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Partial DOS. Welcome to the Command Line Interface. Operating System Traits. An OS only works with one type of processor X86 processors for us; Motorola for Mac Must understand the CPU’s abilities How much memory it can use What commands it understands and how to use them
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Partial DOS Welcome to the Command Line Interface
Operating System Traits • An OS only works with one type of processor • X86 processors for us; Motorola for Mac • Must understand the CPU’s abilities • How much memory it can use • What commands it understands and how to use them - You can write “High Level Code” and compile it for different processors
Traits, cont. • OS starts running immediately after the POST test • Takes control of the computer from the POST test • Continues running until computer is rebooted or shut down • Can’t stop OS without stopping computer
Traits, cont. • Application Programs can’t run without an OS • Word Processor, Spreadsheet, Web browser • Programmers write applications to run under a specific OS • We can compile application(s) for different OSs
Functions of an OS • Must communicate with the hardware • Must create a User Interface • Must present available installed programs • Allow user to add, move and delete installed programs
Organizing Programs and Data • To the computer, its all a file • The OS is one, or more, file(s) • Programs are file(s) • Data is stored in file(s) * Computer can only run three types of files: - .COM files (compiled) - .EXE files (also compiled) - .BAT files (text files)
Types of Files OS files Application files Data Files Games ???
Naming Drives • Use single letter only, followed by a colon • A: and B: reserved for floppy drive(s) • C: to Z: for hard disk, or other, drives • Maximum of 26 drives at any one time • Change drives (change focus) by typing drive letter (and colon) and press <Enter>
Naming Files • 8.3 convention (DOS): • Up to eight characters for name • Up to three characters for file extension • Can’t use “special characters” – stick to letters and numbers and no spaces • My File is not valid • MyFile01 is valid file name • File names must be unique
Directories • Directories can hold data or directories or both • Directory names are eight characters (or less) • Directory names do not have an extension (99.99% of the time – Word Perfect used extensions to baffle users)
Organizing Files • Use directories and subdirectories; start with Root Directory (C:\) Root Directory C:\ Apps Data Stuff This is legal since fully qualified file name is: C:\Data\Jan\MyFile01 Jan Feb Mar MyFile01 MyFile01 File name here is: C:\Data\Feb\MyFile01
Path • Fully Qualified Name is also the Path (to the file): • C:\Data\Jan\MyFile01 File Name Path
Building DOS • Three main files and two optional files • IO.SYS which is basic device drivers • MSDOS.SYS more drivers and where optional files plug into the OS • COMMAND.COM which is the User Interface • IO.SYS and MSDOS.SYS are hidden files; COMMAND.COM is visible file in directory listing • Optional files are: CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT – both are text files
The Command Prompt Focus Directory (Root) C:\>_ Drive Letter Command Prompt (flashing)
Internal and External • Internal commands are: • Found within COMMAND.COM much like chapters in the textbook • Can be run from any “location” on any drive • External commands are: • Programs in their own file • Have to be available to DOS via directory or path
Internal Commands • DIR for directory listing • CD to change directory • MD to make a directory under the current directory • RD to remove a directory (has to be empty) • DEL to delete a file • COPY to copy a file from one location to another (and, optionally, to change name of file)
External Commands • FDISK to partition a hard disk drive • FORMAT to format (prepare for data) a disk drive • SYS to copy system boot files to the location specified (has to be root directory)
Boot Disk • Enough files (three for DOS) to load an operating system • Windows requires too many files to fit on a boot disk • Remember www.bootdisk.com – it might come in handy one day
Virtual Disk • The boot disk that Windows 98 makes will build a virtual disk in RAM, unpack several files and report to you the drive letter assigned • This is a cute way to get ten pounds into a five-pound bag
New Directories • When you make a (new) directory, DOS (and Windows) creates two files in that directory • One is DOT (.) which holds information about the new directory • The other is Double Dot (..) which holds information about the parent directory