DOS Command List with Syntax, Example, and
Meaning
■ File and Directory Management Commands
Command Syntax Example Meaning
DIR DIR [drive:][path][filename] DIR C:\Documents Displays list of files and folders.
CD CD [directory] CD Music Changes current directory.
MD / MKDIR MD [directory name] MD Projects Creates new directory.
RD / RMDIR RD [directory name] RD OldFiles Deletes empty directory.
DEL DEL [filename] DEL data.txt Deletes files.
COPY COPY [source] [destination] COPY file.txt D:\Backup Copies files.
XCOPY XCOPY [source] [destination] [/S /E] XCOPY C:\Data D:\Backup /S /E Copies directories including subfolders.
MOVE MOVE [source] [destination] MOVE notes.docx D:\Notes Moves files or directories.
REN / RENAME REN [oldname] [newname] REN old.txt new.txt Renames file or folder.
■ System and Disk Management
Command Syntax Example Meaning
CLS CLS CLS Clears screen.
VER VER VER Displays DOS version.
DATE DATE [mm-dd-yyyy] DATE Shows or changes date.
TIME TIME [HH:MM:SS] TIME Shows or changes time.
VOL VOL [drive:] VOL C: Displays volume label and serial number.
LABEL LABEL [drive:] [label] LABEL BACKUP Creates or changes disk label.
CHKDSK CHKDSK [drive:] CHKDSK C: Checks disk for errors.
FORMAT FORMAT [drive:] FORMAT D: Formats disk (erases data).
DISKCOPY DISKCOPY [drive1:] [drive2:] DISKCOPY A: B: Copies contents of one disk to another.
■ System Information and Configuration
Command Syntax Example Meaning
MEM MEM MEM /C Displays memory usage.
PROMPT PROMPT [text] PROMPT $P$G Changes prompt appearance.
PATH PATH [directories] PATH C:\Windows;C:\Tools Sets executable file search paths.
SET SET [variable=value] SET TEMP=C:\TEMP Sets or shows environment variables.
ECHO ECHO [message] ECHO Hello World Displays messages or toggles echo.
MODE MODE [device] [options] MODE COM1:9600,N,8,1 Configures system devices.
■ User and System Control
Command Syntax Example Meaning
EXIT EXIT EXIT Closes command prompt.
PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE Suspends batch execution until key press.
SHUTDOWN SHUTDOWN [/S /R /T time] SHUTDOWN /S /T 0 Shuts down or restarts computer.
TASKLIST TASKLIST TASKLIST Lists running processes.
TASKKILL TASKKILL /IM [processname] /F TASKKILL /IM notepad.exe /F Ends a process.
■ Batch File & Advanced Commands
Command Syntax Example Meaning
CALL CALL [filename] CALL backup.bat Calls another batch file.
IF IF [condition] command IF EXIST test.txt ECHO Found Executes command if condition true.
FOR FOR %variable IN (set) DO command FOR %f IN (*.txt) DO TYPE %f Repeats a command for each file.
GOTO GOTO [label] GOTO End Moves execution to label.
REM REM [comment] REM Backup starts Adds comments in batch files.
■ Networking Commands
Command Syntax Example Meaning
PING PING [hostname/IP] PING google.com Tests network connection.
IPCONFIG IPCONFIG [/ALL] IPCONFIG /ALL Displays network configuration.
NETSTAT NETSTAT [-a] NETSTAT -A Shows connections and ports.
TRACERT TRACERT [hostname] TRACERT google.com Traces route to destination.
NET NET [command] NET VIEW Manages network resources.
