drive
• F - removable drive

DOSBox - mounting partitions & drives

Mount directories

mount c ~/Apps - Linux

mount c c:/Apps - Windows

Mount CD-ROM drive

mount d /media -t cdrom - Linux

mount d d: -t cdrom - Windows

Mount virtual drive - iso file

imgmount d ~/DOS/WORMS.DAT -t iso - Linux

imgmount d c:/DOS/WORMS.DAT -t iso - Windows

directory structure

Windows 10 64-bit (NT 10.0)

C:
├── Program Files
├── Program Files (x86)
├── ProgramData
├── Users
└── Windows

Windows XP 32-bit (NT 5.1)

C:
├── Documents and Settings
├── Program Files
└── WINDOWS

MS-DOS 6.22

C:
├── DOS
├── COMMAND.COM
├── WINA20.386
├── CONFIG.SYS
└── AUTOEXEC.BAT

FreeDOS 1.2

C:
├── FDOS
├── AUTOEXEC.BAT
├── COMMAND.COM
├── CONFIG.SYS
├── FDCONFIG.SYS
└── KERNEL.SYS

system files

MS-DOS

Hidden system files on the startup disk

IO.SYS

system initialization code and builtin device drivers

MSDOS.SYS

contains system kernel; in Windows 95 and later DOS-based Windows, the entire kernel was moved to IO.SYS and the MS-DOS.SYS is a text configuration file

Command-line interpreter

COMMAND.COM

default command intepreter and interface for DOS; it's first program run after system boot; includes some internal commands

User configuration files

CONFIG.SYS

contains statements to configure DOS and load device drivers; the syntax is similar to that used Windows .ini files

AUTOEXEC.BAT

batch file run by the COMMAND.COM to execute commands at startup

Boot order

IO.SYS > MSDOS.SYS > CONFIG.SYS > COMMAND.COM > AUTOEXEC.BAT

Standard DOS device drivers

ANSI.SYS

ANSI console driver

EMM386.EXE

Expanded Memory Manager

HIMEM.SYS

Extended Memory Manager

RAMDRIVE.SYS

RAM disk

Standard DOS utility programs

file extensions

• EXE (executive) - executable file
• COM (command) - executable file; precursor of exe extension
• BAT (batch) - plain text file with DOS commands
• SYS (system) - system file
• TXT (text) - plain text file
• HLP (help)
• DOC (document) - rich text file
• DAT (data)
• LIB (library)

environment variables

COMSPEC PATH BLASTER TEMP

C:\>set                                             
COMSPEC=Z:\COMMAND.COM                              
BLASTER=A220 I7 D1 H5 T6                            
PATH=Z:\;C:\COMMANDS;C:\CONFIG;C:\GAMES;C:\PROGRAMS;
TEMP=D:\TEMP                                        
                                                    
C:\>set blaster                                     
BLASTER=A220 I7 D1 H5 T6                            
                                                    
C:\>set BLASTER                                     
BLASTER=A220 I7 D1 H5 T6

C:\>set                                                                         
CONFIG=1                                                                        
DOSDIR=C:\FDOS                                                                  
COMSPEC=C:\FDOS\BIN\COMMAND.COM                                                 
MIDI=SYNTH:1 MAP:E MODE:0                                                       
BLASTER=A220 I7 D4 H5                                                           
CTSYN=C:\DRV\CREATIVE\DOSDRV                                                    
LANG=EN                                                                         
TZ=UTC                                                                          
PATH=C:\FDOS\BIN;C:\COMMANDS;C:\PROGRAMS;C:\FDOS\LINKS                          
NLSPATH=C:\FDOS\NLS                                                             
HELPPATH=C:\FDOS\HELP                                                           
TEMP=C:\FDOS\TEMP                                                               
TMP=C:\FDOS\TEMP                                                                
DIRCMD=/P /OGN /Y                                                               
COPYCMD=/-Y                                                                     
OS_NAME=FreeDOS                                                                 
OS_VERSION=1.3-RC3                                                              
AUTOFILE=C:\FDAUTO.BAT                                                          
CFGFILE=C:\FDCONFIG.SYS                                                         

command information

browsing directories

file manipulation

reading files

console

power & session

system

file system

memory

types of memory

• conventional
• upper (UMA - Upper Memory Area)
• high (HMA - High Memory Area)
• extended (XMS - eXtended Memory Specification)
• expanded (EMS - Expanded Memory Specification)

popular extenders

• DOS/4G
• DOS/4GW

TSR (Terminate and Stay Resident) programs

DPMI - DOS Protected Mode Interface

processes

boot management

network

text editors

file managers

• DOS Shell
• Norton Commander
• DOS Navigator

useful programs

• MPXPlayer
• Arachne

batch files