List of cmd prompt command

What is a command?

• command is a specific instruction given to a computer application to perform some kind of task or function.
• In Windows, commands are usually entered via a command line interpreter like command prompt or recovery console.
• Entering a command incorrectly (wrong syntax, misspelling, etc.) could cause the command to fail or worse.

Internal commands

• These commands are automatic loaded into the memory when operating system is loaded into the memory.
• The command available are all combined together and are stored in Command.com file, which is a executable command file
• These are mostly used command.

General purpose commands

Commands	Description	Syntax
CLS	This command is used to clear the screen or wipe out every thing written on the screen.	C:\>CLS
DIR	Dir command is used for listing files and directories present in the current disk.	C:\>DIR [/switches]
VER	Version numbers indicates that in which edition we are working on.	C:\>VER
VOL	It displays the disk volume label and serial number, if it exist.	C:\>VOL
DATE	Type DATE without parameters to display the current date setting and a prompt for a new one.	C:\>DATE
TIME	Type TIME with no parameters to display the current time setting and a prompt for a new one.	C:\>TIME
BREAK	BREAK can be used to enable and disable the breaking capability of the computer.	C:\>BREAK [ON|OFF]
COLOR	The color command enables users running Microsoft Windows to change the default color of their background or the Windows command line window.	C:\>COLOR [attribute]

File related commands

Commands	Description	Syntax
COPY CON	This command gives the facility to create a new text file. After creating save it pressing "Ctrl+Z".	C:\> COPY CON [Filename]
TYPE	This command is used to display the contents or text of any file to the display device.	C:\>TYPE [Filename]
COPY	Copy command is used for copy any file to another location or to copy the files to another directory. This command may also be used for copying any file to another disk with different file name.	C:\>COPY [Source file name] [Target file name]
REN	This command is used to change the name of any file or directory.	C:\>REN [Source file name] [Target file name]
DEL	This command is used for erasing any file from the disk.	C:\>DEL [Filename]
CALL	Enables a user to execute a batch file from within another batch file.	C:\>CALL [drive:][path]filename [batch-parameters]
ERASE	ERASE is a command used to remove files from your computer's hard drive or other writable media.	C:\>ERASE [File name] [attributes]

Directory related commands

Commands	Description	Syntax
MD	This command allows to create a new directory.	C:\>MD [Dirname]
CD	Using this we can enter from any directory.	C:\>CD
CD..	Using this we can exit from any directory.	C:\>CD..
RD	This command is used when we want to remove any unusable directory form our disk.	C:\>RD [Dirname]
PATH	This command is used for display or sets directories for executable files.	C:\>PATH

External commands

• External commands are known as Disk residence commands. Because they can be store with DOS directory or any disk which is used for getting these commands.
• Theses commands help to perform some specific task.
• These are stored in a secondary storage device.

Commands	Description	Syntax
MORE	Using TYPE command we can see the content of any file. But if length of file is greater than 25 lines then remaining lines will scroll up. To overcome through this problem we uses MORE command. Using this command we can pause the display after each 25 lines.	C:\>TYPE [File name]| MORE
MEM	This command displays free and used amount of memory in the computer.	C:\>MEM [Drive name]
SYS	This command is used for copy system files to any disk. The disk having system files are known as Bootable Disk, which are used for booting the computer.	C:\>SYS [Drive name]
XCOPY	When we need to copy a directory instant of a file from one location to another the we uses xcopy command. This command is much faster than copy command.	C:\>XCOPY [Source dirname] [Target dirname]
MOVE	Move command is used for moving one file or multiple files from one location to another location or from one disk to another disk.	C:\>MOVE [File name] [Path name]
FC	This command is capable for comparing two set of files and display difference between two files.	C:\>FC [First set of file] [Second set of file]
CHKDSK	This command is used to check the status of a disk and show the report of result status.	C:\> CHKDSK
SORT	This command is useful when we want to sort a file. When we run this command the result can be get to display device or file.	C:\>SORT /R [Input file name] [Output file name] Where R is the sorting order.
FIND	The FIND command is used to search a file for a text string.	C:\>FIND "String to search" [File name]
DISKCOPY	DISKCOPY copies the contents of a floppy disk to another.	C:\>DISKCOPY [drive1] [drive2]
ATTRIB	Sets the various type of attribute to a file. Like read only, archive, hidden and system attribute.	C:\>ATTRIB [± r] [± a] [± h] [± s]  [File name] here r-for read only, a-for archive, h-for hidden, s-for hidden attribute.
LABEL	If you are not happy with the volume label of hard disk, you can change it.	C:\>LABEL
FORMAT	This command creates new track & sectors in a disk.	C:\> FORMAT [Drive name] [/S] If you include S it will transfer system files after formatting the disk.