Most experienced support techs can drop to a command prompt and execute commands and utilities with confidence. However, if you’re starting to support Linux desktops on your network, you may quickly find yourself lost when you open a Linux terminal session. Figure A is a list of common DOS/Windows commands that you probably use on a daily basis and their Linux counterparts:
Figure A


What you want to do
How you did it in
DOS
How you do it in Linux
Copy a file copy
path1\filename1 path2\filename2

 		cp
path1/filename1 path2/filename2
Copy subdirectory xcopy
path1\. path2


/s 		cp -R
path1 path2
Delete a file del
filename

 		rm
filename
Move a file move
path1\filename1 path2

 		mv
path1/filename1
path2
Rename a file ren
filename1 filename2

 		mv
filename1 filename2
List a directory dir ls
Change directory cd
\path

 		cd /path
Make directory md
path

 		md
path
Delete a subdirectory deltree \path1
 		rm -R
path
List text file contents type
filename

 		cat
filename
Edit a file edit
filename

 		pico
filename
Format floppy format a: fdformat /fd0H1440
Check for disk errors chkdsk
drive


-or- scandisk

drive
 		fsck /device
Change file attribute attrib +-
attribute



filename 		chmod
mode filename
Clear screen cls clear
Display environment variables set env
Set environment variable set
variable=value

 		env
variable=value
Set time time
time

 		date
MMDDHHSS
Close command prompt exit exit

DOS/Windows commands vs. Linux commands

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