ARE YOU LOST ALREADY? (Read on below if this applies to you) If you are even more confused after seeing the choices above, you will need to read the following to decide what it is you are wanting to learn.
DOS stands for "Disk operating System". It is what allows you to have directories and run more than one program on your computer. If there where no operating system (OS for short) then you could only run one program on it, whatever that might be. Basically you'd have a stoplight with a keyboard on yer desk! Before the rule of windoze took over the PC world, people actually used the keyboard for something other than chat rooms! Even in this new-age high-tech world of the mouse, DOS is important. Why does windoze make you a DOS emergency boot disk instead of a windoze emergency boot disk?... cuz windoze is too bloated to boot off of a single floppy disk. DOS has to be used to rescue windoze from extinction! If you don't know how to use DOS then you might as well throw that "Emergency Diskette" away cuz you cant save yourself anyway! For those of you new to DOS, everything you need to know is here. For those of you who know DOS like the back of their hand, take a look around, you just might learn a new trick or two... :-)

Use "/?" after ANY DOS command to learn how to use it!!
This works for ALL commands, internal or external, on any version of DOS after version 4! Unfortunately you must know the name of the command you are needing help with. After spending some time on my DOS Internal Commands page you will know what commands are available to you.

INTERNAL COMMANDS ARE:

EXTERNAL COMMANDS ARE:

Programs in the DOS directory (Or in windoze 95, the "C:\Windows\Command" directory). They are utilities, stand alone programs that make DOS more useful. Examples: Defrag, Format, Fdisk, and even the DOS SHELL (DOS 4 and 5). See DOS External Commands for usage of most of them and how to abuse them.

BATCH COMMANDS ARE:

Used in batch files to automate DOS functions. In short, a batchfile is just a string of DOS commands, internal and external. You can start programs from a batchfile, automate hard drive cleanup utilities, or do just about anything your heart desires. While there are limits to what a batchfile can do, usually you can find software over the internet and on bulletin boards that sidestep these limitations. Your Autoexec.bat file is another form of a batch file. Example:

@ECHO OFF
COPY C:\WP51\FILES\*.WP1 A:

This batch file copies all WordPerfect documents to drive A:. To learn how to use batch commands go to BATCH COMMANDS

YOUR CONFIG.SYS FILE

This file is used when your computers boots up. It does things like define how your memory is used, installs device drivers, and configures certain programs. To learn how to configure your config.sys file go to Setting up your Config.sys file.

YOUR AUTOEXEC.BAT FILE

Your computer uses this file to set environment variables like PATH and PROMPT. It also runs programs like virus scanners and mouse drivers. Usually it calls some sort of menu program like windoze 3.11 or POPDOS. To learn how you can create an autoexec.bat file go to Creating an Autoexec.bat file.

ESCAPE SEQUENCES

Escape sequences are Macros for DOS. Some older programs require you to have escape sequences for printer control (Word Perfect 5.1). ESCAPE SEQUENCES