1.
Internal DOS Commands: Internal commands are built-in
commands that are directly loaded into memory when the
operating system starts up. These commands are part of the
command interpreter (COMMAND.COM or CMD.EXE) and do
not require separate executable files. They are generally
used for basic file management and system configuration
tasks. Here are some commonly used internal commands:
DIR: The DIR command displays a list of files and
subdirectories in a directory. It provides information such as
file names, sizes, dates, and attributes.
CD (or CHDIR): The CD command changes the current
directory. You can use it to navigate through the directory
structure and switch to a different directory.
MD (or MKDIR): The MD command creates a new directory or
folder with the specified name. It is used to organize files
and create a directory hierarchy.
RD (or RMDIR): The RD command removes an empty
directory. It is used to delete directories that do not contain
any files or subdirectories.
COPY: The COPY command copies one or more files from one
location to another. It can also be used to combine multiple
files into a single file.
DEL (or ERASE): The DEL command deletes one or more files
from the disk. It permanently removes files, and they cannot
be recovered easily.
REN (or RENAME): The REN command renames a file or
directory. It allows you to change the name of a file or folder
without modifying its contents.
TYPE: The TYPE command displays the contents of a text file.
It is used to view the contents of files without opening them
in an editor.
ECHO: The ECHO command displays messages on the screen
or enables/disables command echoing. It is often used in
batch files to provide instructions or output information.
SET: The SET command sets or displays environment
variables. Environment variables store information such as
system paths, user preferences, and temporary data.
These are some of the commonly used internal DOS commands.
They are readily available and can be accessed directly from the
command prompt.
2. External DOS Commands: External commands are separate executable
files (.EXE or .COM) that reside in specific directories or locations.
Unlike internal commands, they are not loaded into memory when the
operating system starts up. Instead, they need to be called by the
command interpreter when required. External commands are typically
used for specialized tasks and require the corresponding executable
file to be present on the system. Here are some examples of external
DOS commands:
FORMAT: The FORMAT command is used to format a disk or storage
device. It prepares the disk for storing files and sets up the file system.
XCOPY: The XCOPY command copies files and directories, including
subdirectories. It provides additional options such as copying hidden
files, preserving file attributes, and copying only files that have
changed.
ATTRIB: The ATTRIB command displays or modifies the attributes of
files or directories. File attributes include read-only, hidden, archive,
and system attributes.
CHKDSK: The CHKDSK command checks a disk for errors and repairs
them, if possible. It scans the disk's file system, detects issues, and
fixes logical errors.
DEBUG: The DEBUG command starts the MS-DOS debugging tool. It
allows low-level programming tasks such as examining and modifying
memory, executing machine language instructions, and
troubleshooting programs.
FDISK: The FDISK command manages disk partitions on hard drives. It
allows you to create, delete, and modify partitions, as well as set the
active partition.
SCANDISK: The SCANDISK command scans a disk for errors and repairs
them. It performs a thorough check of the disk's surface, file system,
and directory structure to identify
