Why DOS still?!!!

[nykrybaby97]

Hi everyone!

Can someone explain to me the MAIN reasons why DOS is still in use today? I'm preparing for A+, and just don't seem to understand why DOS is so important, especially when the books tell you after every mentioning of a DOS implementation , that it is now almost obsolete. Why is it sooooooo important to make modern computers backwards compatible with an ancient OS and to simulate an 8086? In any case, how much DOS familiarity is needed in order to "get by?" What areas should I absolutely become fluent in? Thank you much.

[This message has been edited by nykrybaby97 (edited 10-11-2001).]

[Rick]

DOS “Disk Operating System”
If you want to work with computers that have disks/drives you need it

Why at 8 bit? Many of the tasks performed by DOS commands Can Not Be done in a multi thread environment .

Why make it backward compatible?
Not very many people or companies are will or able to invest in NEW systems whenever a change is made to some O/S

What commands should you learn? Any and all that pertain to disk access or system debug / repair

BTW these answers will do you NO good on your exam .
They are from my personal experience and a little logic

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To ERR is HUMAN
To REALLY screw things UP, YOU NEED a COMPUTER !

[rep]

Remember before their was windows their was DOS and after there was windows
there was CRASH,CRASH,CRASH-FREEZE,FREEZE,FREEZE

Oh how much fun can we have?

[mjc]

Also, Windows (not NT based kernels) is basically a fancy wrapper for DOS...DOS is kind of like the glue that holds win9x together. DOS was the first means of actually allowing someone to do something with a computer (other than mainframes--they had UNIX) other than inputting data by programming it in everytime you wantd to do something, or relying on some method of data manipulation that was specific to the machine you were using. It was the first universal operating system (no not all versions were compatable...but that was mainly storage issues/disk formats). So it is the foundation upon which modern computing is built.

If you were going to start construction of a house how important would knowing about the foundation be; what it is, what it does and why? (I don't mean you hire someone to build it but you yourself build it...you are wanting to be a computer tech.)

Also what Rick said is very true, many businesses want something "tried and true"--reliable, not the latest, greatest and most expensive (because price does not always equal quality). The town I live in still uses a 386 based machine for billing and other transaction managemnt -- not because they can't afford to upgrade,but because they like the package they have and don't really want to go through the hassle of converting the database over to a new system (but before long they will have to...). I see, on a daily basis, machines that many would consider "antique" chugging away quite contentedly in the business world and if you are wanting to get into the tech world you will need to know something about them...at least how to find your way around the hard drive.

One other thing to keep in mind, there are things that can't be done in Windows...have you ever tried to move/rename a file and come up with an error stating that it can't be done because Windows was using it? Dropping back to pure DOS (not a DOS box) would allow you to manipulate those files...

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mjc
Links list:Computer Links (http://www.dreamwater.org/tech/mjc/index.htm)

Celts are the men that heaven made mad, For all their battles are merry and their songs are all sad.

[Rick]

For a Very Good example of Backward compatibility.
Check out the New Windows XP and see what happens if you try to Use Wordperfect 5.1 with it.

I can tell you. Nothing will happen.
It won’t work.
Yes it is DOS . Yes it is FASTER than ANY windows wordprocessor.
And yes I still Use it Myself
As do a number of Businesses

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To ERR is HUMAN
To REALLY screw things UP, YOU NEED a COMPUTER !

[calvin]

I have a question for Nykrybaby97...
Ok, this is one of those which came first? The chicken or the egg..
I have a computer that accumulates all kinds of junk dll files and other stuff that is supposed to be deleted when I remove a program right? Anyways, after about 6-10 months it gets rediculously slow to load because of all this junk in the registry. (I hate this part) I go ahead and erase all the stuff in the drive and have to reinstall Windows. The Windows o/s is on cd. I need to install the cd rom drivers before I can access the cd. BUT I can't install the drivers without an O/S first being on the c:/ drive. How can this be done without dos which I have on floppy. I also have windows 3.1 on floppy but it needs something else to be able to make heads or tails of it. Otherwise it calls it a non system disk I beleive. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/mad.gif

[rond36]

If you need to flash a BIOS it can only be done in DOS preferably from a clean DOS boot
I installed a program tonight Power Quest Drive Image and it will only run in DOS because it can't image a drive with files in use
Also I still play games in DOS http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/tongue.gif

[Paleo Pete]

calvin: Get a win98 start up disk, it loads CD ROM drivers without having to have Windows installed. Makes life much easier...no need to install any OS, just pop in a floppy...works for installing win 95 too.

Win3.11 was the predecessor to win95/98/ME and wasn't actually an OS, it ran on top of DOS. It's a 16 bit program whereas win95B and up are 32 bit Operating Systems. Win95A was also 16 bit. To run win3.11 DOS 3.3 or higher must be already installed. In that case, DOS is the Operating System, not win3.11. That's why you get the non system disk error message. It can't find DOS, or more accurately command.com, which is the one of the DOS system files.

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[Gallaeglagh]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by nykrybaby97:
Hi everyone!

Can someone explain to me the MAIN reasons why DOS is still in use today?

Because Win 95,98 and Me will be around for a long time yet.



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Your attempt to reach civilization by fashioning a crude raft will astound everyone else at the office. - The Onion

[andyswork@beci.net]

When I first started using a computer a super tech, by that I mean he is outstanding when it comes to computer repair especially software problems. Working on my computer he always used dos and it worked. He said using dos would help me understand computers. So I bought Peter Nortons book DOS 6.22. I then put dos 6.22 on a small hard drive on a promise card and can set bios to boot to it. I am just learning but I love dos, very interesting. Most techs that I talk to think I am crasy for loving dos, and I am not very far into it. Maybe all of this will make me a pro too, Thanks Andy

[This message has been edited by andyswork@beci.net (edited 10-28-2001).]

[diurnal]

Dos is gone on the a+ and 3x, so dont worry bout studying it. But some of the commands are still on dos. The a+ os is mainly 2000. As for dos, i think its still here for troubleshooting. I didnt read others post, probably said something about that, to bussy.

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Sledgehammer will save the day!

[BigBlue66]

Hey,

DOS rocks!!! It's amazing, the little things you can do in DOS to fix your system, when Windows is dead.

You should at least have an understanding of DOS and the most basic commands that will allow you to see the contents of a disk, format a disk, copy or rename a file as mentioned previously, etc.

I liken DOS to the old paper spreadsheets that accountants use to use. Now they, (I), have computers that will post transactions at the touch of a button, reconcile a bank statement and order my coffee for me. (I wish) However, what good is all that computing power when the system dies and the accountant still needs to get his/her work done? In other words, DOS is to operating systems and computers in general, as the old paper spreadsheets are to the computer. One must have a working knowledge of what is going on in the background. So, you not only need to learn DOS, but you must know how to do accounting work on a paper spreadsheet. Just kidding. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

Hope we all have convinced you that no matter where you go, you are there, and damned if DOS ain't, too. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif

Cheers,

Big Blue 66

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Life = Karma, or is it, Karma = Life?

[iisbob]

Actually DOS still is on the A+ certification; check out the Comptia site-they've revised the test once again.

If you're not sure you need DOS, think of it this way-do you know how to drive a manual ( stick ) transmission? Then there is no vehicle you can't operate! Same with DOS, it's the " stick drive " of OS's-and after nearly 30 years of PC use i can tell you that it is a life saver! When NT was introduced they still include a " virtual " DOS program, carried over into W2000, because there are just some things you cannot do in a Graphical enviroment, they have to be performed in a DOS-or real mode -enviroment.

Even if Comptia eventually does truely do away with DOS on it's exams; which i doubt as long as PC's exist, I would still advise you to learn it-as you never know when you might be confronted by an antique legacy system that can only suppport a DOS OS!

But cheer up! I've seen full liscensed copies of DOS on Ebay go for a cheap as $5.00! Can't beat that with a stick!




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iisbob
"Ward, come upstairs and talk to The Beaver."
-- June (Mrs. Frisky) Cleaver

[Jumby]

This isn't $5.00, but try http://www.buycheapsoftware.com/details.asp?productID=140

[Jumby]

This isn't $5.00, but try http://www.buycheapsoftware.com/details.asp?productID=140

[Jumby]

oops, I don't know how I did that...i guess I'm not too adept!

[diurnal]

http://comptia.org/certification/aplus/OS_exam.pdf
No iisbob dos and 3x are history.

I should no i failed it 3wks ago.

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Sledgehammer will save the day!

[rond36]

MS DOS is a Disk Operating System. Windows is a GUI (Graphical User Interface)Windows runs on top of dos. MS DOS is the DOS for ALL flavors of windows it doesen't matter how well they hide it it's still there. You can get to a DOS prompt in any version of Windows even Windows XP Professional!

GOTO-->START-->accessories-->comand Prompt
It is in a window but you can still get there!
I used it yesterday to edit BOOT.INI so could default to Windows ME instead of Windows XP when I boot. I know I could have used Note Pad but wanted to try it from DOS. (note pad is easier)

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Alright who messed it up this time!

[YODA74]

diurnal....... correct me if I am mistaken I did not read the whole thing
but on your link if you look at page three of twelve doesn't it say
"A+ Operating System Technologies Examination Objectives"
This domain requires knowledge of underlying DOS (command promt function)in windows 9x,and 2000 ?

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[iisbob]

Sorry to hear that dirunal, but as Yoda pointed out, check the site again-about once every 6 months Comptia changes the test objectives. I just sent a young man over to test 3 days ago, and he did get questions on DOS.

Regardless of wether or not they have it on the Test you MUST know it. Or you'll cribble yourself as a technical support specilist.

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iisbob
"Bachelors should be heavily taxed. It's not fair that some men should be happier than others."
-- Oscar Wilde

[andyswork@beci.net]

I am just starting to learn dos and have read Nortons book on dos 6.22. I am now slowly going back and doing the problems. I am new to computers and I can see where dos helps and works, but I am still running Win 98SE and have 2000 and I am still going to learn dos. I have friend that wants be to look at commandor 64{dos I think} so it is still out there and will be for a while. Knoweledge is POWER!!!!!!

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One day i will be a pro, Thanks Andy

[Paleo Pete]

Commodore 64?? Get ready to do some digging, and make sure you know DOS pretty well. The C-64 ran DOS only. If anything is seriously wrong with it, be prepared to do some searching to find parts. Usually it's best to just pick up several for parts and replace the entire motherboard...

C-64 8 bit Server (http://www.hut.fi/Misc/cbm/) is a good place to start, and a search on Google will turn up tons of links.

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