Clean boot to DOS prompt

[marvhuffaker]

I haven't done this for a while, but could someone confirm the proper steps necessary to do this? I have a client with a windows 98 system that is trying to boot cleanly to dos but a lot of the Windows components are still apparently loading. I no longer have a 98 machine that i can test this on.

I need to be able to boot to a DOS prompt with Windows 95/98, and not load anything from the windows registry or system files. Essentially, the system needs to be used as a DOS machine. I also don't want to have to invoke any kind of menu. It needs to be fully automated.

1) From the C: prompt, format a floppy with FORMAT A: /s
2) Copy SYS.COM to the floppy.
3) boot from the floppy.
4) do a SYS C: from booted floppy

That's it as I recall. Is this the correct procedure for doing this? Am I missing something?

Thanks in advance to anyone that can confirm.

Marvin

Marvin Huffaker MCNE, CNE
Marvin Huffaker Consulting

http://www.redjuju.com

 

[TreeHead]

Go to

http://www.bootdisk.com

- this will allow you to create any boot disk you require. You can then format the the PC with DOS 6.22 using the /s switch to make it bootable.

Else, if you want to keep the Windows install, delete the system files from the root of C:\ and then use the SYS A: C: command with the DOS 6.22 disk in A:

Obviously, these will only work with a FAT16 file system.

 

[wolluf]

You want it to be a dos machine? To run what? (ie, how much 'dos' do you need - if you run sys C: you will have the most minimal 'dos' installation). You can set windows 98 to boot automatically to a dos prompt by editing the msdos.sys file - its just a text file (entry BootGui=0 - see

http://members.aol.com/axcel216/msdos.htm).

Or you could boot from a win98 boot floppy (

http://www.bootdisk.com

has a selection) - this would give you CD support, but not mouse or sound support.

If you need CD/mouse/sound support, you will have to load the requisite dos drivers (use config.sys & autoexec.bat).