New command found!

EUROPE.jpg · 20 Oct 2007 23:35

I found a new command today, but I can't find it in the list...

The command is: "command", but I don't no what it do yet...

Can anyone here test this command?

My computer running Windows XP home SP2

anandr · 21 Oct 2007 14:31

On my computer I found the following file: C:\WINDOWS\system32\command.com (50620 bytes).
I guess, that command itself is not a new undocumented command. You just run the command.com. But anyway it is interesting that Microsoft still keeps it.

Maybe this my experiment will help somehow (WinXP Home SP2)

console session #1
window title: Command Prompt

C:\Program Files>help command
This command is not supported by the help utility.  Try "x /?".

C:\Program Files>command /?
Starts a new instance of the MS-DOS command interpreter.

COMMAND [[drive:]path] [device] [/E:nnnnn] [/P] [/C string] [/MSG]

  [drive:]path    Specifies the directory containing COMMAND.COM file.
  device          Specifies the device to use for command input and output.
  /E:nnnnn        Sets the initial environment size to nnnnn bytes.
  /P              Makes the new command interpreter permanent (can't exit).
  /C string       Carries out the command specified by string, and then stops.
  /MSG            Specifies that all error messages be stored in memory. You
                  need to specify /P with this switch.

C:\PROGRA~1>exit

After this cmd.exe was terminated and console window disappeared.

console session #2
window title: Command Prompt

C:\Program Files>ver

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]

C:\Program Files>cd
C:\Program Files

C:\Program Files>command

now window title is: Command Prompt - command (session continues)

Microsoft(R) Windows DOS
(C)Copyright Microsoft Corp 1990-2001.

C:\PROGRA~1>ver

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]

C:\PROGRA~1>cd
C:\PROGRA~1

C:\PROGRA~1>exit

now window title is again: Command Prompt (session continues)

C:\PROGRA~1>exit

Now cmd.exe is terminated. Note that I had to exit twice: from command.com and from cmd.exe.

So, what we learn from this.
1. Windows XP DOES keep old command.com.
2. It looks like it does not support long file names. CD returns just C:\PROGRA~1
3. If you compare functionality -- you have some mixture of old command.com and cmd.exe. For example, output of dir command in command.com looks almost the same as in cmd.exe, but when you want to change directory in command.com you should enter cd progra~1 if you are in C:\ and want to enter the Program Files.
4. I have no idea how to use it, but it might be useful for running old DOS programs under Windows XP, but I do not have such and can not test.

Generally, it is not a reason for panic. Microsoft carries that DOS tail for long time already.

Last edited by anandr (21 Oct 2007 14:34)

EUROPE.jpg · 21 Oct 2007 14:39

Thanks, this was helpful

SS64 Forum

#1 20 Oct 2007 23:35

New command found!

#2 21 Oct 2007 14:31

Re: New command found!

#3 21 Oct 2007 14:39

Re: New command found!

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