In some
operating system
An operating system (OS) is system software that manages computer hardware, software resources, and provides common daemon (computing), services for computer programs.
Time-sharing operating systems scheduler (computing), schedule tasks for ef ...
s,
vol
is a
command
Command may refer to:
Computing
* Command (computing), a statement in a computer language
* COMMAND.COM, the default operating system shell and command-line interpreter for DOS
* Command key, a modifier key on Apple Macintosh computer keyboards
...
within the
command-line interpreter
A command-line interpreter or command-line processor uses a command-line interface (CLI) to receive command (computing), commands from a user in the form of lines of text. This provides a means of setting parameters for the environment, invokin ...
s (
shells) such as
COMMAND.COM
and
cmd.exe
. It is used to display the
volume label and
volume serial number of a
logical drive, such as a
hard disk
A hard disk drive (HDD), hard disk, hard drive, or fixed disk is an electro-mechanical data storage device that stores and retrieves digital data using magnetic storage with one or more rigid rapidly rotating platters coated with mag ...
partition or a
floppy disk
A floppy disk or floppy diskette (casually referred to as a floppy, or a diskette) is an obsolescent type of disk storage composed of a thin and flexible disk of a magnetic storage medium in a square or nearly square plastic enclosure lined ...
, if they exist.
Implementations

The command is available in various versions of
DOS,
DR FlexOS,
IBM/
Toshiba
, commonly known as Toshiba and stylized as TOSHIBA, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Its diversified products and services include power, industrial and social infrastructure systems ...
4690 OS, IBM
OS/2
OS/2 (Operating System/2) is a series of computer operating systems, initially created by Microsoft and IBM under the leadership of IBM software designer Ed Iacobucci. As a result of a feud between the two companies over how to position OS/2 ...
,
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational corporation, multinational technology company, technology corporation producing Software, computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers, and related services headquartered at th ...
Windows
Windows is a group of several proprietary graphical operating system families developed and marketed by Microsoft. Each family caters to a certain sector of the computing industry. For example, Windows NT for consumers, Windows Server for ...
, and
ReactOS
ReactOS is a free and open-source operating system for amd64/ i686 personal computers intended to be binary-compatible with computer programs and device drivers made for Windows Server 2003 and later versions of Windows. ReactOS has been noted ...
.
On
MS-DOS
MS-DOS ( ; acronym for Microsoft Disk Operating System, also known as Microsoft DOS) is an operating system for x86-based personal computers mostly developed by Microsoft. Collectively, MS-DOS, its rebranding as IBM PC DOS, and a few oper ...
, the command is available in versions 2 and later.
Paragon Technology Systems PTS-DOS
PTS-DOS (aka PTS/DOS) is a disk operating system, a DOS clone, developed in Russia by PhysTechSoft and Paragon Technology Systems.
History and versions
PhysTechSoft was formed in 1991 in Moscow, Russia by graduates and members of MIPT, i ...
2000 Pro also includes a implementation.
[
]
The Windows
dir
command also displays the volume label and serial number (if it has one) as part of the directory listing.
The command is also available in the
EFI shell.
Syntax
vol
rive:
Arguments:
*
Drive:
This
command-line argument specifies the drive letter of the disk for which to display the volume label and serial number.
Note:
*On Windows, the volume serial number is displayed only for disks formatted with
MS-DOS
MS-DOS ( ; acronym for Microsoft Disk Operating System, also known as Microsoft DOS) is an operating system for x86-based personal computers mostly developed by Microsoft. Collectively, MS-DOS, its rebranding as IBM PC DOS, and a few oper ...
version 4.0 or later.
*OS/2 allows the user to specify more than one drive. The
vol
command displays the volume labels consecutively.
Examples
IBM OS/2
:\ol C:
The volume label in drive C is OS/2.
The Volume Serial Number is 0815:1611.
Microsoft Windows
C:\Users\root>vol C:
Volume in drive C is Windows
Volume Serial Number is 080F-100B
In the example above, if drive C: has no volume label, "has no label" is shown instead of "is Windows".
Supported file systems
*
FAT12
*
FAT16
*
FAT32
File Allocation Table (FAT) is a file system developed for personal computers. Originally developed in 1977 for use on floppy disks, it was adapted for use on hard disks and other devices. It is often supported for compatibility reasons by ...
*
exFAT
*
NTFS
New Technology File System (NTFS) is a proprietary journaling file system developed by Microsoft. Starting with Windows NT 3.1, it is the default file system of the Windows NT family. It superseded File Allocation Table (FAT) as the preferred f ...
See also
*
Label (command)
In computing, label is a command included with some operating systems (e.g., DOS, IBM OS/2, Microsoft Windows and ReactOS). It is used to create, change, or delete a volume label on a logical drive, such as a hard disk partition or a floppy di ...
— Used to create, change and delete the disk volume label.
*
List of DOS commands
This article presents a list of commands used by DOS operating systems, especially as used on x86-based IBM PC compatibles (PCs). Other DOS operating systems are not part of the scope of this list.
In DOS, many standard system commands were p ...
References
Further reading
*
*
*
External links
vol , Microsoft Docs
{{Windows commands
Internal DOS commands
MSX-DOS commands
OS/2 commands
ReactOS commands
Windows commands
Microcomputer software
Windows administration