External DOS Commands
External DOS Commands
External DOS commands are not built into the COMMAND.COM shell (the MS-DOS command interpreter). These commands are stored as separate files, usually with .EXE or .COM extensions. When an external command is used, DOS loads the corresponding file from disk into memory to execute it.
Characteristics of External DOS Commands
Some of the characteristics are as follows:
- Stored in external files like
.EXEor.COM - Must be available in the current directory or system PATH
- Loaded into memory when the command is called
- Not available if the command file is missing
📄 Examples
| Command | Description | File Type |
|---|---|---|
| FORMAT | Formats a disk for use with DOS | .COM |
| XCOPY | Copies directories and subdirectories | .EXE |
| DISKCOPY | Copies the complete contents of one floppy to another | .COM |
| CHKDSK | Checks the status of a disk and displays a report | .EXE |
| EDIT | Opens a basic text editor | .EXE |
| DELTREE | Deletes a directory and all its subdirectories | .EXE |
| FDISK | Used to partition a hard drive | .EXE |
| SYS | Transfers system files to make a disk bootable | .COM |
💡 Tip
To use these commands, make sure their corresponding files are present in your DOS environment, typically found in the C:\DOS or C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND directory.
