Command Line windows XP 1 Learning Objectives After completing this chapter, you will be able to: 1. Define operating system. 2. Define enhancements. 3. Explain the function and purpose of OS version numbers. 4. List some of the types of system configura- tions. 5. Explain the need and procedure for booting the system. 6. Explain the function of disk files. 7. Explain the function of and rules for file specifications. 8. List and explain the importance of the two types of computer files. 9. Describe the function and purpose of com- mands. 10. Compare and contrast internal and external commands. 11. Explain the function and purpose of the DIR, VER, and CLS commands. 12. Explain the purpose of and the procedure for using the DATE and TIME commands. 13. Explain the legal and ethical ramifications of copying disks that were not purchased. 14. Explain the purpose and function of the DISKCOPY command. 15. Explain the necessary steps to end a work session. Student Outcomes 1. Identify your system configuration. 2. Boot the system. 3. Use the DIR command to display the files on the screen. 4. Use the VER command to determine which version of Windows is being used. 5. Use the CLS command to clear the screen. 6. Use the DATE and TIME commands to set or change the date and time on the computer. 7. Make a copy of a disk. 8. End a computer work session. Chapter Overview Most people who use computers are really interested in application software. They want programs that are easy to use and that help them solve specific problems. However, before you can use application software, you must know at least the basics of using the operating system. No computer can work without an operating system in RAM. The Windows operating system takes care of mandatory functions for computer operations such as handling the input and output of the computer, managing computer resources, and running application software. It enables the user to communicate with the computer. In this chapter you will learn about loading the operating system into the computer, use some basic commands, make a copy of the ACTIVITIES disk to use in future activities, learn your system configuration, and identify the version of Win- dows you are using. CHAPTER 1 GETTING STARTED WITH THE OPERATING SYSTEM2 1.1 What Is an Operating System? An operating system is a software program. If you have a microcomputer, com- monly referred to as a PC, that conforms to the standards developed by IBM and uses a microprocessor in the Intel family, you are probably using a version of the Windows operating system. In fact, these computers are sometimes called Wintel machines because they use the Intel processor and run the Windows operating system. You need to load the Windows operating system (the OS) into memory (RAM) before you can use other software programs. The OS is in charge of the hardware components of the computer—the monitor, the keyboard, the printer, etc. You, the user, communicate what you want the computer to do through the OS. These commands are issued by pointing and clicking when in the GUI (Graphical User Interface) or by keying in commands such as TYPE or CLS at the command line prompt. 1.2 Versions of the Operating System (OS) Microsoft periodically releases new versions of the OS to take advantage of new technology. These new upgrades contain enhancements. The term enhancements simply means that more functions and/or commands are available. In addition, new versions of software and operating systems fix problems, called bugs, that appeared in earlier versions. To keep track of these versions, each new version is assigned a number. The first version of Windows 95 was Windows 95 4.00.950, released in 1995. The last Windows 95 version was 95 4.00.1111, known as Windows 95B or OSR2. Also available is a major update of Windows 95 called Windows 98, SE version 4.10.1998. The next version of Windows was Windows Millennium Edition, referred to as Windows Me. These versions of Windows are and were primarily used on personal desktop computers. Windows NT Workstation was a desktop operating system designed primarily for software developers and “power users,” such as engineers who worked on large, powerful applications such as CAD (Computer-Aided Design). Microsoft’s network operating system, Windows NT Server, was primarily used in large corporate environments where it provided network administrators with the ability to manage many networked computers with various security needs. Windows 2000 Professional was the replacement for Windows NT Workstation 4. It was used as a desktop operating system in a networked environment or as a stand-alone operating system. The current version of the Windows operating system is Windows XP. It comes in two distinct versions—Windows XP Home Edition and Windows XP Professional. The two versions are very similar with the primary difference being that in Win- dows XP Home Edition, certain features are disabled. There are also some cosmetic changes that make it easier for the home user. The major differences in the Windows XP Home Edition are: n Backup—Must be installed separately. n Multiprocessor support—Not supported. n Domain-based network support—Not supported. 31.3 OVERVIEW OF FILES AND DISKS n User Administration—Less control over user accounts. Windows XP Home Edition does provide the ability to set up user accounts for multiple users on the same computer as well as providing levels of security. However, Windows XP Professional has a much more robust set of user account administration. n File Encryption—Not supported on NTFS formatted disks. n Remote Desktop—Not supported. This feature allows a user to see the desktop of another computer. n Offline Files and Folders—Not supported. This feature allows you to copy files from a server to a notebook computer or to work offline from a server. n Upgrades—Cannot upgrade to Windows XP Home Edition from Windows NT or 2000. You can upgrade from Windows 98 or Windows Me to either version of Windows XP. There are also other versions of XP designed either for very fast processing of large amounts of data or for server-based computing. These include Windows XP 64-bit Edition which runs on the (now) new version of Intel’s 64-bit Itanium proces- sor. The 64 Bit Edition supports not only 32-bit applications but provides a much more efficient environment for the processing of very large amounts of data, such as those used on high-end engineering, scientific, and graphics workstations. In this light are the releases of the Windows .NET Server and Advanced Server. These are designed to run on servers rather than on workstations. Servers are those computers that provide services to other computers on network. There will be releases of 32-bit server versions as well but they will be labeled Windows .NET Servers. This text will focus on Windows XP Professional, though much of the information is applicable to most versions of the Windows operating system. It is assumed in this textbook that Windows XP Professional is installed on your computer. If you are working on your own computer and have not installed or upgraded to Windows XP Professional, refer to the documentation that came with the Windows software so you can initiate the installation or upgrade. If you are in a laboratory environment, a version of Windows will be available for you. 1.3 Overview of Files and Disks You need a way to store information permanently. In the computer world, the primary way to save data and programs permanently is to store them on a disk. After you have booted your computer, the OS reads the programs or data it needs from the disk into its memory. However, in order for Windows to find this informa- tion, it has to have a way of organizing it, which it does by keeping programs and data in files on the disk. Just as you organize your written work in files, Windows organizes computer information in disk files. A disk file is much like a file folder stored in a file cabinet. The file cabinet is the floppy disk or the hard disk. A file consists of related information stored on the disk in a “folder” or directory with a unique name. Information with which a computer works is contained and stored in files on the disk. (See Figure 1.1.) CHAPTER 1 GETTING STARTED WITH THE OPERATING SYSTEM4 Rocks Trees Oak Fir Yew Oak Fir Yew Trees Figure 1.1Disks and Files 1.4 File Names, File Types, and Folders Because computers must follow very specific rules, there is a specific format for file names. Technically, a file name is called the file specification. The first rule is that the file specification must be unique. Second, the file specification is broken into two parts, a file name and a file extension. The file name typically describes or identifies the file, and the file extension typically identifies the kind of data in the file. Since the term “file specification” is rather awkward, most people simply refer to the file name, meaning both the file name and its extension. In versions of the OS before Windows, referred to simply as DOS, the file name size was limited by what was called the 8.3 (eight-dot-three) rule, which was a limit of eight characters for the file name and three characters for the file extension). In Windows, the 8.3 rule is gone. Now file names can have a maximum of 255 characters, referred to as LFNs (long file names). The three-letter file extension, known as the file type, remains in Win- dows. However, some software does not recognize long file names (LFNs), and some network operating systems have difficulty dealing with them. Because storing long file names takes additional space, consider using the 8.3 rule when saving to floppy disks with limited capacity. There are two major types of computer files: data files and program files. Data files contain information that is usually generated by an application program. Most often, only an application program can use a data file directly. Program files are application programs that allow a user to perform specific tasks, for example, a payroll program that lets you create and maintain a payroll system for a company. You do not purchase a computer to run the Windows operating system. You purchase a computer so that you may use application packages to help with tasks such as gaining access to the Internet, writing letters, managing your checkbook, doing your taxes, or creating a budget. If you needed to employ someone to do these tasks for you, you might go to a temporary employment agency and hire a secretary to write your letters or an accountant to manage your checkbook and taxes. In the computer world, you purchase application packages, so that you can do the work. These application packages fall into generic categories such as word- processing or spreadsheet programs. In the same way you would choose a specific temporary employee such as Mr. Woo for your letter writing, in the computer world, you choose application packages by their names. They have brand names 5 such as Word, Quicken, or Excel. These application packages are “employees” you choose to do the work. In order for these application programs to do work, they must be copied from where they are installed (usually the hard drive, or the network drive) into RAM, the workspace of the computer. They are “temporary” employees because you call on them only when you need to do a specific task that they can accomplish. Win- dows is like an office manager who goes to the disk to get the correct file and place it in RAM. This process is known as loading the program from disk into memory. Windows then lets the program do its job. This process is known as executing the program. Program files are step-by-step instructions that direct the computer to do something. Even though Word can create letters for anyone, you are interested only in the letters you create—the information that you want. Once you create your data, you also want to keep it. Remember, all the work occurs in RAM, and RAM is volatile (temporary). In order to keep information permanently, you direct Word to write (save) the information to a disk as a data file. Word actually does not save the data; instead, it turns to the operating system, which does the actual work of writing the file to disk. When you need to retrieve the information to alter it, Word again turns to the OS to retrieve the file. Windows then reads the disk to retrieve the appropri- ate data file and gives it to Word. A unique name must be assigned to each file so that it can be identified by the OS. Program files have predetermined names such as WINWORD.EXE for Word, QW.EXE for Quicken, or EXCEL.EXE for Excel. WINWORD is the file name and .EXE is the file extension. Clicking on the application icon tells Windows to retrieve the program from the disk and place it in memory so you may work. When you install the application program you wish to use, it creates the icon, which actually is a reference to the name and location of the program file so that Windows can find and load it. Data files, on the other hand, are named by you, the user. You may call the files anything you want. For instance, a file name for a letter to your sister might be SISTER.LET or a name for your budget file might be BUDGET02.JAN. Typically, in the Windows environment, application programs assign a file extension such as .DOC or .XLS to identify the data file as a document file belonging to a specific application program. So, the filename SISTER.LET would be saved as SISTER.LET.DOC and BUDGET02.JAN would be filed as BUDGET02.JAN.XLS. The Word and Excel programs would assign their own file extensions—.DOC and .XLS, respectively. A file name is mandatory, but a file extension is not. A file name typically identi- fies the file, such as WP for word processing or SISTER for your letter. The file name tells you about the file, and the file type (extension) identifies the kind of data in a file. For instance, .EXE is reserved for programs so that Windows knows the file is a worker; in a program like WINWORD.EXE, the extension .EXE stands for execut- able code. Data files are generated by specific application programs, and the information or data in them can be altered or viewed only within the application package. You would not give your tax information to an administrative assistant to make changes. You would give that data to the accountant, who knows how to make the changes. 1.4 FILE NAMES, FILE TYPES, AND FOLDERS CHAPTER 1 GETTING STARTED WITH THE OPERATING SYSTEM6 Data files do not stand alone. They can be used only in conjunction with an application program. Again, the job of the operating system is to fetch and carry both program files and data files in and out of memory and to and from the disk (reading and writing). In addition, since the OS is the “office manager,” you may also use it to do office-related tasks such as copying or deleting a file. The OS does not know what is in the file folder, nor can it make changes to the information in the file folder. It can manipulate the file folder by such tasks as copying the information in it or throwing it away. To assist you in organizing your information further, the OS can divide or struc- ture your disks into what are called folders or directories. Technically they are subdirectories, but the terms directory, subdirectory, and folder are used interchange- ably. Folders allow you to group related program or data files so they will be easy to locate later. For instance, all the files related to a spreadsheet program such as Excel could be stored in a folder named EXCEL. You might then group any data files you created with EXCEL, such as BUDGET02.XLS and APRIL01.XLS, in another folder called BUDGETS. A primary directory (root) is automatically created when you prepare a disk to store information. It is named and called the root directory, but its symbol is \ (the backslash). You can create additional folders (subdirectories) for storing related files. Directories, including the root, will be discussed in full detail in later chapters. 1.5 Identifying Your System Configuration All computers come with disk drives: the floppy disk drive, the hard or fixed disk drive, usually a CD-ROM drive or a DVD drive, and sometimes a large capacity removable drive, such as a Zip drive. Today there are many ways that computer systems can be configured: n One hard disk drive, one CD-ROM drive, and one floppy disk drive. n One hard disk drive, one CD-ROM drive, one floppy disk drive, and one Zip drive. n Two hard disk drives, one CD-ROM drive, and one floppy disk drive. n One hard disk drive, one CD-ROM drive, one read-write CD-ROM drive, and one floppy disk drive. The possibilities are numerous. Computers are configured to suit the needs of the individual user. 1.6 Computer Configuration Guide This textbook is based on a specific computer configuration model—one that is most common to PC users. However, there are some differences depending on whether you upgraded from a previous version of Windows or whether you have a new, or fresh, install of Windows XP Professional. These are: 7 Location and All Versions Upgrade from Previous New Version of Prompts Versions of Windows Windows XP Hard disk C:\ Floppy disk drive A:\ Location of Windows C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32 C:\WINDOWS\ utility files SYSTEM32 Other Windows files C:\WINNT C:\WINDOWS Displayed prompt C:\> for Drive C Activities folder on C:\WUGXP Drive C Displayed prompt A:\> for floppy disk Note: When you open a Command Line session, your initial displayed screen prompt will probably be something like C:\Documents and Settings\ YourName. This will vary, depending on how your system was set up by your lab administrator. Again, if your administrator upgraded from a previous version of Windows, your initial displayed screens might be C:\WINNT\Profiles\YourName. If your computer configuration conforms to the above, you can follow the textbook without making any adjustments. However, computer configuration setups vary, particularly on network systems. Thus, your system configuration may be different, and you might have to substitute what is on your system for the setups used in this textbook. Complete the following table so that the substitutions will be readily identifiable for your computer: Description Book Reference Your System Hard drive C: Floppy drive A: Location of OS utility files C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32 Displayed prompt for Drive C C:\> Activities folder on Drive C C:\WUGXP Prompt for floppy disk A:\> 1.7 Booting the System You need to know how to get the operating system files from the bootable disk into memory (RAM) so that you can use the computer. With the Windows operating system, this happens automatically when you turn the system on. This process is known as booting the system. These files reside on the hard disk. The following activity allows you to have your first hands-on experience with the computer. You are going to load Windows or “boot the system.” 1.7 BOOTING THE SYSTEM CHAPTER 1 GETTING STARTED WITH THE OPERATING SYSTEM8 Note: Since laboratory procedures will vary, check with your instructor before proceeding with these activities. A special process may be needed to boot the system if you are on a network. 1.8 Activity: Booting the System 1 Check to see if the monitor has a separate on/off switch. If it does, turn on the monitor. 2 Be sure there is no disk in Drive A. If your Drive A has a door that shuts or latches, be sure it is open. (Remember that your instructions may be different if you are booting to a network. You will need to get your user name and pass- word from your instructor if you are in a lab environment.) Power on the com- puter by locating the Power button and pressing it. The Power button location can vary, depending on the design of the computer. Power button Figure 1.2Powering on the Computer In Windows XP Professional, the startup sequence when booting from the primary hard disk is as follows: n The BIOS initiates the Power-on self-test (POST) n The BIOS finds the boot device (usually the C drive) n The BIOS loads the first physical sector of the booting device into memory n The executable code in the Master Boot Record finds, and loads Ntldr (the file that loads the operating system files from the boot volume) n Ntldr loads Ntdetct.com for hardware detection n Hardware configuration selection if the user is using more than one hardware profile (boot.ini) n Ntldr loads the Windows Kernel Ntoskrnl.exe into memory, which also loads the support files it needs n Hardware scanning files, which ask which Plug and Play devices are installed as well as their capabilities n Media support files for the hard drive and other media storage devices n Any special video drivers are loaded 9 n It then loads drivers for all the services your system supports. A service, in this case, refers to a program, routine, or process that performs a specific system function to support other programs, particularly at a low level (hardware). n Operating system logon process The POST determines the amount of memory and checks that the hardware devices are present and working. Then the computer system BIOS (Basic Input Output System) begins the process of starting the operating system. The normal search order is for the system to first look in Drive A and then, if no disk is present in Drive A, to look to Drive C. It may also look to your CD drive. The BIOS looks for the active partition of the hard drive and reads the MBR (Master Boot Record) into memory. The MBR then looks for the system partition information. The Windows XP partition boot sector reads the file system to find the bootstrap loader. It then loads the bootstrap loader into memory and starts the bootstrap loader (ntldr—NT loader). The hidden system file NTLDR uses another file, BOOT.INI, which identi- fies the location of the default operating system to load or gives you a choice of which operating system you wish to use if you have multiple operating systems installed. The NTLDR loads and executes another hidden system file called NTDETECT.COM. This file checks your hardware so that Windows XP Professional can configure the computer correctly. Then the core components of the operating system are loaded into memory, such as the kernel (NTOSKRNEL.EXE) and the Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL.DLL). Lastly, the Windows subsystem automati- cally starts WINLOGON.EXE, which presents the dialog box for you to enter your user name and password. Depending on how your system is configured, you may first have to press c + a + d in order to log on to the system. 3 Press c + a + d if necessary. 4 Enter your user name and password. 5 Click OK. You have successfully booted the system. Your opening screen may appear as one of the above, or it may look quite different. Windows XP has endless combinations of possible desktop appearances. 1.8 ACTIVITY: BOOTING THE SYSTEM [...]... level Microsoft, even though it expects you to use the GUI for your day-to-day computer operations, still knows the importance of a character-based interface—the command line That is why, with Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows NT, Windows 2000 Server, Windows 2000 Professional, and Windows XP, one of the choices is the availability of the command line interface In Windows Me, it is a menu choice... administration, knowledge of the command line is a necessity Network operating systems rely on the command line interface Even the Windows family of operating systems, Microsoft’s GUI networking operating system, absolutely relies on command line interfaces Windows XP Professional provides you with an expanded list of commands that are available to you from the command line In addition, Windows Operating systems... (another way of saying command line interface or command line prompt) Additionally, if you are a user of the Internet, which often runs on Unix- or Linux-based computers, you often will be once again at the command line Although Unix and Linux (both of which are command line interface operating systems—Linux is based on Unix-like commands) do not use commands identical to DOS commands, they are in fact... internal command, you key in the command name at the command line or click the command s icon For an internal command, Windows checks memory, finds the program, loads it into RAM, and executes it Internal commands are also called resident commands because they reside in memory or inside the computer Internal commands are limited in number because they take up valuable space in memory External commands... as the command line utility files or system utility files In the Command Prompt window, unlike the Windows GUI environment, you have no icons In order to use commands, you must know their file names The DIR command, an internal command that stands for directory, is provided so that you may look for files on a disk from the command line In Windows, Explorer is the equivalent of the DIR command When you... is an UpGrade of Windows Millennium and Windows XP Professional is an upgrade to Windows 2000 Professional Beginning with Windows 95, DOS has been integrated into the Windows operating system 1.21 1 Activity: Using the VER Command Key in the following: A:\>VER e A:\>VER Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600] A:\> _ In this example, the computer is running the operating system Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]... previously explained, version numbers are also assigned to operating systems For MS-DOS, 1.0 was the first version, released in 1981, and DOS 6.22 was the last stand-alone, character-based operating system Windows 95 replaced DOS 6.22 Windows Millennium Edition replaced Windows 98 and Windows 95, and 1.24 THE DATE AND TIME COMMANDS Windows 2000 Professional replaced Windows NT Windows XP Home Edition... as to explain complex problems to a software technician 1.12 Accessing the Command Line Prompt In order to use the command line interface, you first need to access it You must open the Command Line window from a menu, or you may create a shortcut to it One thing you must remember is not to turn off the computer when you are in a Command Line window You must exit the window and then follow the Windows. .. from the GUI In addition, Windows provides utility programs that can only be run at the command line to help you solve problems with Windows itself Furthermore, there are other tasks that, although they can be done from the GUI, are accomplished easier and faster from the command line, and most users will use the command line in those instances You will also find that even in the Windows environment, there... placed it on the desktop By double-clicking it, you can go to the command line, referred to as the Command Prompt.” 11 Double-click the Command Prompt shortcut Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600] (C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp C: \Windows\ System32>_ The Command Prompt window opens with the default prompt (in this example, that is C: \WINDOWS\ SYSTEM32) You would prefer it to open with the prompt . interface—the command line. That is why, with Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows NT, Windows 2000 Server, Windows 2000 Professional, and Windows XP, one of the choices is the availability of the command. absolutely relies on command line interfaces. Windows XP Professional provides you with an expanded list of commands that are available to you from the command line. In addition, Windows Operating. operating system. The current version of the Windows operating system is Windows XP. It comes in two distinct versions Windows XP Home Edition and Windows XP Professional. The two versions are very