WAYS TO MAKE A WINDOWS 98 STARTUP DISK
last updated: 08/02/03

ADDING A SPECIFIC CD-ROM DRIVER.

The disk will be made; but, if you stop here, it might not work!  If you look at the config.sys file on the Startup Floppy, made with the CREATE DISK METHOD, with the Windows Note Pad,  Notespad, or DOS editor, it looks like this:

[menu]
Etc.

[CD]
device=himem.sys /testmem:off
device=oakcdrom.sys /D:mscd001
device=btdosm.sys
device=flashpt.sys
device=btcdrom.sys /D:mscd001
device=aspi2dos.sys
device=aspi8dos.sys
device=aspi4dos.sys
device=aspi8u2.sys
device=aspicd.sys /D:mscd001
Etc.

Under [CD], the config.sys file loads a bunch of CD-ROM drivers when the floppy boots-up.  It is an attempt, a feeble one, to match a CD-ROM driver to all possible CD-ROMs which may be installed in a computer.  You can bet that there isn't one which matches the CD-ROM in your computer.  So, if your hard disk crunches, your Emergency Recovery floppy (Startup Disk) may not be able to access your CD-ROM.

  Using Notespad, Note Pad, DOS Editor, etc., look at the c:\config.sys file on your computer for the real mode CD-ROM driver.  It should look something like this:

device=c:\cdromdir\cdromdrv.sys /D:MYCD001

The /D:MYCD001 part of the line renames the driver when it is loaded into memory.  There are wide variations of the name of the driver, the name of the directory in which it may installed by the CD-ROM installation software, and the name, in this case MYCD001, used in the command argument.   For example, a the Mitsumi CD-ROM drivers are installed in c:\mtm, the driver is MTMCDAI.SYS, the driver is renamed MTMIDE01, and the config.sys line looks like this:

DEVICE=C:\MTM\MTMCDAI.SYS /D:MTMIDE01

If you have a problem identifying the line, you should see a line like this in your c:\autoexec.bat file:

REM - By Windows Setup - MSCDEX.EXE /D:MYCD001

The /D:MYCD001 parameter is the same in corresponding both files and can be used to identify the driver..  You may have to look further into the c:\config.dos and c:\autoexec.dos files to find the driver.

The Windows 95/98 setup usually remarks-out this line.  If you want to use your CD-ROM at the DOS prompt you may have to edit the line and remove:

REM - By Windows Setup -

I am assuming that you have an ATAPI/IDE CD-ROM.   You may have more to do if you have a SCSI drive or an old, non-IDE CD-ROM which works of your sound card...

  Using Note Pad, etc. copy the line in the C:\config.sys containing the CD-ROM driver and paste it into the config.sys file on the floppy drive like so:

[menu]
Etc.

[CD]
device=c:\cdromdir\cdromdrv.sys /D:MYCD001
device=himem.sys /testmem:off
device=oakcdrom.sys /D:mscd001

  Note the directory on your C: drive where the driver is located:

  Modify the CD-ROM driver line so it looks for the driver in the root directory of the floppy drive instead of in the directory where it is installed on the hard disk and the second part of the line matches the driver in the Startup Disk autoexec.bat file as follows:

[menu]
Etc.

[CD]
device=cdromdrv.sys /D:mscd001
device=himem.sys /testmem:off
device=oakcdrom.sys /D:mscd001

Substitute the actual driver name for cdromdrv.sys, above; e.g., for the Mitsumi CD-ROM, the line would look like this:

[menu]
Etc.

[CD]
DEVICE=MTMCDAI.SYS /D:mscd001
device=himem.sys /testmem:off
device=oakcdrom.sys /D:mscd001

  Copy the driver from C: to the floppy.

For example, for the Mitsumi CD-ROM, copy the MTMCDAI.SYS from c:\mtm to a:\

One could add additional CD-ROM lines, floppy disk capacity permitting, so the floppy could be used on PC with other CD-ROM drives.  Or, one could delete all CD-ROM lines except the one needed for a Specific PC.  The later is probably a better approach since it is possible to load the wrong driver for a specific CD-ROM and it may not work as well as the one designed for the CD-ROM drive.   Finally, I usually leave the cdrom line in the config.sys file with a generic name, copy various CD-ROM drivers to the floppy and then copy the driver I want to use for a specific computer to the generic name, thus, overwriting the previous instance of it.   That way, I know I have the correct driver for a specific CD-ROM loaded and avoid possible compatibility problems, while maintaining a pool of drivers on the floppy which can be used for various CD-ROM drives.

  Boot the floppy.  You may have to change your CMOS Setup to tell your computer to boot off the floppy instead of the hard disk.

  See if the CD-ROM works after booting from the floppy.  Remember, the RAMdrive is the first drive after the last hard disk drive if you used the CREATE DISK or BOOTDISK METHODS and the CD-ROM is the next after that.   The other methods don't USE A ramDRIVE.

  If you can, check the floppy for viruses.

  Looking at the back of the floppy drive with the metal door down, move the read/write tab at the top left of the floppy to the upper position to write-protect the floppy so it can't catch a virus.

  Label the floppy and put it in a safe place.

Larry

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