What is the DOS on the computer?

Answer 1

DOS commonly refers to the family of closely related operating systems which dominated the IBM PC compatible market between 1981 and 1995 (or until about 2000, if Windows versions 95, 98, and Me are included) : PC-DOS, MS-DOS, FreeDOS, DR-DOS, Novell-DOS, OpenDOS, PTS-DOS, ROM-DOS and several others. They are single user, single task systems. MS-DOS from Microsoft was the most widely used. These operating systems ran on IBM PC type hardware using the Intel x86 CPUs or their compatible cousins from other makers. MS-DOS is still common today and was the foundation for many of Microsoft's operating systems (from Windows 1.0 through Windows Me). MS-DOS was later abandoned as the foundation for their operating systems.

Answer 2

As others have stated, it stands for Disk Operating System, and yes, it no longer is the direct method used to perform disk operations, like dir(show all files in a folder(directory), copy, format, attrib(change a file's attributes), and quite a few others are now handled by the GUI (graphical user interface) ie; mouse. The functions and commands are still there though. They are in the system32 folder and are still the same powerfull tools they were back when if you worked with a computer, you did it from the command line, a black screen with the c:>\ prompt. To us old timers, it still is a valuable tool for many reasons, one example is to change a files extension, the 3 characters to the right of the period. Try doing that in windows easily.
The attrib tool is particularly useful. Open a DOS window some time, yes, even XP has that function and type CD\ . This will take you to the root directory of your harddrive. Then type attrib . You will be presented with a list of all the files in the root directory and their attributes. Attribute settings determine if the file is an archive, hidden or not, a system file, read only or read and write. I bet they flew by and you couldn't see them all didn't they. Try entering this command "attrib |more. The symbol in front of the m is the broke vertical bracket, it's on the same key as the \. This is how you stop the display at a full screen so you can see the files.It's another DOS command and it's still there.
This is beyond the scope of your question but the most powerful DOS based command/program only available thru a command prompt is debug. It allows you to edit or fix files and disk problems at the byte level. Now, I must tell you there are utilities sold that, once again, are based upon the GUI approach of windows for doing some of these repair functions, however, I haven't seen one yet that can fix a floppy disk that won't read. There may be one, but I haven't found a floppy yet I couldn't repair thru debug that wasn't physically damaged.
Most computer users have no reason to understand or use the command line, and that's a good thing. Windows opened the world of computers with the point and click GUI to make it easier for all to use. But the core tools of how it's done haven't changed as yet. Not to bore, just the facts...

Answer 3

DOS stands for Disk Operating System, which is now usually shortened to OS (Operating System). The OS for your computer will be something like Windows, Linux, OSX.

DOS usually refers to (Microsoft's) operating system that only had a command line, meaning you had to type in which folders you wanted to browse to and which programs you wanted to run. In Windows, obviously all of this is done with pointing and clicking.

Answer 4

DOS is nothin but a disk operating system which takes the command n executes in the digital form that is 1's&0's.It is required for every system to load the boot files since all of them or digital signatured files which can be viwed in dos only

Answer 5

DOS stands for Disk Operating System. IT was the original Microsoft OS, used a long time ago, included in each Microsoft OS for backwards compatibility.

Answer 6

DOS stands for Disk Operating System, and it's what used to run our systems, BEFORE we alllll switched to new puters and Windoze..
there is still an access to DOS from windoze, butttt, it's not wise to use it unless you have a really severe problem and know what you're doing there..
otherwise, you'll have a realllllllllly severe problem..

Answer 7

DOS= ms dos to run pc dos games in full dosmode & have full system memory in high mode to run the games ,games from the windows 98 will work on windows xp