Need help running CDROM in DOS under Windows95

[aphexduck]

I have an IBM Thinkpad 380d with Windows v.4.00.950b build ????
The installation includes compressed files, and a setup program which will install windows, all packaged by Microsoft.
The program does not work; it is corrupted.
Windows 95 will not start up
The floppy drive does not work.
The BIOS will not allow the CD drive to load first (unless I need a specially formatted CD; my store bought copy of W98 will not load)
The only thing I can get to is a command prompt (DOS version 6.x I believe)
I need to get the CDROM drive going within DOS in order to load W98 onto the computer using only the mostly intact Windows 95 files on the computer, and whatever else is on the hard drive.
mcdex.exe is available, but I cannot locate a driver for the CDROM.
Thus is my predicament.
If anyone out there is truly a W95 expert, I would appreciate your help.

wrx

 

[PAndersen]

In AUTOEXEC.BAT you will need something like
MSCDEX.EXE /d:idecd000
and in CONFIG.SYS
DEVICE=AOATAPI.SYS /d:idecd000
Probably, you already have the file MSCDEX.EXE .
Maybe other readers have better alternatives (?)

 

[wolluf]

Why won't windows 95 start up? Can't you get a new floppy drive - otherwise you're nowhere. You've got no way of getting data in or out of the machine (eg, you can find a generic CDROM driver but need to get it onto hard disk to use it - I don't think there is one on the win95 install CD) - other than removing the hard drive & installing it in for example a PC with an special IDE adaptor & copying necessary on from there.

 

[mainegeek]

You say windows95 won't start. How far can you get?
At boot up press F5
This will take you to the C:<prompt>
Type in Edit autoexec.bat
put REM in front of the WINDOWS\WIN line, probably the last line in the autoexec file. Save and exit and reboot. This should allow you to boot to C:\<prompt> with out having to by-pass start up files. If your cdrom files were on your system, then they are probably still there. At the C:\<prompt> type CD\CDROM <enter>
type dir/p <enter>
the cdrom files should be in here. If so, check the autoexec.bat and the config.sys files with EDIT again and look for these lines:

AUTOEXEC.BAT
C:\CDROM\MSCDEX.EXE /D:TPCD001 /M:15

CONFIG.SYS
DEVICE=C:\CDROM\IBMTPCD.SYS /R

If these lines are there, then you should be able to boot to
the C:\<prompt> with CD-Rom support. If the Win98 you want to install is a full version then you must rename the existing C:\windows\win.com file to something else first. ie: win.old

If you are using win98 upgrade then just do below.

Then D: <enter>
cd\win98 <enter>
setup <enter>

You should really consider buying a new floppy drive.

 

[Kento]

Try starting up using a 98 boot disk and choose 'start with cd-rom support' from the options. You can get one from below or make one on any 98 machine in add/remove. If you get one from below, download the file to a working machine then insert a floppy and doubleclick the file. It should then create the disk.

http://www.startdisk.com/

http://www.drd.dyndns.org/index2.html

http://www.bootdisk.com