Let's Make A BOOT Disk
Making A BOOT Disk Work:
Again, this is for IDE drives, if you have a SCSI CD drive then see your card controller MFG. for your drivers and configuration. The whole deal in a nut-shell is to be able to read your Windows CD so you can re-install.--ok.
In the Add/Remove Programs option in Control Panel, click the Startup Disk tab. Then click the Create Disk button, and follow the instructions on-screen. (TA-DA) done!!!
Boy, that was easy---so what's the fuss about?? Well, will the
startup floppy see your CD Drive so you can install what you need from a CD??
I don't think so.
METHOD 1:
Even though this example was done by me for a Compaq computer,
just change the CD driver----that's all.Put a blank disk in the a: drive and shell out to
DOS.
From the C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND prompt of Windows 95 system:
format a: /s
copy fdisk.exe a:
copy format.com a:
copy mscdex.exe a:
copy edit.com a:
copy c:\windows\himem.sys a:
copy c:\windows\emm386.exe a:
<---THIS INFO. between these lines is for Compaq
only--->
Download this file from this URL link address on the Compaq website.
http://www.compaq.com/support/files/desktops/us/software/85.html
When you download this program, place it in a directory. I might suggest (SOMENAME) When
you run the program, it will ask you to hit 'C', on the next screen 'A' and then 'Y' When
you hit YES it will create a subfolder in the directory called DISK1. In DISK 1 you will
find a file called CPQIDECD.SYS. driver. copy c:\SOMENAME\cpqidecd.sys a: (this reference
is for copying driver to your floppy from the Compaq page ONLY)
NOTE: If your H-D is IDE and need a good generic CD driver, find a friend with W-98 and use it's drivers or use my URL's to locate and then download and try the NEC 4x 272 model driver or E-Mail me for other generic drivers, these seem to work on most CDROMs.
the cpqidecd.sys driver is mine so replace it with your own in the line below example.
cpqidecd.sys (make sure your driver is on the floppy).
Then edit a:\config.sys
Add these lines:
device=a:\himem.sys
device=a:\emm386.exe noems
dos=high,umb
files=30
buffers=30
device=a:\cpqidecd.sys /d:CPQCD01
By the way CPQCD01 is just a name I gave the CD-ROM, you can use your first name, your cat's name, whatever you want.
Then hit the ALT-F key together, X for exit and then Y or ENTER to save the file.
Then edit a:\autoexec.bat
a:\mscdex.exe /d:CPQCD01 /v
Then hit the ALT-F key together, X for exit and then Y or ENTER to save the file.
NOW, test your floppy to see if it will read anything that you put into your CD drive---it should---if so----your DONE.
NOW, write protect it and save it.
To make your BOOT Disk a powerful cleanup tool, copy DELTREE.EXE from the WINDOWS/COMMAND directory and-optionally-SMARTDRV.EXE from the WINDOWS directory. DELTREE is a powerful DOS-level application that wipes out entire sections of your directory structure, starting wherever you specify and methodically deleting every file and subdirectory from that point downward. SMARTDRV is a disk cache that isn't essential for cleaning a hard drive, but will make DELTREE run much faster. (Note: SMARTDRV requires HIMEM to load.)
METHOD 2:
Make your start-up floppy (as mentioned at the start);
(1) Add your CD driver
(2) Copy your Autoexec & Config to your floppy
(3) Make sure the info. below is in your Config.sys ??If not--correct it.
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS
DEVICEHIGH=ide-cd.sys /D:MSCD000
(4) Make sure the info. below is in your Autoexec.bat ??If not--correct it.
MSCDEX.EXE /D:MSCD000
TEST IT--if it reads your CD drive, your done!!!!
METHOD 3:
Go to Microsoft's web site of knowledge and see if you can make heads or tails of it:
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q135/1/74.asp?PR=W95&T1=7d&FR=0&A=T&T=B&S=F&
THE Dang Reason's You Need the BOOT Disk:
Basically, the most common scenarios are;
(A) You had a crash and re-freshing the registry didn't help,
(B) Your hard drive (over time) has become super slow due to left over corrupted files,
(C) You've downloaded or installed a virus and it wiped out your drive, we can go on
and on about the different crash scenario's.
(D) You've got a particular area that needs attention and you can't correct it any other
way but from the DOS prompt command, here I go again with this on and on thing.
Anyway---this is when your boot floppy is a life saver, so
boot to the DOS command so you can read CD's because 95% of all your stuff is from CD's
right??
This Image gives you a idea of what's needed:
 |
The files on the left are from
a Boot floppy that I use for a Compaq around here some where. Please notice that the
cpqidecd.sys is the CD driver and also needs Mscdex.exe to load the driver. The items with
(<) is really all thats needed to boot, load, read/install your Windows 95, there isn't
enuff room to explain everything and why it's there--if you have questions--(Mail me from
the sidebar front page). |
The 2 things we need to look at and edit if ness. is the autoexec.bat and config.sys files. You right click the autoexec and select edit off the menu but for config you'll use the open/with for Notepad to view and coorect both. I will show you exactly what has to be in both below.
For the Config.sys ;
make sure these two lines are there, (if not) correct them or add them.
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS
DEVICEHIGH=cpqidecd.sys /d:cdrom01
subtitute the { cpqidecd.sys } for your CD driver or a generic driver
For the Autoexec.bat ;
make sure this line is there and again, if it's not there--edit or add it.
mscdex.exe /d:cdrom01 /e/v/m:15
NOTE: Let's Test it to make sure it works:
Insert your new start-up floppy and re-boot by F1, F4, ctrl/alt/del, F8 at the Windows start screen or by what ever means you use;
(1) at the A:\> prompt type CD\ {enter}
(2) type X: {enter} =={where X is your cd drive letter}
(3) type DIR {enter}
At this point you should be looking at this CD's directory (if so)??
( eject the floppy and re-boot back to your Windows 95, {Bye-Bye}!! )
Write protect it and your DONE!
A Good Generic CD Driver:
TEAC_CDI.SYS v1.27Q MS-DOS mode IDE/ATAPI CD-ROM driver
from TEAC America Inc. [40 KB, free]. Works with most IDE/ATAPI compliant internal CD-ROM
drives up to 36x speed from:
http://www.teac.com/dsp/cd/drivers/atapicd.exe
To Make A W98 Boot Floppie Real Personal:
Let's Get A Personal (Lean and Mean) Boot W98 Disk:
Da W98 Boot Disk is Tooo FAT with stuff designed for the world SOoo let's trim it down for
your very own Personal use--ok.
Create a NEW boot disk from the Add/Remove Programs option in Control Panel, then follow
these instructions:
(1) Ok, there's a CD driver on that sucker we need to find so BOOT-Up your Puter using the
new boot disk and when it's loading watch the text messages to determine which CD-ROM
driver your system uses. If it loads an ASPI driver for access to SCSI devices, make a
note of its name as well as the IDE version.
(2) Next, Create a folder called C:\Bootdisk on your hard disk.
(3) Next, we need to explorer (from your floppie drive) the contents of your emergency
boot disk, then copy all files except (Ebd.cab) to your new folderthe folder you just
created. Then open Ebd.cab and drag its contents (12 files in) to the same folder.
(4) Explorer should be up, so let's look at the new contents of C:\Bootdisk, then we need
to Delete all files with the (.sys) extension EXCEPT == Config.sys, Ebd.sys, Himem.sys,
Io.sys, Msdos.sys, and the driver files you need from Step 1.
(5) Open the copy of Config.sys in C:\Bootdisk using Notepad or another text editor ( I
personally like NoteTab ), and Remove the line that begins menuitem=HELP. Under the (CD)
section, remove all lines except the ones that refer to Himem.sys and the Driver files
noted in Step 1. Delete the (HELP) heading and the line underneath it. Under the (Common)
section, remove the line that refers to Ramdrive.sys and Close the file, saving your
changes.
(6) Edit Autoexec.bat so that it reads exactly as follows:
@IF "%config%"=="CD" MSCDEX.EXE /D:mscd001
Close the file, saving your changes.
(7) Delete all files from the boot floppy and copy the contents of C:\Bootdisk to the
floppy.
OK, Check out your new boot disk to verify that it works properly. Your CD-ROM should the
correct drive letter, and boot up much more quickly than the one make from Add/Remove
Panel.
DONE....
