
computer’s memory before you can run any program, such as a
word processing program or a spreadsheet program.
The Command Prompt
After the computer has loaded MS-DOS from the hard disk,
you see the MS-DOS command prompt on the screen:
The command prompt tells you that your computer is ready to
receive instructions. It also identifies the current operating
drive: A or C, for example. The command prompt appears on
the screen whenever you load MS-DOS, complete an MS-DOS
command, or exit an application.
In your computer, the diskette drive is A and the hard disk is
drive C. If you have an optional second diskette drive, MS-DOS
identifies it as B.
8
Copying System Diskettes
Perform the following procedure only if your system is
configured with a single floppy disk drive. If your system has
two floppy disk drives and/or a hard disk drive, see Chapter 4
“Using MS-DOS with your computer.”
Now that you have started your system and loaded MS-DOS, it
is important that you make copies of your MS-DOS diskettes
right away. Use the copies (called working copies) as they are
needed and store the originals in a safe place.
Each of the system diskettes is formatted for 1.2MB.
(Formatting prepares a diskette to store data and is described in
Chapter 3 and Chapter 5.)
Setting Up Your System
1-17
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