Go directly to DOS

[Tonya Marshall]

In older versions of Windows it was possible to press one of the F keys
to bypass Windows and go directly to DOS. Is it possible In XP (Pro)?
I don't mean going to a DOS window by clicking the command prompt in
Programs.
Thanks.

 

[Tonya Marshall]

In older versions of Windows it was possible to press one of the F keys
to bypass Windows and go directly to DOS. Is it possible In XP (Pro)?
I don't mean going to a DOS window by clicking the command prompt in
Programs.
Thanks.

That was on boot up, btw.

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

There is no MS-DOS in Windows XP so you can't boot
into something that isn't there.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect Your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.aspx

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

:

| In older versions of Windows it was possible to press one of the F keys
| to bypass Windows and go directly to DOS. Is it possible In XP (Pro)?
| I don't mean going to a DOS window by clicking the command prompt in
| Programs.
| Thanks.
| --
| Tonya Marshall

 

[Mike Brannigan [MSFT]]

That was on boot up, btw.

No there is no DOS under Windows XP Professional (that was only under the
older Win95/Win98 and ME operating systems). The NT based system Windows NT
4.0 (and earlier) and Windows 20000/Window XP do not have this facility.

If you require DOS on boot up then use a DOS boot disk - although the
reasons for doing this these days are minimal.

--

Regards,

Mike
--
Mike Brannigan [Microsoft]

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights

Please note I cannot respond to e-mailed questions, please use these
newsgroups

 

[Jeff Gaines]

In older versions of Windows it was possible to press one of the F
keys to bypass Windows and go directly to DOS. Is it possible In XP
(Pro)? I don't mean going to a DOS window by clicking the command
prompt in Programs. Thanks. --
Tonya Marshall

No.

The 9x versions of Windows and ME ran on top of DOS. The NT family,
which includes XP, does not run on top of DOS so there is no DOS mode
available.

The 'DOS Window', i.e. Command Prompt is the nearest you can get.

If you let us know why you want to do this we *may* be able to come up
with an alternative suggestion.

 

[Tonya Marshall]

No.

The 9x versions of Windows and ME ran on top of DOS. The NT family,
which includes XP, does not run on top of DOS so there is no DOS mode
available.

The 'DOS Window', i.e. Command Prompt is the nearest you can get.

If you let us know why you want to do this we *may* be able to come up
with an alternative suggestion.

Thanks all. The reason I wanted to know is my brother wanted to run a
DOS program. I told him where the command prompt was and he said his
program worked fine by putting it through there. I was just wondering if
there was direct access to DOS.
As long as his program works that way, there's no real need to go to the
REAL DOS prompt.

 

[Sharon F]

In older versions of Windows it was possible to press one of the F keys
to bypass Windows and go directly to DOS. Is it possible In XP (Pro)?
I don't mean going to a DOS window by clicking the command prompt in
Programs.
Thanks.

Pressing F8 at startup will get you to the advanced start menu where you
can choose to start XP in command line mode. However, this is not the same
as going directly to DOS. XP is entirely different than Win9x/ME in this
respect and the command line environment is simply XP minus the GUI. To
boot to true DOS, use a boot disk (floppy disk).

 

[Bruce Chambers]

In older versions of Windows it was possible to press one of the F keys
to bypass Windows and go directly to DOS. Is it possible In XP (Pro)?
I don't mean going to a DOS window by clicking the command prompt in
Programs.
Thanks.

Not to put too fine a point on it, you can't.

There is no way to reboot a WinXP PC into Real Mode DOS unless
you've set up a dual-boot system. The WinNT family of 32-bit
graphical operating systems, of which WinXP is the latest generation,
has never used, included, or "ridden upon" MS-DOS. The Recovery
Console's CLI (Command Line Interface) is the closest you can come to
the old "DOS mode." What, precisely, are you trying to accomplish?


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH

 

[George Mooth]

Thanks all. The reason I wanted to know is my brother wanted to run a
DOS program. I told him where the command prompt was and he said his
program worked fine by putting it through there. I was just wondering if
there was direct access to DOS.
As long as his program works that way, there's no real need to go to the
REAL DOS prompt.

He can right click on the desktop and select shortcut. Browse to the
program he wants to run and select it. Then right click the shortcut
and select "properties" then "compatibility mode" then "run in 95
mode". And if he needs to he can select 256 color mode there too.
It should then run from the shortcut.

Hope that helps.

 

[JerryM \(ID\)]

Hi, Tonya,

You have provided your own answer to the problem.

What most people don't realize, is that most all of the original files in
the Win98 Dos directorys, have been absorbed into the XP Windows\system32
folder, and are available at the Windows command prompt. (cmd.exe)

Most all dos games and programs can still work there.

Have fun,
Jerry

 

[Tonya Marshall]

You all have been great. What a nice newsgroup. Thank you for all of
your comments and information.