|
 Windows9x
bootdisk "from scratch" - TweakCentral shows you
how
I made a disk image file so you can just make
a dos boot disk.
 Download
it (bootdisk.zip 806 KB 06/09/99)
By downloading this file, you agree to the
legal notice below.
The instructions on this page are a pain.
I'm going to try to put up a disk-image of a boot-disk I have
and you can just download that and pop-in a floppy. How sweet
is that?
Until then, these instructions will have
to do:
*NOTE: about FAT32
When Microsoft says that DOS and FAT32 are not compatible,
they mean it.
If you have a FAT32 Hard-Drive and try to read/write files
from DOS, you will have trouble accessing it.
Create
an Emergency Boot-Disk Step-By-Step:
Method
1. With the w95 Startup-disk applet.
Method
2. From Scratch
Regardless of which method you
use, ALWAYS - Start with a ** NEW ** Floppy Disk.
It's always a good idea to use a new floppy for vital information.
Throw away old floppies in favor of new ones if you can.
And ALWAYS run a quick SCANDISK when re-using old floppies
and throw away any with "bad clusters."
 |
| |
 Method
1: the startup disk applet (win95) |
|
 |
 1.
Start the Applet:
Go to control panel | Add/Remove Programs
and select the Startup Disk tab.
2. Get a new floppy ready and press
the create disk button. 
3. CD-Rom Drivers: 
If you want to use this disk to access
your CD-Rom (ie for re-installing w95), you'll have to add
the CD-Rom drivers yourself. If you do not intend
to use this disk with a CD-Rom drive, you are done.
Obtain some real-mode (dos)
drivers for your CD-Rom Drive. These can be obtained
from your CD-Rom's manufacturer. I've read that "there
are no such thing as generic real-mode CD-Rom drivers,"
but I use this one from TEAC
(download
it here). It has worked on every CD-Rom drive
I've tried it on.
Extract the teac_cdi.sys file and add it to your floppy.
4. Modify the config.sys file:
Open the config.sys file on the boot-disk
(a:\config.sys) wiith a text-editor (MS Word, Wordpad, Notepad...etc).
Add the following lines (at the bottom of whatever is already
there):
device=himem.sys
device=a:\teac_cdi.sys /d:teac-cdi
(*this line will be different based on your cd-rom driver
- see your driver's documentation).
Save the file.
5. Modify the autoexec.bat
file: 
Open the autoexec.bat (a:\autoexec.bat)
file as you did the config.sys file in step 4.
Add the following line:
a:\mscdex.exe /d:teac-cdi
/m:15
(the "teac-cdi" portion of this line
should match the line in the config.sys and the /m: switch
determines the number of buffers mscdex uses - it's not
critical, but may create problems if it's missing.)
Save the file.
That's it, you're done.
You can try the disk by leaving it in your computer and resarting.
You should be presenetd with the DOS prompt and when you type
dir d: (substitute the letter of your cd-rom drive for "d")
you should see the files on your CD-Rom. If this does
not work, be sure you have typed the lines correctly in the
config.sys and autoexec.bat files in steps 4 & 5.
1. Format the disk (either
using Windows and checking the "copy system files"
box or using a dos prompt and typing: format a: /s)
| 2. Copy the following
files to the disk: |
| Some files may
have "hidden" or "system" attributes
and may not be displayed unless you have view/options
set up properly |
|
location
|
filename
|
 C:\windows\command |
attrrib.exe
chkdsk.exe
debug.exe (optional)
edit.com
fdisk.exe
format.exe
mscdex.exe
scandisk.exe
scandisk.ini
sys.com*
|
|
C:\windows\ |
command.com
emm386.exe
himem.sys*
regedit.exe
|
|
C:\ |
io.sys*
msdos.sys*
|
|
*these files should have been
created upon format, add them if they're not there. |
5. CD-Rom Drivers:
Obtain some real-mode (dos)
drivers for your CD-Rom Drive. These can be obtained
from your CD-Rom's manufacturer. I've read that "there
are no such thing as generic real-mode CD-Rom drivers,"
but I use this one from TEAC
(download
it here). It has worked on every CD-Rom drive
I've tried it on.
Extract the teac_cdi.sys file and add it to your floppy.
6.
Create a config.sys file:
Create a new file wiith
a text-editor (MS Word, Wordpad, Notepad...etc).
Add the following lines:
device=himem.sys
device=a:\teac_cdi.sys /d:teac-cdi
(*this line will be different based on your cd-rom driver
- see your driver's documentation).
Save the file as "config.sys" on your floppy.
7. Create an autoexec.bat
file:
Create a new text file as
you did in step 4.
Add the following line:
a:\mscdex.exe /d:teac-cdi
/m:15
(the "teac-cdi" portion of this line
should match the line in the config.sys and the /m: switch
determines the number of buffers mscdex uses - it's not
critical, but may create problems if it's missing.)
Save the file as autoexec.bat
You're ready to go.
Test the disk to make sure it works: Leave it in
the drive and reboot your computer. When the prompt
comes up type d: (substitute the letter of your CD-Rom drive
for "d") and then type dir. If your disk isn't
configured properly, you'll get an "invalid drive specification"
error. If this happens review the steps above and make
sure the autoexec.bat and config.sys files are entered properly.
If everything is working properly,
open the write-protect tab and keep this disk in a safe place
(make a back-up copy of this disk if you're really into safety).
If you ever have a bad-day
and your computer gives up the ghost, you will be VERY GLAD
you have this disk.
|
GNUTELLA
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