No DOS support in fresh Win98 install.

[RossGr]

I have a old system, a Cyrix PR200 in a QDI Titanium I+ Mobo with 80MB Ram and a 4GB Quantum Bigfoot HD. Recently I have done a Fdisk, format and fresh install of Win98Se but I have no DOS support. When I try to restart in DOS mode or start a DOS based game the system hangs.

I have recreated a DOS boot in PIF files which works, but my other systems do not require this extra effort. They start into DOS and run DOS games with no extra effort. What can I do to get DOS installed correctly on this system?

 

[jhu]

when the "starting windows 98..." line comes up, press F8. a menu should come up. choose command prompt only and see what happens.

 

[Bob/NYC]

You need the full upgrade for \windows\command dos dir.

 

[RossGr]

Jhu:
The system executes an Autoexec.bat that I have worked on. But apparently has no config.sys as it stops with an error stating that it needs a emm386 mem. manager to continue. Using the type command I can see the Autoexec.bat but when I "type config.sys" nothing shows.
empty config.sys?

Bob:
I am doing a Win98 upgrade then applying the SE upgrade. This is the same process I have used on my other (3) systems. No troubles.

Thanks

 

[Bob/NYC]

Check the dates in \command\ files and c:\windows\emm386.exe to see what version they came from.

Pure dos mode device=c:\windows\emm386.exe goes in config.dos and autoexec.dos has to be made too.

 

[rahvin]

RossGr,

Windows doesn't need autoexec.bat or config.sys, but you can create your own versions of these two files and include anything in them that you need. There is a line in the msdos.sys (I think, might be in boot.ini) that includes a line that says bootGUI=1, change it to 0 and you will boot MSDos 7 without loading the windows GUI. Of course that is a permanent change, you best bet is a shortcut that forces a DOS reboot with config.sys and autoexec.bat specified in the shortcut.

 

[jhu]

rossgr, yeah, windows doesn't need autoexec.bat or config.sys. so make backup copies of those files and then delete autoexec.bat and config.sys. then boot to dos again and see what happens. better yet, post your autoexec.bat here

 

[RossGr]

Jhu: Yes, I know that for windows the Autoexec.bat and config.sys are unnecessary and may even cause problems. My other 3 systems have nearly empty autoexec and config.sys files but boot to DOS with no problem. DOS games jump into DOS with out restarting and work fine. If I set up the Cyrix system with the same configuration as the other systems it hangs up instantly upon starting the DOS restart. There must be something in the registry which controls the restart to DOS since the obvious files are empty (on the working systems).

My question remains What needs to be changed to get this system to run in DOS without creating the detailed PIF files. I have a PIF which is just about working, I need an DOS mouse driver.

Thanks for your Input.

 

[jhu]

that's weird. can you boot to dos directly (w/o booting windows, eg boot disk)?

 

[RossGr]

Jhu:
My thoughts exactly. (It's weird). Yes the system boots fine with the startup disk.

Like I said I am getting a PIF going which seems to be working, I thought I woke up from the DOS nightmare 5 years ago.

 

[RossGr]

Finally found the solution to this problem. After attempting to upgrade to a AMD K6-2 I burnt up the Mobo and new CPU. I Got a FIC 503+ and AMD K6-2- 450. Upon fresh format and Win98 reinstall I still Had the same problem. I became suspicious of the Video card(the only common component) , a 4MB Diamond Stealh 220SE, I swapped it for my old Trident 1MB card. Now Everything works perfect. The Diamond Card was freezing when changing to DOS.