2.6 General Commands:

RESTORE

Type: External

Syntax: RESTORE d: [d:][path]filename [/P][/S][/B:mm-dd-yy] [/A:mm-dd-yy]

[/E:hh:mm:ss] [/L:hh:mm:ss] [/M][/N][/D]

Purpose: Restores to standard disk storage format files previously stored using the BACKUP command. The DOS 6 RESTORE command can restore files that were backed up using the BACKUP command in DOS Versions 2.0 through 5.0.

Discussion

When using this command, the first path designation should be for the BACKUP disk where the backed up files are stored; the second path designation should be for the target disk. This command transfers files (that have been previously backed up using the BACKUP command) from the backup disk to the specified target disk. Files backed up using the BACKUP command cannot be read (or otherwise used) until they are transferred from the BACKUP disk to the target disk. If you do not specify a target path, files are placed in the current directory. If you do not specify filenames, backed up files from the specified path designation will be restored. You can use wild card characters to indicate groups of files to be restored.

Options

/P - The program prompts you before it restores files that have been changed since the last backup or files that are marked read-only. You can choose to continue the restoration of that file or not.

/S - Backed up files from both the specified source directory and from subdirectories within that directory are transferred to the target path designation.

/B - Only restores files that were modified on or BEFORE the date you enter.

/A - Only restores files that were modified on or AFTER the date you enter.

/E - Only restores files that were modified at or EARLIER than the time you enter.

/L - Only restores files that were modified at or LATER than the given time.

/M - Only restores files that have been modified since the last backup.

/N - Only restores files that no longer exist on the destination disk.

/D - Displays a list of the files on the backup disk that match the names specified in filename without restoring any files. Even though no files are being restored, you must specify the drive to which backed-up files will be restored when you use /D.

ERRORLEVEL codes are set by the RESTORE command as follows:

0 - Normal completion

1 - No files found to restore

2 - Some files not restored due to file sharing conflicts

3 - Terminated by user (Ctrl Break or ESC)

4 - Terminated due to error

Examples

To restore all the files from drive d to the root directory of drive C (and all subdirectories within it), enter restore d: c:*.* /S

To restore the file CHAP3 from the backup disk in drive C to the CHAP directory on drive D, enter restore c: d:\chap\chap3

SYS

Type: External

Syntax: SYS [source] d:

Purpose: Transfers the operating system files to another disk. The three files that are transferred are IO.SYS, MSDOS.SYS, and COMMAND.COM (if you are using IBM's version of DOS, they are named IBMIO.SYS, IBMDOS.SYS, and COMMAND.COM).

Discussion

Using versions of DOS prior to version 4, the disk had to have enough contiguous free space on it for the three files to be transferred. In the newer versions that is no longer necessary.

You may not be able to reliably transfer system files to a disk that already has a different version of DOS on it.

The system files IO.SYS and MSDOS.SYS are hidden files that do not appear when you use the DIR command to display a directory of a system disk.

In versions of DOS prior to version 5, when you use the SYS command to transfer the system files to a disk, the file COMMAND.COM (which contains the command processor) is not transferred. When using those earlier versions, you must use the COPY command to transfer COMMAND.COM.

A system disk can also be transferred (along with all the files stored on it) using the DISKCOPY command.

If an error is encountered, SYS will not transfer the system files. DOS will report one of the following error messages:

Message: No room for system on target disk

Meaning: This message means that there is not enough room on the target disk for the system files.

Message: Incompatible system size

Meaning: The system files do not take up the same amount of space on the target disk, as the new system will need. This can happen if you try to transfer system files to a disk that already has a different version of DOS on it.

You may receive other error messages if DOS cannot find the required system files at the source location specified or if you try to use the SYS command to transfer the system files to compressed drives or networked drives.