Re: I need help with Dos mode
A Mitsumi real-mode CD driver works with many CD drives....it's what I used for
years with a variety of CD drives. The file, mtmcdai.sys, is available here after
free registration:
http://www.cdrom-drivers.com/drivers/11/11135.htm
Or, I could email it to you along with a few other "generic" DOS CD drivers, if you
supply me with a valid email address. You can email me with a valid address, at
glen.vee @ gmail dot com
You have not made clear exactly how you are doing this. Are you editing the
autoexec.bat and config.sys files for Windows, to load you DOS drivers? This is not
the best method, nor is the method described by Ben (which is also incomplete, BTW,
as it does not supply you with the needed .sys file).
If you want to use the Windows startup files for this, then in the c:\config.sys
file, add a DEVICEHIGH line to load the CD .sys file, but use the DOSSTART.BAT file
to load MSCDEX.EXE so that it only loads when restarting in DOS mode.
For more control over the restart in MS-DOS mode, the Exit to DOS.pif properties
should be changed to 'Specify a new configuration', so that the shortcut itself can
be customised for DOS mode, leaving the config.sys and autoexec.bat clean when
booted to Windows.
"Exit to DOS.pif" is the actual DOS shortcut file used by Windows for the Start Menu
option "Restart in MS-DOS Mode". You can right-click it and click Properties,
Program tab> Advanced button, then select Specify a New Configuration, after which
you can add whatever lines you need for DOS CD drivers and mouse drivers, right
there in the properties of the shortcut.
Here are some examples of the types of commands used for loading the CD drivers,
whether they be in the autoexec.bat and config.sys on the C: drive, or the
dosstart.bat and config.sys files on the C: drive, or in the autoexec.bat and
config.sys sections of the Exit to DOS.pif when specifying a new configuration:
http://www.computerhope.com/ac.htm
If it is only one game you are doing this for, instead of modifying the Exit To
DOS.pif, you can make "private' startup files for this one game to run in DOS mode:
-Find the executable file (.exe or .com) for the game in question, right-click it
and click Properties from the menu that appears.
-Click the Program tab, then the Advanced button.
-Put a check in the box that says 'MS-DOS Mode'; if you want a confirmation message
each time you start the game, check the 'Warn before entering..' box.
-Click to select the 'Specify a new MS-DOS configuration' radio button; the private
autoexec.bat and config.sys boxes will be enabled.
-Click the 'Configuration' button, and choose the items you want to utilise, then
click OK.
-Manually edit the private autoexec and config files in the boxes, to add or modify
what you need to load.
-Click OK when done.
-Put a check in the 'Close on Exit' box, and click OK.
No matter which of these methods you use, once you are finished with the game and
want to return to Windows, you type EXIT at the command prompt and press Enter.
More info:
From: Description of Restarting Computer in MS-DOS Mode
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=138996
"When you restart your computer by choosing the "Restart the computer in MS-DOS
mode" option in the Shut Down Windows dialog box, Windows closes all running
programs, removes itself from memory, and then starts a real- mode command prompt.
If the Use Current MS-DOS Configuration option is selected in the "Exit to DOS.pif"
file that is used to restart the computer in MS-DOS mode, the Dosstart.bat file in
the Windows folder is processed. If the Specify A New MS-DOS Configuration option is
selected, the Config.sys and Autoexec.bat files listed in the "Exit to DOS.pif" file
are used instead of the Config.sys and Autoexec.bat files in the root folder."
Also see:
http://cquirke.mvps.org/9x/whatdos.htm#Specify_a_New
If you need some help setting up the private startup files in the .pif file, post
back with your questions.
--
Glen Ventura, MS MVP Shell/User, A+
http://dts-l.org/
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
"SeeKay" <u38355@uwe> wrote in message news:79dd91acae251@uwe...
>I have an OLD computer that I use to run old games. One game needs MS-DOS
> mode and CD-ROM access. The default MS-DOS mode on my Win-95 does not have a
> driver for the CD (or the mouse driver, but I can fix that one). I can find
> the MSCDEX.EXE but only the CDFS.vxd file. Do I need to find a .sys CD-ROM
> file or can the CDFS file work in the Config.sys section?
>
> If yes, what do I type in Config.sys to get it to work
>
> If no, any suggestions on where to find a .sys CD-ROM system file that works
> with Win-95. And no, I don't need a CD-read/write one. I'm not 100% sure the
> make of the CD drive since this is a cobbled computer from old parts, so I'll
> need a generic driver not some brand name system file.
>