Right now: Live recording of the Tech Support Guy Show!
There's no such thing as a stupid question, but they're the easiest to answer.
JoinTour
Login
 
Tag Cloud
access audio avg avg 8 bios blue screen boot bsod computer connection cpu crash css dell desktop dma driver drivers dvd email error excel explorer firefox firefox 3 freeze gimp graphics hard drive hardware hijackthis hjt install internet internet explorer itunes keyboard laptop macro malware monitor motherboard network networking outlook outlook 2003 outlook 2007 outlook express pio problem problems router seo server slow sound sp3 spyware trojan usb video virtumonde virus vista vundo windows windows vista windows xp winxp wireless
DOS/PDA/Other
Search
Search in:
 
Advanced Search
Tech Support Guy Forums > Operating Systems > DOS/PDA/Other >
Deleting in DOS


HELLO AND WELCOME! Before you can post your question, you'll have to register -- it's completely free! Click here to join today! We highly recommend that you print a copy of our Guide for New Members. Enjoy!

 
Thread Tools
Whitestar's Avatar
Computer Specs
Senior Member with 511 posts.
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: UK
Experience: Advanced
08-Sep-2003, 05:13 PM #1
Deleting in DOS
Is there a way to remove a directory from dos without deleting its content first?
The DOS Machine's Avatar
Senior Member with 144 posts.
 
Join Date: Jul 2000
Experience: Seasoned
08-Sep-2003, 06:41 PM #2
Sure: DELTREE [directory path]

"[directory path]" is the location of the directory you want to delete as in DELTREE C:\TEMP. If it is on the root C:\ you can simply type DELTREE TEMP and it will work. Just to avoid problems make sure you are at the root prompt (C:\>) before you enter this command. I am not sure if it works on older DOS versions, however.

-DOSMAN
brushmaster1's Avatar
Distinguished Member with 3,477 posts.
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Lakewood, Colorado
Experience: Advanced, but still learn
08-Sep-2003, 08:23 PM #3
It all depends on the DOS version. DELTREE was introduced with DOS 6....before that, you had to first delete all the files and then remove the directory (RD)
Whitestar's Avatar
Computer Specs
Senior Member with 511 posts.
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: UK
Experience: Advanced
09-Sep-2003, 01:16 PM #4
Im using whatever windows xp uses for the command prompt.
brushmaster1's Avatar
Distinguished Member with 3,477 posts.
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Lakewood, Colorado
Experience: Advanced, but still learn
09-Sep-2003, 08:01 PM #5
In that case, I would think DELTREE should be available. However, I'm not that familiar with XP and what it uses with the command prompt. Perhaps someone else will know....
Whitestar's Avatar
Computer Specs
Senior Member with 511 posts.
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: UK
Experience: Advanced
10-Sep-2003, 07:17 AM #6
I tried using deltree, but it says that its not a recognised internal or exteernal command. That probably means that it either cant find the command (unlikely) or the command is an external command and isnt on the computer. If this is the case is it possible to download external commands?
Lurker1's Avatar
Distinguished Member with 4,081 posts.
 
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Michigan
Experience: Intermediate
10-Sep-2003, 10:58 AM #7
You can down load the 6 version but it probably won't work on XP. External Dos commands are pretty hung up on having the correct Dos version running. It would most likely give you an wrong DOS version error if you tryed to run it.
Whitestar's Avatar
Computer Specs
Senior Member with 511 posts.
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: UK
Experience: Advanced
11-Sep-2003, 05:31 AM #8
I have got 6.22 and im going to reinstall XP anyway. If i install dos first, will it cause problems because dos uses the fat32 file system and XP uses ntfs.
brushmaster1's Avatar
Distinguished Member with 3,477 posts.
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Lakewood, Colorado
Experience: Advanced, but still learn
11-Sep-2003, 06:04 AM #9
Actually, DOS 6.22 uses the FAT 16 file system, and won't even work on FAT 32
Whitestar's Avatar
Computer Specs
Senior Member with 511 posts.
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: UK
Experience: Advanced
11-Sep-2003, 08:11 AM #10
smeg. is there a newer version of doss than that?
brushmaster1's Avatar
Distinguished Member with 3,477 posts.
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Lakewood, Colorado
Experience: Advanced, but still learn
11-Sep-2003, 07:29 PM #11
DOS 7 (included with Windows 9x) recognizes FAT32, but I doubt that DOS 7 applets would work with XP.
kiwiguy's Avatar
Distinguished Member with 17,147 posts.
 
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: New Zealand
13-Sep-2003, 06:32 AM #12
Windows XP has no true underlying DOS at all.

The "Command Prompt" available is actually a Windows emulation of DOS.

Accordingly you may have some issues depending what you are trying to do at the command prompt.
colman77's Avatar
Senior Member with 597 posts.
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: New Hampshire
Experience: Intermediate-Advanced
01-Oct-2003, 06:22 PM #13
WhiteStar,
If you run the command prompt in XP and type help it will give you a list of all the commands it supports... Try RD or RMDIR. Type "RD /?" minus the quotes to get the syntax for the command.
Krall's Avatar
Member with 69 posts.
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
02-Oct-2003, 03:36 PM #14
The best thing to do would be to boot off of dos disk and run your commands from there.

you can get a file to make a dos boot disk from
http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm
just click the "DOS 6.22" link, download the file and then put a blank floppy in your disk drive. go to the file you downloaded and run it. It will write to the floppy. when it is done you have a DOS boot disk. with deltree on it
coderitr's Avatar
Distinguished Member with 3,080 posts.
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
12-Oct-2003, 02:41 PM #15
Since NT4 Windows has supported the /s switch on the rd (remove directory) command allowing the removal of a non-empty directory.
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off

You Are Using:
Server ID
Advertisements do not imply our endorsement of that product or service.
All times are GMT -4. The time now is 11:22 AM.
Copyright © 1996 - 2008 TechGuy, Inc. All rights reserved.
Powered by vBulletin, Copyright © 2000 - 2008, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.1.0
Powered by Cermak Technologies, Inc.