Unit -3:

Operating system and services

Dos History->

MS-DOS acronym for Microsoft Disk Operating System) is an operating

system for x86-based personal computers mostly developed by Microsoft.
Collectively, MS-DOS, its rebranding as IBM PC DOS, and some operating
systems attempting to be compatible with MS-DOS, are sometimes referred to
as “DOS” (which is also the generic acronym for disk operating system). MS-
DOS was the main operating system for IBM PC compatible personal
computers during the 1980s and the early 1990s, when it was gradually
superseded by operating systems offering a graphical user interface (GUI), in
various generations of the graphical Microsoft Windows operating [Link]-
DOS

Files and directories

In a computers data is stored in files. When you run a program, MS-DOS
processes the data stored in the file and passes it to the system.
In MS-DOS a file can be any size, however the file name is more restricted, it
can only have a maximum length of 8 characters plus 3 for the extension.

Furthermore, the files can only contain the following characters:

letters A to Z
numbers 0 to 9
the following special characters: $~! # % & – { } ( ) @ „ _ ^
Thus filenames must not contain:

spaces
commas
backslash
dot (apart from the dot that separates the name and the extension)

Directories
A directory is a location for storing files on your computer. Directories are
found in a hierarchical file system, such as Linux, MS-DOS, OS/2, and UNIX.

In the picture to the right is an example of the tree command output that shows
all the local and subdirectories (e.g., the “big” directory in the cdn directory).
When looking at this overview, the C: drive is considered the current
directory and root directory because there is nothing beneath it and you can‟t go
back any further. If you are using an operating system with multiple user
accounts, the directory may also be referred to as a home directory.

Internal and External command->

[Link] commands: The internal commands are those commands that are
automatically loaded in the memory. Some commonly used DOS internal
commands are
1 Cls 2. Dir 3. Date 4. Time 5. Ver 6. Copycon 7. Type 8. Ren
[Link] 10. MD 11. CD 12. RD 13. Copy

1) Cls :- The purpose of this command is to clear the display screen and
redisplay the Dos prompt at the top left corner of the screen.
Syntax:- C : / > Cls
2) Dir:- It displays the list of directories and files on the screen.
Syntax:- C : / > dir. a. C : / > dir/p – It displays the list of directories or files
page wise b. C: / > dir/w- It displays the list of directories or files width
wise c. C : / > dir/d: –It display list of directories or files in drive D d. C : /
> dir filename . extension – It displays the information of specified file. e. C :
/ > dir file name with wild cards.
Wild cards: – It is the set of special characters wild are used with some
commonly used DOS commands there are two types of wild cards.
1. Asterisk (*˜)2. Question mark (?)
1. Asterisk:- (*) The wild word will match all characters. 1. C : / > dir *.* –
will display list of all files and directories. 2. C : / > dir R*.* – will display all
files stored with first character R.

2. Question mark: – This wild card represents a single character that a group or
files have in common.
1) C : / > dir ac .* ˜- will display all files having any first character and
remaining name has given in command.
2) C : / > dir ??? R . doc-will display all files having extension doc and having
any first three letters and fourth letter is R.
3) Date: – It displays the current system date. User can also change the current
date with new date by using this command.
Syntax: – C : /> dateCurrent date is: sat 3-25-2015Enter of new date (mm-dd-
yy):-
4. Time : – It displays the current systems time user can also change existing
time with new time by using this command.
Syntax : – C : / > timeCurrent time is 12 : 39 – 48 : 36 pEnter new time : –
5. VER : It displays the version of DOS being used currently.
Syntax : – C : / > VerMS – Dos version 6 : 20Copy card .
6. copycon : – The purpose of this command is to create a file.
Syntax : – C : / > copy con filename . extension
Saves the contents of file by pressing ctrl +z key combination at the last time of
the file. File name should not be greater than 11 characters out of which 8
characters are for the name and 3 characters are for the extension.
Extension is optional :Eg : C : / > copy con ramI am a good boy1. File is
copied.C : / >
7. TYPE:- Allows the user to see the contents of a file.
Syntax :- C >Type pathEg: C:/ > Type D:/> ramu
8. REN : – The purpose of this command is to rename the old file name with
new file name.
Syntax : – C : / > ren oldfilename newfilenameC : / > ren ramu somu
9. DEL:- The purpose of this command is to delete file. The user can also delete
multiple files by busing this command and long with while cards.
Syntax : – C : / > Del file name . extension C : / > Del ramu
C : Del x . prg.
10. MD:- The purpose of this command is to create a new directly or sub
directly i.e sub ordinate to the currently logged directly.
Syntax : – C : /> MD directoryC : /> MD sub directory
Ex : C : / > MD collegeNow user wants to create a sub directory first year in
college directory thenC : / > cd collegeC : / > college > Md first year
11. CD : – The purpose of this command is to change from one director to
another directory or sub – directory.
Syntax : – C : / > CD directory name
Ex : C: / > cd collegeC : / > college > CD first yearC : / > college > first year
>If the user wants to move to the parents directory then use CD command asC :
/ > college > first year > cd ….C : / > college >
12 . RD: – The purpose of this command is to remove a directory or sub
directory. If the user wants to remove a directory or sub – directory then first
delete all the files in the sub – directory and then remove sub directory and
remove empty main directory.
13. COPY: The purpose of this command is to copy one or more specified files
to another disk with same file name or with different file name.
Syntax : – C : / > copy source path target pathC : / > copy A :/> ˜ *. * ˜ C : />
chinni

2. External commands: – This commands are not permanent part of the

memory. To execute or run this commands an external file is required.
Example : [.] Dot exe, [Link] commonly used DOS external commands are
.
1. CHKDSK:- The command CHSDK returns the configuration status of the
selected disk. It returns the information about the volume, serial number, total
disk space, space in directories, space in each allocation unit, total memory and
free memory.
Syntax : – C : / > CHKDSK drive nameEg:- C : / > CHKDSK e :If drive
name is not mentioned by default current drive is considered.
2. Diskcopy : – Disk copy command is used to make duplicate copy of the disk
like Xerox copy. It first formats the target disk and then copies the files by
collection. From the source disk and copied to the target disk.
Syntax : – C : / > disk copy < source path > < destination path >Ex: – c : / >
diskcopy A : B :
NOTE: – This command is used after diskcopy command to ensure that disk is
copied successfully.
3. Format : – Format is used to erase information off of a computer diskette or
fixed drive.
Syntax : – C : / > format drive nameEx : C : / > format A:
4. Label : This command is used to see volume label and to change volume
label.
Syntax : C : / > label drive nameEx : C : / > label A:
[Link] : – This utility is used to repair and check various disk errors. It
also defects various physical disk errors and surface [Link] : – C : / >
scandisk < drive names > C : / > Scandisk A :
6. Move : The purpose of move is move to files from one place to another
place.
Syntax: C : / > Move < source path > < target path >
7. Print :This command allowed users to print a text file to a line
[Link] : C : / > Print < files name >C : / > print ramu
8. Tree : This command displays the list of directories and files on specified
path using graphical display. It displays directories of files like a tree.
Syntax:- C : / > tree > pathC : / > tree A:
9. Deltree: This command is used to delete files a directories same as by the del
and RD commands. This command is more useful than del and RD commands
because it completely removes specified directories ie., disk will all it files and
sub – directories at a time.
Syntax:- C : / > deltree (path)
C : / > deltree A:/>ramu

Batch Files->

A batch file is a text file that contains a sequence of commands for a

computer operating system. It‟s called a batch file because it batches
(bundles or packages) into a single file a set of commands that would
otherwise have to be presented to the system interactively from a
keyboard one at a time. A batch file is usually created for command
sequences for which a user has a repeated need. Commonly needed
batch files are often delivered as part of an operating system. You
initiate the sequence of commands in the batch file by simply entering
the name of the batch file on a command line.

In the Disk Operating System (DOS), a batch file has the file name
extension “.BAT”. (The best known DOS batch file is the
[Link] file that initializes DOS when you start the system.)
In UNIX-based operating systems, a batch file is called a shell script. In
IBM‟s mainframe VM operating systems, it‟s called an EXEC.

Types of Operating Systems

An Operating System performs all the basic tasks like managing
file,process, and memory. Thus operating system acts as manager of all
the resources, i.e. resource manager. Thus operating system becomes
an interface between user and machine.

Types of Operating Systems: Some of the widely used operating

systems are as follows-

1. Batch Operating System –

This type of operating system does not interact with the computer
directly. There is an operator which takes similar jobs having same
 requirement and group them into batches. It is the responsibility of
operator to sort the jobs with similar needs.

Advantages of Batch Operating System:

 It is very difficult to guess or know the time required by any job to

complete. Processors of the batch systems know how long the job would
be when it is in queue
 Multiple users can share the batch systems
 The idle time for batch system is very less
 It is easy to manage large work repeatedly in batch systems

Disadvantages of Batch Operating System:

 The computer operators should be well known with batch systems

 Batch systems are hard to debug
 It is sometime costly
 The other jobs will have to wait for an unknown time if any job fails

Examples of Batch based Operating System: Payroll System, Bank

Statements etc.

2. Time-Sharing Operating Systems –

Each task is given some time to execute, so that all the tasks work
smoothly. Each user gets time of CPU as they use single system. These
systems are also known as Multitasking Systems. The task can be from
single user or from different users also. The time that each task gets to
execute is called quantum. After this time interval is over OS switches
over to next task.

Advantages of Time-Sharing OS:

 Each task gets an equal opportunity

 Less chances of duplication of software
 CPU idle time can be reduced

Disadvantages of Time-Sharing OS:

 Reliability problem
 One must have to take care of security and integrity of user programs
and data
 Data communication problem

Examples of Time-Sharing OSs are: Multics, Unix etc.

3. Distributed Operating System –

These types of operating system is a recent advancement in the world of
computer technology and are being widely accepted all-over the world
and, that too, with a great pace. Various autonomous interconnected
computers communicate each other using a shared communication
network. Independent systems possess their own memory unit and CPU.
These are referred as loosely coupled systems or distributed systems.
These system‟s processors differ in size and function. The major benefit
of working with these types of operating system is that it is always
possible that one user can access the files or software which are not
actually present on his system but on some other system connected
within this network i.e., remote access is enabled within the devices
connected in that network.

Windows operating environment

Microsoft Windows Features
Microsoft Windows is an operating system created by Microsoft for PC
computers. An operating system is the software utilized to run and
manage programs and functions on the computer. Windows updates and
adds to its features with each release, however some of the features it is
known for are Windows Live, Windows Search, Windows Updates and
Windows Taskbar.
Control Panel
The Control Panel is a section of Microsoft Windows that enables a
user to change various computer hardware and software features.
Settings for the mouse, display, sound, network, and keyboard represent
a few examples of what may be modified in the Control Panel. Below
are some examples of how the Control Panel appeared in Windows.

The evolution of the Windows Control Panel

Taskbar
The taskbar is an element of an operating system located at the bottom
of the screen. It allows you to locate and launch programs
through Start and the Start menu, or view any program that is currently
open. The taskbar first introduced with Microsoft Windows 95and can
be found in all subsequent versions of Windows. It also allows them to
check the date and time, items running in the background through
the Notification Area, and with early versions of Windows access to
the Quick Launch.

Desktop
A desktop may refer to any of the following:

1. A desktop is a term commonly used to describe a desktop

computer or system unit.

2. When referring to an operating system or GUI (graphical user

interface), the desktop is a system of organization of icons on a screen.
The Microsoft Windows desktop was first introduced
with Microsoft Windows 95 and included with every version of
Windows since then. The image below is an example of the
Microsoft Window
Windows Application
Windows Application is a user build an application that can run on a
Windows platform. The windows application has a graphical user
interface that is provided by Windows Forms. Windows forms provide a
variety of controls including Button, TextBox, Radio Button,
CheckBox, and other data and connection controls. You can easily
design a web application using an IDE Microsoft Visual Studio using a
variety of languages including C#, Visual Basic, C++, J# and many
more

Icon

An icon is a small graphical representation of a program or file. When

you double-click an icon, the associated file or program will be opened.
For example, if you were to double-click on the My Computer icon, it
would open Windows Explorer. Icons are a component
of GUI operating systems, including Apple macOS X and Microsoft
Windows. Icons help users quickly identify the type of file represented
by the icon. The image to the right is an example of “My Computer”
icons in different versions of Microsoft Windows.

Windows Accessories – Operating

Systems
Windows operating system ships with some handy applications known
as Windows accessories. Calculator, Notepad, Paint, Explorer, WordPad
are some of the most frequently used accessories.

Apart from above mentioned applications, Windows has a few tools for
Ease of Access and some System Tools. We‟ll be briefly talking about
them here.

Calculator

Calculator is a calculating application included in all the versions of

Windows. It can be used to perform simple calculation, scientific
calculation and Programming calculation.
Notepad

Notepad is a generic text editor included with all versions of Microsoft

Windows that allows you to create, open, and read plaintext files. If the
file contains special formatting or is not a plaintext file, it will not be
able to be read in Microsoft Notepad. The image to the right is a small
example of what the Microsoft Notepad may look like while running.

Paintbrush is a raster image editor for Mac OS X. It aims to

replace Mac Paint, an image editor for the classic Mac OS last released
in 1988. It also is an alternative to MS Paint. It has basic raster image
editing capabilities and a simple interface designed for ease of use. It
exports as PNG, JPG, BMP, GIF, and TIFF. The application also is
often used for pixel art because of its grid option, and is not made for
large scale images or GIMP or Photoshop-like editing on pictures or
[Link]