Otak Atik [dot] Com » MS-DOS Command Tricks

Commands List in Windows Recovery Console

Edi Kwie — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 07:01:33 +0000

As long my career as a computer technician and have been fix so many computers, I often faced with so many errors on software side. Usually the errors are corrupted file in Windows folder or boot sector. On other side, I am very happy if the error in software side because I don’t need to disassemble it to pieces. And tools to repair the software errors, you just need (almost all errors that shown, can repaired with tools from Microsoft and then best part is all tools has bundles in Windows CD).

Usually, if I get an error with my Windows, I restart it and when BIOS has loaded, press F5 key to enter in Safe Mode or press F8 to display the boot menu, after entering in safe mode, I disable some startup menu, disable service, decrease screen resolution or decrease VGA refresh rate and ‘light errors’ usually will be gone. And if I get errors on harddisk such as boot sector I always using the Recovery Console to fix it. To enter the Recovery Console, reboot computer with Windows Setup CD (insert Windows Setup CD first and then reset your computer)

After you’re entering Windows setup menu, just follow the instruction until you’ll asked with Recovery Console in options list and choose the Recovery Console option with press R key then you’ll bring to MSDOS console. If you asked the active Windows (if you have more than 1 Windows installation in 1 computer, you need take attention here) choose your current Windows but if you just have one Windows installation in computer, just press 1 key. And if you set password for Administrator account, you’ll asked for password, just type the password.

OK, this time, I want share its commands list and I think it will help you, specially for newbie user. I was tested all commands in Windows 2000 Recovery Console but I think the commands can also use in Windows XP Recovery Console. And almost all commands can you find in Command Prompt Console because the Recovery Console is also MS-DOS commands and if you want find more about MSDOS commands, click here.

ATTRIB	To changes / set file attributes, to Read-Only (R), System (S), Hidden (H)
BATCH	Run multiple commands that specified in a file
CD	Changes/navigates to certain folder.
CLS	Clears all text on your console window.
CHKDSK	Checks disk health and display its error.
COPY	Copies a single file from one location to another.
DEL	Deletes a single file.
DIR	Displays content of files/folders in current folder.
DISABLE	Disables Windows Services system (I had try on Windows 2000 but I don’t try it yet on Windows XP)
DISKPART	Manages disk partitions. If you type it without parameters, it will display all available partitions.
ENABLE	Enables Windows Services.
EXIT	Quits from Recovery console and restart the computer.
EXPAND	Expands compressed files.
FIXBOOT	Writes a new boot sector onto partitions where your system is installed.
FIXMBR	Repairs the Master Boot Record where located on boot partition (this command will help you a lot)
FORMAT	Formatting the disk.
HELP	Display all Recovery Console commands list.
LISTSCV	Lists all available services and drivers in the system.
MAP	Displays the current drive letter mappings.
MD	Creates a new folders (MKDIR will work on the same way)
MORE	Displays a text file on the console screen.
TYPE	Works like MORE command.
REN	Rename a single file (RENAME will work the same way)
RD	Removes/Deletes directories (RMDIR will work on the same way)
SYSTEMROOT	Specifies that the current folders is the system root.

Hopefully, this article can help you to fix your computer.

Easier Way to Change Folder

Edi Kwie — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 10:44:35 +0000

Even though, this moment is graphical era, there are still many peoples are using MS-DOS or BASH command beside Windows or other GUI operating system. This time I want to discuss about a MS-DOS command that I still using it everyday until this day. I’ll write about a command to change to other directory or folder.

I think you already know that command. Yup, you’re right. The command is cd or chdir. To try this tutorial you can start with open MS-DOS console.

Click Start -> Run menu, enter cmd in box and then press Enter.
To display your current directory, just type cd on prompt then press Enter. (Beside it you can also look it on your prompt, usually the prompt is display the current directory too)
To display the cd command help, type cd/? Then press Enter.
You can change the current directory on other drive. I consider your current drive is C: and you want change directory to directory data on drive D, type cd d:\data. You need to know that, although you’ve changed the current directory on drive D, you don’t jump to D:\Data automatically until you change your drive by type command D: on prompt. If you want to change directory to other directory on other drive and jump to there automatically, just add previous command with parameter /D. So, you need to type cd /d d:\data.
If you have many directories with long name you can try this trick. For example you want to change directory to C:\Data\Otak Atik. You don’t need type the directory name completely, just type cd \da*\ot* then press Enter. You’ll jump to C:\data\Otak Atik automatically. You can also use this trick to complete your command written.
And if you want change to up directory just type cd .. on prompt. Or if you want to change to other directory data on upper directory directly, you can also try this way. For example, if you in directory C:\Data\Otak Atik and want to move to directory C:\Data\Data2, type this command: cd ..\Data2 then Enter. Then you’ll move to upper directory and move to C:\Data\Data2 automatically.
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If you want move to root directory, just type cd\ on prompt.

Use Your Tab Key

Edi Kwie — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 14:47:27 +0000

If you’re a MS DOS user, you’ll need to read this short article.

When Microsoft was limit the file name length to 8 characters, you don’t get any trouble when type its file name on DOS console. But when Microsoft was change the limit to 255 characters, the problem was begin.

If your folder has name: Data you don’t need get sweating to typing it but if its name is: Sales Data On January 2008, you’ll take time to type it. But don’t worry about that, Windows XP has give you a way to make it easier.

At MS-DOS prompt, type first or second letter of your folder or file name. For example, if you have Sales Data On January 2008 folder and you want browse its contains, type dir sa at your prompt then press Tab key then system will write it for you completely and then just press Enter to execute the command.

And if you have two or more similar items name, repeat press Tab until you get your folder name is written at prompt.

That’s so easy, isn’t it?

(article no:0005)