TOPIC 1 DISK OPERATING SYSTEM (DOS)

1

TOPIC 1

DISK OPERATING SYSTEM (DOS)

LEARNING OUTCOME

At the end of the topic, students will be able to:

1. understand some basic commands in DOS using Command Shell and

PowerShell

2. differentiate between GUI and command-line approaches

CONTENT

1.1. Introduction

DOS stands for Disk Operating System was the first commercial operating

system developed by Microsoft. This operating system comes in package

with the new Windows operating systems for troubleshooting and as a

failover mechanism for Windows.

1.2. Windows Command Shell

The Command shell was the first shell built into Windows to automate routine

tasks, for example user account management or nightly backups. With

Windows Script Host, more sophisticated scripts could be run in the

Command shell.

Windows has two command shells: The Command shell and PowerShell.

Similarities between the two shells are: each shell is a software program that

provides direct communication between users and the operating system or

application, and providing an environment to automate IT operations.

2

Differences between the two shells are:

PowerShell was designed to extend the capabilities of the Command

shell to run PowerShell commands called cmdlets. Cmdlets provide a

more extensible scripting language than Windows commands.

Windows Commands and PowerShell cmdlets can be run in

Powershell, but the Command shell can only run Windows Commands

and not PowerShell cmdlets.

1.3. Common DOS Commands

To access the Windows command prompt in Windows 8 and 10, navigate to

the Start screen and type Command Prompt. Click Command Prompt.

In Windows 7, click Start and type Command Prompt in the Search programs

and files field. Click Command Prompt to continue.

Figure 1.3 Example of a command prompt screen

At the command prompt, type help and press Enter. A list of commands is

displayed. For more information on a specific command, type the command

followed by /?. Example: date /?

Next section presents some common DOS commands.

3

1.3.1. Create and Change Directory

1. Type cd at the command prompt to displays the current directory. The

current directory is different to each workstation. Write your current

directory.

2. Type dir to list the files and folders that is in the current directory.

3. In the current directory, use the md command to create three new folders:

OS1, OS2, and OS3. Type md OS1 and press Enter. Repeat the step for

OS2 and OS3.

4. Command dir can be used to verify the success of creating the folders.

Type dir to verify the folders have been created. Show the screenshot of

the output.

5. Type cd OS3 at the command prompt and press Enter. Has the current

directory changed? Write your directory.

6. Type cd .. to change the current directory. What is your directory now?

Remark: Each .. is a shortcut to move up one level in the directory tree.

<Screenshot>

4

1.3.2. Create text files

1. Navigate to the OS1 directory.

2. Type echo I love Operating Systems > doc1.txt at the command

prompt.

echo: to display a message at the command prompt.

> : to redirect the message from the screen to a file.

For example, in the first line, the message I love Operating Systems

is redirected into a new file named doc1.txt.

3. Use the echo command to create these files: doc2.txt, file1.txt, and

file2.txt by using the same message I love Operating Systems.

4. Use the dir command to verify the files are in the OS1 folder. Show the

screenshot of the output.

1.3.3. Move, copy and delete files

1. Navigate to the OS1 directory.

2. Type move doc2.txt C:\<your directory path>\OS2 to move the file

doc2.txt to the OS2 directory.

<Screenshot>

5

3. Type cd C:\<your directory path>\OS2 to change the directory to OS2.

Verify that doc2.txt has been moved using the dir command.

4. Type copy doc2.txt doc2_copy.txt to create a copy of doc2.txt.

5. Now use the move command to move doc2_copy.txt to OS1. Type move

doc2_copy.txt ..\OS1.

6. Change the current directory to OS1. Type cd ..\OS1 at the prompt.

7. Move file1.txt and file2.txt into OS3. To move all the files that

contain the word file into OS3 with one command, use a wildcard (*)

character to represent one or more characters. Type move file*.txt

..\OS3.

8. Now delete doc2_copy.txt from the OS1 directory. Type del

doc2_copy.txt.

9. Write the current files in the OS1, OS2, and OS3 directory.

Directory OS1 OS2 OS3

Current files

1.4. Common PowerShell Commands

In Windows 10, from the taskbar, in the search text field, type powershell.

Then, click or tap the ‘Windows PowerShell’ result.

In Windows 7, click Start and type powershell in the Search programs and

files field. Click Windows PowerShell to continue.

To run PowerShell as administrator, right-click (touchscreen users: tap and

hold) on the Windows PowerShell search result, then click or tap ‘Run as

administrator’.

6

Figure 1.4 Example of a Windows PowerShell screen

1.4.1 File system directory

1. Type dir at the prompt. Is the output similar to the Command Shell

output? Write the difference is the answer is NO.

2. Type Get-ChildItem at the prompt. Is the output similar to the step (1)?

Write the difference is the answer is NO.

3. In PowerShell, when you run the DIR command, you are really running the

Get-ChildItem cmdlet.

4. By default Get-ChildItem lists the mode (Attributes), LastWriteTime,

file size (Length), and the Name of the item. Attributes in the Mode

property are as follows:

Mode Description

l link

d directory

a archive

r read-only

h hidden

s system

A cmdlet -- pronounced command-let -- is a small, lightweight

command that is used in the Windows PowerShell environment.

7

5. Type Get-Location at the prompt to display the current working

directory.

6. Type Set-Location –Path “<directory path>:\” cmdlet to sets the

current working directory to a specified directory.

Example: Set-Location –Path “D:\” – this command sets the current

directory to the D directory.

1.4.2 List active processes on a computer

1. Type cmdlet Get-Process to display all active processes on a local

computer.

2. To get data about a process, use ProcessName or Id parameter to the

Get-Process cmdlet.

Figure 1.4.2. Example of Get-Process cmdlet output

1.4.3. Create a directory and files

1. Sets your preferred working directory using the Set-Location cmdlet.

2. New-Item is the cmdlet to create directories and files.

3. To create a directory:

New-Item -Path "<directory path>" -Name "<directory name>"

-ItemType "directory"

Example:

New-Item -Path "D:\" -Name "OSShell" -ItemType "directory"

8

4. To create a file:

1.4.4. Set and display file content

1. Set-Content is the cmdlet to write new content or replace the existing

content.

2. Use Add-Content cmdlet to append a value to text files.

3. Get-Content is the cmdlet to display content at the specified file.

New-Item -Path “<directory path>” -Name "<file name>.<file

format>" -ItemType "file"

Example:

New-Item –Path “D:\OSShell” -Name "fileOS1.txt" -ItemType

"file"

Set-Content -Path .\<file name>.<file format> -Value '<type the

value>'

Remark: . represents the current directory. You can use . as a

shortcut rather than write the full current directory path.

Example:

Set-Content -Path .\fileOS1.txt -Value 'I love operating systems'

Add-Content -Path .\<file name>.<file format> -Value 'type the

value'

Example:

Add-Content -Path .\fileOS1.txt -Value 'I love Universiti Tun

Hussein Onn Malaysia'

Get-Content -Path .\<file name>.<file format>

Example:

Get-Content -Path .\fileOS1.txt

9

1.4.5. Delete items

The Remove-Item cmdlet deletes one or more items. The cmdlet can be used

to delete many different types of items, including files, folders, registry keys,

variables, aliases, and functions.

Remove-Item <directory path>

Example:

Remove-Item D:\OSShell\fileOS1.txt

OR

Remove-Item .\fileOS1.txt

10

TOPIC 1: DISK OPERATING SYSTEM (DOS)

Activity 1

Name : ………………………………………………………

Matric Number : ………………..

Instruction: Please detach this activity page(s) from the booklet and

attach as a cover for your answer sheets.

1. In order to better understanding of DOS, you are required to define what

are:

a) Syntax:

b) Paths

c) Command line interface

d) Batch files

2. Using the help command in a Command Shell, differentiate the following

commands:

a) COPY and XCOPY

b) ERASE and RMDIR

3. Do the following steps using the Windows Powershell. Show the

screenshot for each of the step.

a) Create a new directory MyOS.

b) Set the current directory location to the MyOS.

c) Create two text files: OSText1.txt and OSText2.txt.

d) Insert the following values to the OSText1.txt. The values must be in

separate five lines.

Tips for taking online classes Part 1

1. Treat an online course like a real course.

2. Hold yourself accountable

3. Practice time management.

4. Create a regular study space and stay organized.

11

e) Insert the following values to the OSText2.txt. The values must be in

separate five lines.

f) Display the content from OSText1.txt.

g) Display the content from OSText2.txt.

h) Identify the use of TotalCount parameter with the Get-Content cmdlet

to display the first 3 lines from both of the text files.

Tips for taking online classes Part 2

1. Eliminate distractions.

2. Figure out How You Learn Best

3. Actively participate.

4. Leverage your network.

12

REFERENCES

1. Moeller, J. (2013).The Windows Command Line Beginner's Guide. 2nd

edition. Azure Flame Media, LLC.

2. Microsoft (2021). What is Power Shell? Retrieved on 3/10/2021 from:

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-

us/powershell/scripting/overview?view=powershell-7.1