Do I need to have MS-DOS on my computer?
Question
Do I need to have MS-DOS on my computer?
Answer
First, it is important to realize that MS-DOS has not been included or required for Microsoft Windows since Windows 3.11. Microsoft Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows ME, Windows NT, Windows ME, Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Vista users may get confused or be misguided by malicious users into thinking MS-DOS is no longer needed for these versions of Windows. The fact is that these computer do not have MS-DOS on the computer, just a MS-DOS interpreter accessed by also known as the Windows command line accessed through the "command" or "cmd" command.
The files necessary for the MS-DOS interpreter to work on the computer are needed by these versions of Windows and should not be deleted. If someone tells you MS-DOS is not needed on the computer and to delete files from your computer ignore this person, they are likely trying to cause you more issues.
If you're wanting to delete MS-DOS because you're afraid of it's abilities or that it could be used maliciously, keep in mind that MS-DOS is just a command line interpreter and is primarily just a different method of navigating the files and interacting with the computer. Today, anything that could be done in MS-DOS could also be done in the Windows.
Microsoft has phased out the older stand-alone versions MS-DOS. If you're looking for a place to purchase older programs such as a copy of MS-DOS we suggest trying the suggestions on how to find old software.