DOS problems

[Shaytar]

Whenever I try to run my computer in DOS mode (using the Win95 "restart in DOS" command") it refuses to acknowledge the fact that I have a CD-ROM drive. Everytime I try to get to d: drive from a c: prompt in DOS, it says "invalid drive." Yet if I go from a DOS-prompt in Win95, it works? Any ideas why?

Shay

[pqwabbit]

uh cuz it's being a PITA?

it's really not pronoucned daws it's more like DOH-s!

as in DOH!
which is what you will say repeatedly when you try to do somethig like access you cdrom liek that heehe

er I dont have any answers just tthought you'd enjoy some oif that legendary Lea Bad Humor hehhe

hmmm I think I will go try that on my dos see if it's all wahcked out liek that -



------------------
Lea
Massachusetts Rabbit Rescue
http://www.RabbitRescue.org

[Justin]

In native DOS, or "MS-DOS Mode", you do not have access to any Windows drivers, including CD Rom, and even sound card stuff if you never set that up for dos.

What you need to do is make a separate config.sys and autoexec.bat file for dos mode. It's a little hard to explain, but here goes:

Find an MS Dos shortcut. Make one if you have to (right click, create new shortcut, enter "command.com" for the command line). Now right click on this shortcut and hit properties. Click on the Program tab, then hit advanced near the bottom.

Hit the checkbox "MS Dos Mode", and select "Specify a new configuration...". This will effectively be your autoexec.bat and config.sys for dos mode.

Put these lines in the config.sys box. Delete whatever is there already (don't worry - not the same for windows, so it won't affect windows at all):

DOS=HIGH,UMB
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE NOEMS

-- below is the important one for the CD --

DEVICEHIGH=C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\your_cd_drivers.sys /D:mscd001

Now the deal here is that you need to replace your cd drivers with the driver *.sys file for your particular CD Rom drive, and copy that file to c:\windows\command. This will be on the floppy that came with your CD Drive.

Now, the next thing is the autoexec.bat box:

LH C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\MSCDEX.EXE /D:mscd001

The D:mscd001 can be anything, just so it's the same both times. Better off leaving these as they are.

You must also make sure that there is a copy of MSCDEX.ECE in the windows\command directory. If not, you can find one on the floppy again. If all of that is ok, you can click apply, ok, and double click the icon. It should ask you if you want to go to dos mode, and choose yes. If you have the right driver in there, you should be ok. If not, or if you don't have the CD Rom's OEM disk, try some of the one's from your origional 95 boot diskette.

Hope this helps.

Justin

------------------
Justin Nelson, SFE Inc.
http://www.vdj.net

[Shaytar]

Thanks for the laugh Lea

Thanks Justin
I do follow what you wrote (had to rewrite these kinds of files before when we accidentally deleted config.sys and autoexec.bat from our parent's old puter).
I'll try it out tomorrow when I'm not half asleep.

Thanks again.
Shay

------------------
www.susogi.net/Shaytar (http://www.susogi.net/Shaytar)

[MikeA]

opps, see below.

[This message has been edited by MikeA (edited 01-08-99).]

[MikeA]

Another note. If you leave out the DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE NOEMS line, you will gain more conventional memory when booting to DOS. This is very helpful if you're running a game or program that needs that memory.

The EMM386.EXE NOEMS tells DOS to disable EMS memory, but if you leave the statement out, it's disabled by default and you don't loose that precious Conventional ram.

------------------
www.webauthorities.com (http://www.webauthorities.com)
"To continue press any key"...Where's the anykey?

[Shaytar]

Ok, did what Justin said, and yes, dos now recognizes cd driver.
BUT....
I now only have 544K conventional mem, and it needs 575K.
I left out the line Mike said to leave out too.
I don't get it!
And I know I used to know a way to change what programs loaded where in DOS mode so that I could get more EMS free, but apparently I forgot, or this DOS with Win95 don't like it.

Argh...
so the game still won't run

frustrated
Shay

[meikel]

Hi,

just put in this
DEVICE=EMM386.EXE NOEMS
line again.
Then add the following statement to your CONFIG.SYS
DOS=HIGH,UMB
Next is to rename all
DEVICE=whatever
to
DEVICEHIGH=whatever

in your autoexec.bat place a
LH
in front of every program or driver that is loaded (keyboard, display, doskey, etc.)

As a last resort, scan your Win95 CD for a program called memmaker.exe
Try to copy all files from that directory to your \WINDOWS\COMMAND directory and run it from your pure DOS-Prompt. Sometimes this can help getting more conventional memory.

Meikel