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arnzip

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startup disk to reformat c:drive

i need a startup disk that allows me to get to my cdrom and my c:drive .i have windows95 and i would like to reformat my hardrive and be
able to get to my cdrom. my hardrive is c: and d: partioned:
the cdrom is e:
my original config.sys is:
DEVICEHIGH=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS
DEVICEHIGH=C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE NOEMS X=CA00-CFFF
FILES=60
DOS=HIGH,UMB
LASTDRIVE=Z
DEVICE=vide-cdd.SYS /D:OEMCD001
DEVICEHIGH /L:2,13408 =C:\MMP16P\DRIVERS\CDMKE.SYS /D:MSCD000 /P:630

my startup autoexec.bat is:
mscdex.exe /D:mscd000

my startup config.sys is:
DEVICE=vide-cdd.SYS /D:OEMCD001
lastdrive=z
DEVICE=a:\MMP16P\DRIVERS\CDMKE.SYS /D:MSCD000 /P:630
rem device=a:cdmke.sys /D:MSCD000 /P:630

DEVICE=HIMEM.SYS

this startup doesn't work right it makes c: my cdrom so i can't format.
please give me a startup configuration that works.
the rest of my startup disk comes from the startup windows allows you to make.
arnzip@aol.com
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arnzip

ASKER

Adjusted points to 100
You need a universal boot disk for windows. What you have to do is go to this site:

http://support.dell.com/filelib/

which is the file library for Dell computing. Than Search using "SEARCH FOR FILES BY EXACT FILENAME" and search for the file named CDENAB.EXE
Download is and run it. It will ask you for a formatted disk and will make the book disk for you. Than restart your computer and choose the cd-rom of your choice (probably the ATAPI is what you want). If you choose one which doesn't work, keep trying others. All of the cool programs like FORMAT, FDISK, and EDIT come with the boot disk.

hope this helps
-Gary;
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ASKER

i downloaded the file. they did not work. the only thing that is close to working
is when these changes are made.
the autoexec.bat has to look like this

A:\CDROM\mscdex.exe /d:mscd001


the config.sys has to look like this:

device=a:\cdrom\cdmke.sys /D:mscd001 /P:630

the driver cdmke.sys has to be put on the a: disk

but what happens when i do this the c: drive becomes my cdrom.
so how can i reformat my hard drive when the c: drive will then become my
cdrom. how will i load my operating system and transfer it to the usual c: drive
sorry
thanks for your help
sounds like the system has no idea that your hard drive is out there.

in the config.sys and autoexec.bat lines that correspond to the cdrom, add this to the lines:

/l:e

for instance your config.sys line would read:

DEVICE=A:\CDROM\CDMKE.SYS /D:MSCD001 /P:630 /L:E

the auto......... would be:

A:\CDROM\MSCDEX.EXE /D:MSCD001 /L:E

If your boot disk includes FDISK and FORMAT and SYS, then I would go into fdisk and see what it thinks of your hard drive, if it sees nothing, then check your cables, check your drive id (slave, master).

bill
Vote for oldgreyguy's solution

That will work

Bartt
I would say, the system knows the hard drive is there, but I expect it to be a FAT32 partition and you boot with an old DOS boot disk.
Furthermore you cannot specify the drive letter for your CD-ROM in CONFIG.SYS, only in AUTOEXEC.BAT with MSCDEX.
I would expect FDISK to see the hard drive and you will be able to delete and re-create partitions with it.
I don't normally use the /L option, so I put it in both lines because oldtimers disease made me forget which one it went in.
I agree that the drive is either FAT32 or has a large drive boot loader and your boot disk do not recognize the partition.  If the cdrom is showing as C: then the drivers are working.  don't specify a drive letter in the autoexec.bat cause mscdex will pick the next availible, which happens to be C: if your boot disk op sys can't recognized the partition.  make sure you get a FAT32 boot disk or use whatever procedure the bootloader specifies to boot the machine.
WIN98 has something that creates a FAT32 bootdisk... Look in the resource kit.
Another route if you don't plan n changeing your partitions is to copy the Win95 folder from the cdrom to the d: drive.  Create a standard Win95 setup disk from the control panel.  After booting from the floppy, you should be able to use this:

A:\>d:
D:\>cd Win95
D:\Win95\>setup

You will need the serial number that corresponds to the cdrom you copied the Win95 folder from.

If all this works, you can exit setup, format your c: drive, reboot from the floppy and install Win95.
In your BIOS Setup is the hard drive your primary IDE device or does it say your CD-ROM is your primary IDE device? If your CD-ROM is listed as the primary IDE device you need to switch it with the hard drive.
Windows should come with a diskette too.  This boot diskette should have the CD drivers you need.
What kind of computer do you have?
Is the cd-rom connected to the same ide lead as the hard drive?
The DOS version You're booting, check the DOS version. If the cdrom becomes driveletter c:, DOS isn't assigning a drive letter to Your partition because it doesn't recognize it.
Just sys the disk with a later DOS version.
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reiters (how do i write to reiters)
                                                           Date: Friday, July 09 1999 - 10:23AM EDT

      I agree that the drive is either FAT32 or has a large drive boot loader and your boot disk do not
      recognize the partition.  If the cdrom is showing as C: then the drivers are working.  don't specify a
      drive letter in the autoexec.bat cause mscdex will pick the next availible, which happens to be C: if
      your boot disk op sys can't recognized the partition.  make sure you get a FAT32 boot disk or use
      whatever procedure the bootloader specifies to boot the machine.

i need help with this comment.
i thought all win95 and win98 were fat32. so when i make a startup disk from windows it wouldirecognizes fat32. so where do i get this fat32 and sys disk



Early versions of Win95 were FAT16.

You can make a sys disk from any Win95 machine.  If you can get your hands on a Win98 install disk, that will also allow you to install Win95.  I do it often, because a Win98 install disk gives you the option of cdrom support.  Actually easier, because the cdrom drivers load from the floppy and unless you have a very strange cdrom it will load generic drivers that will work.  
The original Win95 did not support FAT32 at all. Since OSR2 Win95 does support it. If you create a boot disk from a non-OSR2 version, it won't support FAT32, if you create it from later version it will. Anyhow if you create it from your present system, you should be able to access the drive booting with that disk.
To create a boot diks, just open a Command Prompt and type:
SYS A:
BTW: If you press F8 at bootup, you'll get the Win95 Boot Menu, just select Command Prompt Only and you should ba able to access your drive. You can even run FDISK and delete or reformat the partition if you want.
i think the two answers above answer it pretty well.
Avatar of arnzip

ASKER

oldgreyguy gave me a way to boot to my cd rom which is my e: drive.
but my windows 95 startup disk won't allow me to get to my c: prompt
when i put my win95 cd in and try setup i get a message if you have hpfs of ntfs installed on your drive you will need to create a ms.dos boot partition to set up windows.
can someone give me the steps to do this so that i can then have a startup disk that will access my c:drive so i can reformat it and then use what oldgreyguy gave me to get to my cdrom.
if i do an msdos boot partition with fdisk does that mean i formatted my drive and can't get access to c:


fdisk just shows i have two partions
help
How big is the hard drive and how old is your computer.  You really need a win98 boot disk(just to make sure FAT32).  If you have like a pentium 90 with 4Gig drive then you may have ontrack disk manager or ez-disk boot loaders installed.  We need to know which case we are dealing with.  The answer to your question depends on the answer to the questions above.
What does FDISK exactly say about your disk?
BTW: FDISK just creates the partition, you should also format it, before settip up Windows. (OEM version can create partition and format it, but needs on startup disk.)
Avatar of arnzip

ASKER

i have a 486 computer that has win95b. it seems that it was setup with ezdrive.
in order to get to my c: drive you have to boot up not put in your startup disk. wait for the ezdrive to come on make your selection to boot to c: then you put in your startup disk and the c: drive show.

this is how i formated my hard drive. i just boot up my old c: drive. then let windows shut down to the dos prompt. formated the c:drive. my cdrom drive was working so i put in win95 and was finished.

thanks for your help but that was the easiest way.
also just for general knowledge do you fdisk first and then format or the other way around. and which option do you pict when you fdisk.
ez-drive plays it's own games.  All the rules are thrown out the door when you use a drive overlay.  i a normal situation, you would partition the drive(which gives it a drive letter), and then format that drive letter.
Avatar of arnzip

ASKER

i don't know how your point systems work. but everyone was so helpful i am amazed and delighted. can't everyone get points
thanks
arnzip
As far as i am concerned you can go to the help desk and get your points back.  I am here to learn insite from others.  Good luck!
If it was formated with EZDrive, you should remove EZDrive first. To remove it boot to dos and type:
FDISK / MBR, which restores the Master Boot Record, where EZDrive resides.
If it is not succesfull, check out Wested Digital's web site (www.westerndigital.com) and download the uninstall utility.

For knowledge base: FDISK then FORMAT. You can't do the other way round, because you are only able to fromat an existing partition.

Only one person can get the points. Either you selec t someone, who helped the most, or ask Customer Service to split point between the ones you select.
You can put out some more questions for points to a specific person, but in that case it will cost you more.
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i would like customer service to split the points with everyone because everyone added something that finally allowed me to do the job.
i don't know the formal on how this is done so i hope someone gives this letter to the person in charge and allows this to happen.

very grateful
arnzip
just go to customer support on the main page and tell them your story
Avatar of arnzip

ASKER

please share my points with everyone since everyone was so helpful.
thanks
arnzip
You should post this in the Customer Service area.