From A:\, how to run a CD in H:\

[WildHorse]

(Windows XP machine)

Say you've booted into DOS with CD-ROM support, and are at the A:\> prompt.

Is there a way from there to make a CD-ROM in the H: drive run?

 

[imported_LoKe]

Wouldn't it be easier just to boot from CD drive?

 

[blurredvision]

EDIT: nevermind

 

[Slick5150]

Well, just type H: and hit enter

From there, it depends on what exactly you're trying to run. If its a Windows CD, then I think you type setup..

But as LoKe mentioned, it'd be a lot easier to just boot off the CD

 

[tfinch2]

Originally posted by: LoKe
Wouldn't it be easier just to boot from CD drive?

Maybe his CD isn't bootable.

 

[imported_LoKe]

Originally posted by: tfinch2

Originally posted by: LoKe
Wouldn't it be easier just to boot from CD drive?

Maybe his CD isn't bootable.

Fine then.

Navigate to the drive in question; type H:. Do a directory listing and find the executable.

 

[WildHorse]

Originally posted by: tfinch2

Originally posted by: LoKe
Wouldn't it be easier just to boot from CD drive?

Maybe his CD isn't bootable.

Yes that's exactly right. The CD isn't bootable.

On another computer that I don't have access to anymore, I burned a CD that's supposed to "slipstream" Windows XP Pro + SP2 together, but I didn't do anything special in order to make it bootable.

Turns out I ought to have selected a special choice in the Nero Burning ROM commands that would have made it be bootable. But I didn't do that.

So my goal is to make my WIndows XP + SP2 installation using this non-bootable CD-ROM.

I was hoping there is some way to make the non-bootable CD-ROM (which is the H: drive) start installing Windows by commanding it from the A:\> prompt.

 

[cubby1223]

There's either a setup.exe file, or maybe it's a winnt.exe file, I can't remember, I don't have a cd next to me. It'll either be in the winnt or i386 directory.

 

[JBT]

EDIT. I would say in the i386 folder and either be winnt.exe or winnt32.exe

 

[gsellis]

Scott, look up the parameters for MSCDEX. It has been too freaking long since I used it and do not have DOS help available. What you want to do is make sure that the CD mounts as H: all of the time (and they may also be a function of the CD driver in config.sys - I have not had a DOS disk or CD for about 5 years). I would actually make X: or Z: really.

Next, in autoexec.bat, Z:\i386\winnt.exe as the last.

Do check out Bart's PE online (google it). You can boot PE, diskpart the C: to prep it (delete, create, and format partitions), copy i386 to C:, and then run winnt32 from C: for an even faster install. Because PE runs as 32bit with full memory usage, the install is much faster than the 16bit DOS install.

 

[WildHorse]

Thank you all.

I'll try your recommendations this weekend!

I appreciate everybody's help.