Dos is Boss

Norm · Post by **Norm** » Fri Oct 26, 2001 2:02 pm

Anyone want to know anything about Dos ?

I've got about half an hour to spare, and don't want to waste it replying to recent issues.

Fire away>>>>>

Humboldt · Post by **Humboldt** » Fri Oct 26, 2001 2:05 pm

I got one

Once you're in the correct directory, is there a way to move down the directory without typing file names?

I assume not, since there could be several possible paths...

but you can move UP a path with the . and .. so why not down?

Silver · Post by **Silver** » Fri Oct 26, 2001 2:08 pm

OK, In dos can I copy windows files over. Say, I have a dual boot machine win2k and 98. I want to pull a file from c:win98\mydocuments\file.* and put it in c:\nt\desktopandsettings\administrator\desktop\file.* How do I go about copieing this.

Also in dos, when I do a netstat, are there ways around that. Speaking from a security standpoint. Basically if I think someone is connected to my machine, and I do a netstat or netstat -a are there ways for a hacker to hide the connection from netstat??

Norm · Post by **Norm** » Fri Oct 26, 2001 2:11 pm

Originally posted by Humboldt
I got one

Once you're in the correct directory, is there a way to move down the directory without typing file names?

I assume not, since there could be several possible paths...

but you can move UP a path with the . and .. so why not down?

Not that I know of, like you said, there are too many paths, how would Dos know which one you wanted to travel down.

Mehmet · Post by **Mehmet** » Fri Oct 26, 2001 2:15 pm

how do you rename files in dos? Is it ren or something?

and um, can you just list the basic commands in dos, for files and stuff?

Norm · Post by **Norm** » Fri Oct 26, 2001 2:18 pm

Originally posted by S1lv3r
OK, In dos can I copy windows files over. Say, I have a dual boot machine win2k and 98. I want to pull a file from c:win98\mydocuments\file.* and put it in c:\nt\desktopandsettings\administrator\desktop\file.* How do I go about copieing this.

copy c:\win98\mydocu~1\file.* c:\nt\deskto~1\admin~1\desktop\
Keep in mind some files are hidden, system, or read only, so the attrib command may be needed first to disable any of those attributes. Also, if using an NTFS filing system, Dos won't see the drive with NTFS.

Also in dos, when I do a netstat, are there ways around that. Speaking from a security standpoint. Basically if I think someone is connected to my machine, and I do a netstat or netstat -a are there ways for a hacker to hide the connection from netstat??

I can't be positive on this, I'm no hacker. But I would assume you're safe and netstat will show any open ports as long as the hacker hasn't got in and taken over your PC already.

Norm · Post by **Norm** » Fri Oct 26, 2001 2:23 pm

Originally posted by vegeto
how do you rename files in dos? Is it ren or something?

and um, can you just list the basic commands in dos, for files and stuff?

Yes it's the rename command, use rename, or ren
eg:

ren c:\windows\mspaint.exe mspaint.old
or
rename c:\windows\mspaint.exe mspaint.old

Here's the commands and syntax for Dos 7

Silver · Post by **Silver** » Fri Oct 26, 2001 2:27 pm

Norm, yer the man. Thanks

SeedOfChaos · Post by **SeedOfChaos** » Fri Oct 26, 2001 2:40 pm

Originally posted by Humboldt
I got one

Once you're in the correct directory, is there a way to move down the directory without typing file names?

I assume not, since there could be several possible paths...

but you can move UP a path with the . and .. so why not down?

Yes, you can.

If you have Win2k, get TweakUI for Win2k. On the "CMD" tab, set both to the [Tab] key. Then in the DosBox you can toggle through files and directories with the tab keys. To limit the selection, type the first character(s) and then cycle with tab through all names that start with those characters.

If you have Win9x/Me, try finding "4DOS" somewhere on the net. It replaces command.exe, it's a DOS-shell. VERY useful, Norm, I'm surprised you never heard of it. Besides the above described function for Win2k it also has many other advantages built in, like a VERY flexible command prompt; I once set mine to display the current disk's free space (also as percentage of total size), time date, and free mem on the top of the screen while keeping the cursor at the normal position. You can color code your Dos directories (like blue for all .mp3 files, bright yellow for all files starting with ab*.*, or whatever file mask dos allows. Also occupies much less RAM than regular MS-DOS. 4DOS was shareware last time I used it.

Cheers,
Ronald

nightowl · Post by **nightowl** » Fri Oct 26, 2001 2:51 pm

are there USB drivers for dos and if there aren't can you make some.......i know you can cause your the DOS master LOL

Norm · Post by **Norm** » Fri Oct 26, 2001 5:26 pm

Originally posted by John
DOS is dead, Bill Gates officially typed "exit" one last time for the press, symbolizing it's death.

Ok, sorry. I won't mention Dos again.

Please change my member status to the vB default, thanks.

Noevo · Post by **Noevo** » Fri Oct 26, 2001 5:48 pm

LONG LIVE DOS!!!! Without it Admins across the country would lose their minds!!

TEH WIN · Post by **TEH WIN** » Fri Oct 26, 2001 6:31 pm

Originally posted by Norm
Ok, sorry. I won't mention Dos again.

Please change my member status to the vB default, thanks.

BMED · Post by **BMED** » Fri Oct 26, 2001 7:04 pm

Hey Norm, I know I'm a little late with my question but here it is.

I have a notebook PC at work in one of the other departments. The tech that uses it has some older programs for testing the Alarm system that run in dos. He has Win98 booting now and would like to change it to boot to dos without having to type anything or force a dos boot command. He basically whats to turn on his PC and have it boot to dos, which he uses the majority of the time now.

I hope you can follow what I'm trying to ask, it seems I use to remember this but age has no mercy on my brain.......

TIA, BMED the undosmaster!

Norm · Post by **Norm** » Fri Oct 26, 2001 7:16 pm

Originally posted by BMED
Hey Norm, I know I'm a little late with my question but here it is.

I have a notebook PC at work in one of the other departments. The tech that uses it has some older programs for testing the Alarm system that run in dos. He has Win98 booting now and would like to change it to boot to dos without having to type anything or force a dos boot command. He basically whats to turn on his PC and have it boot to dos, which he uses the majority of the time now.

I hope you can follow what I'm trying to ask, it seems I use to remember this but age has no mercy on my brain.......

TIA, BMED the undosmaster!

All he needs to do is edit one character in the msdos.sys file.
Change
BootGUI=1 to BootGUI=0

The msdos.sys file is hidden, and is a system file, so to edit it 'show all files' must be checked , and 'hide all known file types' should be unchecked in Start|Settings/Folder Options/View tab.

Right click it once it's visible (msdos.sys) It will be in the root of C:, and select 'properties' uncheck all the boxes.
Then open msdos.sys in 'Notepad' , do the edit and save it.
The next reboot will be to Dos.
To get to windows from there, just type win [enter] Like in the win3.1 days.

BMED · Post by **BMED** » Fri Oct 26, 2001 7:21 pm

Thanks Norm, Again you have lived up to the "DOSMaster" name....so don't change it! Please!

Norm · Post by **Norm** » Fri Oct 26, 2001 7:30 pm

You're welcome BMED, anytime my freind.

I didn't ask to be called DOSMaster, it was just there one day, so I accepted it. I really don't care what I'm called. Most of the people here know I can help with Dos questions, and Windows stuff. I'm not really a master of Dos, just more informed than the newbies that rely on windows to get them through the rough spots.
Dos really is Boss.
If you use Dos below windows, windows MUST comply with what Dos tells it to.

The new OS's like Win2K and XP don't have Dos per se, but they have the 'command line', basically the same thing, just dressed up in 32 bit apps instead of 16 bit and protected memory.

Dos, or the command line is what is needed to avoid formatting for every little problem, so XP and 2K users will be formatting a lot hehe.

Immortal · Post by **Immortal** » Fri Oct 26, 2001 7:35 pm

man.. dos is like the basic brain of the computer..

JamieLee2k · Post by **JamieLee2k** » Fri Oct 26, 2001 7:37 pm

How do you know what to put after a command?

i.e format (what commands can I use)

Norm · Post by **Norm** » Fri Oct 26, 2001 7:43 pm

Originally posted by JLR
How do you know what to put after a command?

i.e format (what commands can I use)

There are switches that can be used for most commands. If you know the command name (eg: format), open a Dos window and type the command format /? then hit [enter] it will give you the syntax and command switches that can be applied to the command.

eg:

copy /?
xcopy /?
edit /?
delete /?
rename /?
attrib /?
That's just a few. Here's a page that has them all. A bit more help and some examples to show you the way.

JamieLee2k · Post by **JamieLee2k** » Fri Oct 26, 2001 7:45 pm

dead link^^

BMED · Post by **BMED** » Fri Oct 26, 2001 7:47 pm

Norm, FYI that link is dead!

here it is though:

http://www.speedcorp.net/dos/dos/

Norm · Post by **Norm** » Fri Oct 26, 2001 8:15 pm

hehe, thanks guys, I put an extra space in the URL by mistake

OOPS

BMED · Post by **BMED** » Fri Oct 26, 2001 8:18 pm

Originally posted by Norm
hehe, thanks guys, I put an extra space in the URL by mistake

OOPS

No problem Norm, see age does suck sometimes!

Norm · Post by **Norm** » Fri Oct 26, 2001 8:26 pm

Originally posted by BMED

No problem Norm, see age does suck sometimes!

Yes, age does suck at times. Always the wrong part of the anatomy though.

But But, that was my thumb that hit the spacebar, honest

Norm · Post by **Norm** » Fri Oct 26, 2001 8:46 pm

Originally posted by John

lmao, chill out Norm- just joking around with you.

I know

I shoulda thrown in a big smile to make it obvious I was kidding.

Dos is Boss no matter what Gates says