Installation guide

Appendix B.
A Comparison of Common DOS and Linux
Commands
Many Linux commands typed at a shell prompt are similar to the commands you would type in MS-
DOS. In fact, some commands are identical.
This appendix provides common commands used at the MS-DOS prompt in Windows(tm) and their
counterparts in Linux. Basic examples of how the command are used at the Linux shell prompt are
also provided. Note that these commands usually have a number of options. To learn more about each
command, read its associated man page (for example, type man ls at the shell prompt to read about
the ls command).
Command’s
Purpose
MS-DOS Linux Basic Linux Example
Copies files copy cp cp thisfile.txt
/home/thisdirectory
Moves files move mv mv thisfile.txt
/home/thisdirectory
Lists files dir ls ls
Clears screen cls clear clear
Closes prompt
window
exit exit exit
Displays or sets
date
date date date
Deletes files del rm rm thisfile.txt
"Echoes" output on
the screen
echo echo echo this message
Edits files with
simple text editor
edit pico(a) pico thisfile.txt
Compares the
contents of files
fc diff diff file1 file2
Finds a string of
text in a file
find grep grep this word or phrase
thisfile.txt
Formats a diskette format a: (if
diskette is in A:)
mke2fs or
mformat(b)
/sbin/mke2fs /dev/fd0
(/dev/fd0 is the Linux
equivalent of A:)
Displays command
help
command /? man(c) man command
Creates a directory mkdir mkdir mkdir directory
View a file more less(d) less thisfile.txt
Renames a file ren mv mv thisfile.txt
thatfile.txt(e)