Win Run DOS programs

In Windows, you can run and keep DOS programs active along with Windows programs. Pressing Alt-Tab switches you between all active DOS and Windows applications.

DOS programs are normally run in a window, but they can also be run full screen as they normally would in DOS in all versions of Windows except Vista. To switch between a window and full screen, press Alt-Enter.

The advantage of running a DOS program in a window is that a DOS window can be overlapped with a Windows window. The clipboard can also be used to copy and paste text between two DOS applications and between DOS and Windows applications.

If you have trouble running a DOS application in Windows, you may have to change its properties. To do that, right click on the DOS program icon and select Properties. Following are various ways you can work with DOS applications in Windows.

START DOS APPLICATION BY NAME
Select RUN from the Start menu and type in the path to the program.

START DOS APPLICATION FROM AN ICON
Double click on the program icon in a folder, on the desktop or from Explorer.

PLACE A DOS APPLICATION IN THE START MENU
1. Right click Start menu and select Explore.
2. Find the DOS program in its folder and drag
it to the Start menu. A Shortcut to the
program will be created in the Start menu.

END DOS APPLICATION
End your DOS application as you normally would. If the window is still open, click the X button at the top right side of the window.

RUN DOS PROGRAM IN A WINDOW
Press Alt-Enter to toggle between full screen and window modes.

COPY TEXT FROM A DOS WINDOW
1. Click the leftmost button at the top left of
the window.
2. Click Edit and then Mark.
3. Highlight the text and press Enter.

COPY TEXT TO A DOS WINDOW
1. Click leftmost button at the top left of the
window.
2. Click Edit and then Paste.

MAKE DOS PROMPT MORE ACCESSIBLE
You can make the DOS prompt a menu option when you right click the Start menu or a folder. If you right click a folder and select the DOS prompt, you are automatically set to the same folder (directory) at the command line. To set this up, do the following from My Computer or Explorer:

Windows 2000/XP
1. Select Tools/Folder Options/File Types.
2. Scroll to the Folder icon and click it.
Select Advanced, then NEW.
3. Type DOS prompt in the "Action" line.
4. Type c:\windows\system32\command.com /k cd
in the "Application used to perform
action" line.
5. Select OK/Close/Close.

Windows 98
1. Select View/Folder Options/File Types.
2. Scroll to the Folder icon and double
click it. Select NEW.
3. Type DOS prompt in the "Action" line.
4. Type c:\windows\command.com /k cd in the
"Application used to perform action"
line.
5. Select OK/Close/Close.

Windows NT
1. Select View/Options/File Types.
2. Scroll to the Folder icon and double
click it. Select NEW.
3. Type DOS prompt in the "Action" line.
4. Type c:\winnt\system32\cmd.exe /k cd in the
"Application used to perform action"
line.
5. Select OK/Close/Close.

Windows 95
1. Select View/Options/File Types.
2. Scroll to the Folder icon and double
click it. Select NEW.
3. Type DOS prompt in the "Action" line.
4. Type c:\windows\command.com /k cd in the
"Application used to perform action"
line.
5. Select OK/Close/Close.