How to Send Files to a Zip Drive With DOS Commands

Move files to your Zip drive.

If you need to recover files from an older computer, or if the computer you are using can only be run in console mode, knowing how to navigate and perform file operations in MS-DOS is important. DOS commands can be used on older computers running MS-DOS or on modern computers through the Command Prompt. Moving and copying files in MS-DOS looks cryptic, but DOS commands are structured in a logical, modular order that makes them easy to remember.

Things You'll Need

• MS-DOS

Instructions

1. Use the "CD" command to navigate to the directory containing the files you want to send to the Zip drive. CD changes the directory you are currently viewing. Type "CD C:\" followed by the path to the source files. If the files are in the "Documents" folder located in your "MyAccount" folder, you would type "CD C:\MyAccount\Documents" to change to this directory.

2. Type "dir /p" to display a list of files and folders in the current directory. The "dir /p" command will display a list of files on the screen and prompt you to press a key to continue to the next screen.

3. Use the "copy" command to copy files from the current directory to your Zip drive. Type "copy" and press the spacebar. Type the complete filename of the file you want to copy to the Zip drive and press the spacebar. Type the drive letter that corresponds with your Zip drive followed by ":" and press "Enter." If the file you want to copy is called "MyFile.txt" and your Zip drive is the "Z" drive, you would type "copy MyFile.txt Z:" and press "Enter."

4. Repeat step 3 for each file you want to move to the Zip drive.

Tips & Warnings

• If you want to send every file in a directory to your Zip drive, you can type "copy *.* Z:" and press "Enter." DOS will copy all the files in the directory to the Zip drive.

References

• Computer Hope: Copy Command
• Computer Hope: Dir Command
• Computer Hope: CD command