Archived from groups: microsoft.public.win95.general.discussion (
More info?)
Jeremy B wrote:
> "cquirke (MVP Windows shell/user)" wrote:
>
>>Yep. Unlike Win9x, Win3.yuk really does run on top of DOS, though it
>>takes over some memory management etc. but it still relies on DOS for
>>CD-ROM support. You can use the Win98 OakCDROM.sys driver (from the
>>Windows\Command\EBD folder) to drive the CD, as follows...
>>
>>In C:\CONFIG.SYS ...
>>
>>DeviceHigh=C:\Path\To\OakCDROM.sys /D:CD1
>>
>>In C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT ...
>>
>>LH MSCDEx /D:CD1
>>
>>These drivers extend BIOS and DOS, respectively, to support the CD-ROM
>>drive, and Windows 3.1 inherits that when it runs.
>>
>>BTW: The DOS that Win3.yuk runs on has to be MS-DOS 5 through 6.22;
>>you can't install and run Windows 3.xx on the DOS mode from a Win9x.
>>
>
>
> Ok thanks for the info. I'm confused about a few things though.
>
> 1. For getting the oakcdrom.sys driver, where is the "Windows\Command\EBD
> folder?" I went to C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND on my Windows 98SE system and couldn't
> find the EBD folder. However, on my Win98SE book disk I found a file named
> oakcdrom.sys. Will this one work?
>
> 2. In the part where you tell me what files to alter you wrote "In
> C:\CONFIG.SYS ..." and "In C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT ..." But their are no files on the
> C: drive yet. Could you explain that more?
>
> 3. Also, I don't actually have a config.sys or a autoexec.bat file anywhere.
> The only files that come close are the AUTOEXEC.DEM, AUTOEXEC.STD, CONFIG.DEM
> and CONFIG.STD files that are on the floppy disk that fires up the CD-ROM. I
> have the code from those files posted in my 2nd post above and those files do
> contain code similar to what you wrote in your post (eg
> "DeviceHigh=C:\Path\To\OakCDROM.sys /D:CD1"). Should I just relpace the code
> in those files on the Win 3.1 disk with your code?
>
> 4. I noticed that for the autoexec.bat file you said I should change the
> code to "LH MSCDEx /D:CD1." Are you sure that your code is correct? Looking
> at the code in the AUTOEXEC.STD file posted above there's a line that reads
> "LH C:\DOS\MSCDEX.EXE /D:MSCD0001 /M:30 /E." Are you sure that your code
> shouldn't read something more like that?
>
> Thanks you very much for your help.
>
> Jeremy
Since you will be loading Windows in the equivlent of "DOS Mode" you
WILL need to load drivers to access the instalation files on removable
optical media like a Cd-ROM. These drivers are contained in a *.sys file
AND mscdex.exe. Many CD and DVD drives can be operated READ ONLY with
oakcdrom.sys, but a few might need a *.sys file from the drive
manufacturer. The *.sys file needs to be loaded by config.sys. the
mscdex.exe needs to be run by autoexec.bat.
Let's break down the commands related to the CD-ROM drive:
In config.sys "DEVICEHIGH" loads a device driver. The driver in the high
Intel 80286 compatable high memory area if this area has already been
enabled by other config.sys commands AND not already occupied by the
operating system or previously loaded drivers. The driver will load to
the lower address "conventional memory" if space in the high memory area
isn't available.
The "C:\PATH\TO\" portion describes the path where "OakCDROM.SYS" is
located. The example is just a made up folder/directory path. You might
prefer putting OakCDROM.SYS in a direcory named "drivers", but the
folder name isn't important as long as it describes the path you copied
the OakCDROM.SYS file to.
"OakCDROM.SYS" is, of course the name of the driver file.
The "/D:CD1" gives the drive a name so that the MSCDEX.EXE command knows
which one to attach to.
In autoexec.bat "LoadHigh" or the shorter "LH" loads a file into the
Intel 80286 compatable high memory if free and made available by the
HIMEM.SYS line, to conventional memory if high memory space is not
available.
Then you have the file path and file name for the MS CD-ROM Extension.
Again the actual path isn't important as long as it actually describes
where you have copied the mscdex.exe file to.
The "/D:MSCD001" is the reference to the device to use the extensions
with. The portion after the colon should match the device reference used
when you loaded the *.sys file. Note that "/D:CD1" in config.sys WITH
"/D:MSCD001" in autoexec would NOT work, the parts after the colon MUST
be identical.
The "/M:30" portion sets the quantity of file buffers available for the
CD drive.
While the on disk help lists the "/E' portion, it doesn't indicate its
function. Doesn't list what "/K" "/S" or "/V" stand for either. For some
other commands "/V" generates a "verbose" more detailed description of
what the command is doing during the boot sequence.
If you add " /L:R" you can override the default assignment of the CD-ROM
to the next available letter after the hard drive partition(s). By
assigning a higher letter you can avoid the tendancy of CD useing
applications to malfunction after the addition of a second hard drive.
Establishing this high drive letter early allows it to remain unchanged.
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram