Need a DOS/Win95 install

[Homeground]

I tried running Win95 inside a VM running inside Ubuntu Linux, but I didn't like it much. Also there are some Dos programs I want to use that have to run in real mode, not VM. So what I need is a proper DOS install, with Win95 going on top.

I bought DOS 6.2 discs on ebay last week and tried to install them last night on a spare hard drive, which previously had Ubuntu on it. I hoped the format procedure would wipe everything, but apparently not. When I tried booting the hd I got

error: no such partition
grub rescue>

That's Ubuntu showing through. Obviously the MBR still contains what was there before. So how do I solve that? Do I have to hose the whole disk with zeros?

 

[madonnac]

fdisk /mbr
(you will need to find a way to get to the command prompt first - I would suggest trying F5/F8 when booting to get to the boot menu)

 

[Homeground]

I don't know about your F5/F8 thing. On mine it's F2/F12, but I don't see how that would solve it. All it does is give me a choice of where to boot from. If I choose hard-drive I'll just get the result I had before.

I found an old Dos tools CD in my collection and booted from that. Then I got to the C: drive and found all the files intact. I did fdisk /mbr. Response "Incorrect Version", whatever that means.

Any ideas? Or do I just have to write zeroes to the whole disk and install all over again?

 

[Homeground]

Okay, I've done it. I hosed the whole disk with zeroes and re-installed. But not without mis-hap. The first time through, I had an 8Gb usb stick inserted. It formatted it instead of the hard drive. Luckily there was nothing on it of any value. The second attempt went without a hitch.

So, now installing Win95. One thing I don't know is whether installing it over the top of DOS will affect things. Does Windows tamper with DOS in any way. Will I still be able to re-boot to DOS when I need to, and know that it's DOS 6.2 and not some other version that Win95 has replaced it with?

 

[rclarke250]

From the bootable dos/windows boot diskette, if you press F5 during boot it will bypass the autoexec.bat and the config.sys leaving you at an A prompt where you can utilize the command <Fdisk> with the switch /MBR to delete the master boot record on the hard drive.

F8 will do this also, it will just prompt you y/n to use the autoexec.bat and the config.sys.

I would suggest you download ultimate boot disk:

http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/download.html

Than run DBAN or MBRtool to delete the MBR.

 

[Homeground]

^See my previous post. That's all sorted.

But installing Windows isn't sorted. I booted into DOS inserted the Win95 disc, then typed "d:" to read the CD-ROM drive. Result "Invalid Drive". And no other drive letters are recognized either, except a: and b: for the floppy drives.

Stuck again.

 

[ANFPS26]

Does this site offer you a solution?

http://www.everythingcomputers.com/windows_boot_disk.htm

Or, I usually use a Windows 98 boot floppy to sort all this out. It's been awhile since I've done it. The Win98 boot floppy will let you boot with CD-ROM support.

http://www.onecomputerguy.com/install/floppies.htm#boot_floppy

Jim

 

[rclarke250]

You do understand about config.sys and autoexec.bat to load the drivers for the cdrom drive, and also to set the drive letter,right?

The windows 95 install should have a floppy disk to boot from, that will set the environment so you can install windows 95.

Also on the UBCD I mentioned there is a utility called smart boot manager, it should work for you as it is OS independent, and doesn't touch the partitions.

 

[Homeground]

You do understand about config.sys and autoexec.bat to load the drivers for the cdrom drive, and also to set the drive letter,right?"

Wrong. I know nothing except what I'm picking up from places like this. It's years since I've used DOS or early Windows. I've been going round in circles trying to do this (I thought) simple task.

Now it looks like I'll need some floppy disks. I haven't had any of those for years either, but I've just bought some off ebay this morning. Everything will have to go on hold till they arrive. No doubt I'll be back. In the meantime, thanks.

 

[edfair]

You'll need a CD-Rom device driver for DOS, loded from config.sys and MSCDexe from autoexec.bat to give you access to the CD.
When you load 95 it will put in a different set of drivers and give you a boot manager that you can manipulate to choose which set of drivers to use, the older DOS or the newer 95.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[strongm]

>Does Windows tamper with DOS in any way

Yes. Windows 95 will install DOS 7

 

[edfair]

Yes and no. It installs 7 but leaves the existing 6 in place so long as you have it in a place that 95 doesn't overlay it. This is a problem if you also have win3 as 95 will normally overwrite the windows directory. The msdos program from 95 will be 7.

The 95 version installs in windows\command IIRC.

My current dual boot has been with 98SE for so long I can't remember all the details with 95. So my comments may not be exact for the older version.

Before installing 95 I would at least copy the DOS versions of MSDOS.sys, IO.sys, command.com, config.sys, and autoexec.bat to something a little different so you can get them back if 95 overwrites them. You'll have to change attributes on several as they are SHR.

The bootloader that will allow you to choose the OS to run is msdos.sys (the 95 version) which you would edit to add menuing capability.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[strongm]

> leaves the existing 6 in place so long as you have it in a place that 95 doesn't overlay it

Well, only if it is on a different logical drive - which doesn't sound like the scenario here - which evenatually provides the "Previous version of MS-DOS" on an F8 at startup. But it ain't anything less than DOS 7 that you get when launching a command prompt from Windows 95

 

[edfair]

Well, only if it is on a different logical drive"

They will exist on the same drive, mine are in c:\dos and c:\windows\command. But it does take some name changes of config.sys, autoexec.bat, and command.com to get the right ones to be active with the chosen boot.

You don't need the [F8]. Setting menu=1 in the w95 msdos.sys will throw the menu every time. Setting the timeout to something like 2 or 3 will give enough time to select the older version but not delay long enough to be a pain.

Yeah, command or cmd via run or msdos via programs will give 7 with some small differences between command and cmd. Can't recall the differences.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[edfair]

This from a 98SE but 95 would be similar:
A IO.DOS C:\IO.DOS
A MSDOS.DOS C:\MSDOS.DOS
A COMMAND.DOS C:\COMMAND.DOS
A COMMAND.COM C:\COMMAND.COM
A CONFIG.DOS C:\CONFIG.DOS
MSDOS.--- C:\MSDOS.---
A MSDOS.SYS C:\MSDOS.SYS
IO.SYS C:\IO.SYS
A CONFIG.SYS C:\CONFIG.SYS
A AUTOEXEC.BAT C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT
A AUTOEXEC.DOS C:\AUTOEXEC.DOS
boot loader, msdos.sys
[Paths]
WinDir=C:\WINDOWS
WinBootDir=C:\WINDOWS
HostWinBootDrv=C

[Options]
BootMulti=1
BootGUI=1
BootMenu=1
BootMenuDefault=2
BootMenuDelay=6
DoubleBuffer=1
AutoScan=1
WinVer=4.10.2222

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[Homeground]

It installs 7 but leaves the existing 6 in place so long as you have it in a place that 95 doesn't overlay it."

I don't follow that. How do you install Win95 in a different place from where you installed DOS initially? Doesn't Win95 refuse to install unless DOS is already present?

 

[BadBigBen]

Homeground,

question, have you attempted to boot from the W95 CD at all, prior to installing DOS?

(Win 95 either came on installable floppies or on a bootable CD, from which you installed WITH OUT having to install DOS first)...

Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[Homeground]

'Fraid not. But just to check, I tried it. It passed over the CD and booted from DOS as usual.

 

[edfair]

You boot with DOS 6 and let it install & put the files in c:\dos.
You reboot with the 95 floppy and let it install in c:\windows--or
You reboot with the 95 CD amd put it in c:\windows.

Both are standard installs unless you have to use a boot floppy to gain access to the 95.

I generally put DOS on, get the CD working, and copy the 95 install stuff to a directory on the hard drive and install from there.

If it passes over the CD you have an issue with your CD or boot order. Sometimes you need a floppy to get access to the CD. I use a 98SE boot disk for the better hardware drivers, for install purposes it doesn't matter if the boot disk is DOS, 95, or 98.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[rclarke250]

windows 95 cd is not bootable, it came with a floppy disk that you had to boot from with the cd in the drive. You can download the boot disk from

http://www.bootdisk.com