10 Helpful Tips for MS-DOS

For those who still have any memory of the era before Windows, the DOS window is something nostalgic from long ago, something like an Elfstedentocht… But the MS-DOS window is still there! And you can do more with it than you might think. Therefore: 10 MS-DOS Tips!

Tip 1: DOS on the taskbar

Click on the Startbutton of Windows and tap CMD† If the hit Command Prompt appears, right click on it to choose the context menu option Pin to taskbar† As a result, the Command Prompt (= the DOS window) is placed on the taskbar.

Tip 2: DOS as administrator

You can click the Command Prompt icon on the taskbar with the left mouse button to open the DOS window directly. You can also use the right mouse button twice: once to open the context menu of the Command Prompt icon and once to bring up the context menu of the Command Prompt menu option. After which you have the option to start the Command Prompt as an administrator.

Tip 3: DOS more readable

Set by default, it is not pleasant to work with the DOS window. Right-click twice on the Command Prompt icon, which is already on the taskbar. Choose the context menu option Characteristics† Get to work on the tabs Colors and Font style† Choose nice contrasting colors and also set a larger letter. The preview window shows how that works out.

Tip 4: DOS in the right place

When you open the Command Prompt, you will arrive – by default – in your user folder. And after that it can be a hassle to use the DOS command CD to get to the right place. That must be different!

Press Windows key+R and start the tool regedit† Once the Registry Editor has started, go to the key HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTDirectoryshellcmd† Right click on that key and choose Permissions† Press the button Advanced and then at the section Owner on the button Modify† Set yourself up as the new owner of the key and then check the option Replace owner of child containers and objects†

When that’s done, go the Users – you are one of them – it Full management to give. Returning to the aforementioned key, enter the parameter name HideBasedOnVelocityId is replaced by ShowBasedOnVelocityId† Then go to a folder in Windows Explorer, hold shift pressed and right click. To be able to use the context menu option from now on Open command window here†

Tip 5: List of files

With the Command Prompt, go to a folder whose contents you want to put on paper. Then give these two commands: DIR >map.txt and DIR /s >maps.txt† The first command puts the contents of the root directory in the file map.txt† The second command puts the contents of the root folder and all subfolders in the file folders.txt†

In a folder with mp3 files you could also try this command: DIR *.mp3 /s >mp3files.txt† Then use Notepad to open the created txt files.

Tip 6: Throw away very quickly

Using the Command Prompt you can quickly delete files and (sub)folders. Using the Command Prompt, navigate to a folder whose contents you want to delete. You can use the command DEL *.* /s to delete all files in all (sub)folders. You confirm this with Y. Then optionally with the command RMDIR † /s to discard all subdirectories. Even now you confirm that with Y†

The root folder cannot be thrown away at this point, because you are in it with the DOS window.

Tip 7: Look at the network card(s)

Open the DOS window and give the command IPCONFIG† You will then see the IP configuration of the network card(s). In this way you will find out – for example – whether your IP addresses have been properly configured. If you want to know more about that, you can IPCONFIG /ALL to attempt. And if you then get the idea that your web browser is not responding well, try IPCONFIG /FLUSHDNS but once.

Tip 8: Save energy

Open the DOS window as administrator and give the command POWERCFG /LIST† You will then see all power plans and you will also see which power plan is active. The command POWERCFG /ENERGY can tell you if there are problems with your computer’s power management.

Tip 9: Repair using DOS

Go to the DOS window as administrator. To find out if the operating system is still working properly, use this command: SFC /VERIFYONLY† Then be patient. If it turns out that something is not right, you can perform a repair stroke using this command: SFC /SCANNOW† In practice you can tackle a lot of Windows problems this way!

Tip 10: Close via DOS

Open the DOS window and give the command SHUTDOWN /?† You will then be shown all the options with which you can log yourself out of Windows and with which you can also close Windows (in various ways). The command SHUTDOWN /S will shut down the computer.

Using the command SHUTDOWN /R you can restart the computer cleanly. Don’t forget the command SHUTDOWN /HYBRID not, because that will shut down the computer so that it can start super fast next time.

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