Need to boot directly to a DOS program

[cockatiel]

I hope someone can help me with what I bet is a very simple thing:

I am using a dedicated computer to run a cnc plasma cutting maching. The program that controls it runs in DOS. I don't use this older computer for anything else.

I am tired of booting with a floppy, selecting whether I want a cd driver or not (don't need it) , waiting, changing from A: to C: and then finally typing in the name of the program.

I want to be able to turn the computer on and have it boot from the hard disk into DOS (WITHOUT ASKING ABOUT CD DRIVERS), and start my program automatically. I have thought of copying the floppy contents onto the hard drive but I am sure there is more to it than that. I don't care about wiping out the operating system, I have spare hard disks all over the place anyway.

 

[bruceb]

This will get you all you need to create an MS-DOS Boot Floppy .. it boots to an MS-DOS Prompt

http://www.microsoft.com/resources/docu..._create_dos_startup_disk.mspx?mfr=true

You would need to take those files using Nero or similar to make a Bootable CD then add your program to the cd
You would also need to write a small batch file to execute the program once it boots up.

This program Autorun can easily write a .inf file to launch another file with no user interaction

http://www.ashzfall.com/products/autorun/

 

[oynaz]

Or simply edit autoexec.bat on the floppy disk.

 

[cockatiel]

Thanks for the prompt replies.

Two questions.

1.

 

[cockatiel]

Thanks for the prompt replies.

Two questions.

1. Why burn a CD versus just putting it on a hard disk?

2. Where can I get info on editing autoexec.bat?

I am smart enough to find Anandtech forums but that's about as far as it goes!

 

[oynaz]

You can edit autoexec.bat in any text editor, for instance Notepad. What you want to do is easy. Simply add the path and filename to the end of the file.

For instance, you want to start EXAMPLE.EX in the WORK directory on the C: drive. Add C:\WORK\EXAMPLE.EXE to the end of the file.

BTW, you can edit your posts if you made a mistake 🙂