MSDOS.SYS Boot Options
The read-only file MSDOS.SYS (always found in C:/)
can be edited to change boot options; the following are some you can change.
Please note that you have to remove the read-only attributes (or
else you won't be able to edit it). This can be done by right-clicking
the file, choosing
Properties, and removing the ticks from
Read-only and Hidden. Remember to return these
attributes after editing the file. For info on making a batch file
to do this for you each time, click
here.
The following lines are to be
found (or should be added) under the [Options] section:
BootGUI=0 will make the computer
boot
to the DOS prompt (DOS 7/95, not your previous version). If your PC
still boots into Windows, remove the WIN line in Autoexec.bat. From
the DOS prompt, you can type WIN to load Windows. Setting this option
also will also take you to the DOS prompt after Shutdown (for info
on how to make sure you can see the prompt after closing Windows, click
here). Note that having BootWin=1 also in MSDOS.SYS will not affect
the BootGUI setting, but that BootWin=0 will render either BootGUI setting
useless.
BootWin=0 will boot to a previous
version of DOS (needs BootMulti to be 1 as well). Note
that this is very effective - you won't be able to boot into Windows 95
without a little bit of fuss. Getting back into Windows - or the ease with
which you can do so - depends on the BootGUI setting, even though
it is rendered useless because of BootWin=0. Here are ways of getting back
to Windows, with emphasis on the difference between the two BootGUI settings.
If you invoke the Boot Menu by hitting
the F8 key during the boot process, then choose 1.Normal,
it will probably go to load Windows 95, but halt in the process (regardless
of the BootGUI setting - though it may just boot into the previous DOS
version if BootGUI=0). Selecting 5. Command prompt only will
take you to your previous DOS version no matter the BootGUI setting, so
you have to go about this another way.
If you invoke the Boot Menu and choose
3. Safe Mode, it will boot to DOS 7 (if BootGUI=0) - not
the previous version. From there, typing WIN will boot into Win95
in Safe Mode. If BootGUI is set to 1, it should just go straight into Safe-mode
Windows. From there you can edit MSDOS.SYS so that it boots into Windows
95/98/2000 each time. Though Safe-mode is always a good way to fix problems,
you can get into Windows even easier, and without needing to reboot.
Choose 7. Previous version of DOS
from the Boot Menu, and it will boot into Windows (if BootGUI=1). If BootGUI
is set to 0, it will boot to the DOS 7 prompt, where you can type WIN
to get back into Windows. This allows you to boot to your previous DOS
version by default, but lets you get to Windows 95 when you need to.
BootMulti=1 gives you the option
of booting to a previous version of DOS in the boot menu. This can
be handy if you want a dual-boot system with both Windows 95 and
3.x., or just want to get to a version of DOS that is well set up (for
DOS-only games, etc).
BootFailSafe=1 will boot the
PC into Safe Mode each time it is turned on. Note that this option
won't work with Win95a machines (should be fine with Win 95b/98/2000).
BootWarn=0 will disable
the
Safe Mode option altogether.
AutoScan=0 will prevent ScanDisk
from running after a failed boot. Note that there is no AutoScan option
for Win95a, but will work for Win 95b/98/2000.
DisableLog=1 will disable logging
to Bootlog.txt.
BootMenu=1 will display the Windows
95 Startup Menu during the boot process.
BootMenuDelay=(number) changes
the
default display time of the boot menu, with (number)
being the number of seconds your machine will pause on the Boot
Menu. If the timer counts down to zero before any action is taken, then
the BootMenuDefault is then loaded. Note that you do not enclose the number
in (brackets).
BootMenuDefault=(number) will make
the boot menu option you choose the default each time you boot. This line
may not even be in your MSDOS.SYS file, as the default is 1 (which
is the first option on the boot menu, being Windows 95). If this option
does not work at first, set BootMenu to 1 as well.
BootDelay=2 gives the default 2
second pause before either showing the boot menu or going directly
into Windows. You can, of course, change this number to whatever you like.
Logo=1 displays the startup
logo while Windows is booting (changing this to 0 disables this, which
can save a couple of seconds if it really concerns you).
To load Command.com & Dblspace/Drvspace.bin
in UMB (upper memory block), add the line LoadTop=1 under the
[Options] section. This will free up conventional and extended memory
for DOS games inside Win95. What this means is old DOS games like Dune
2 (which I could not get to run in Windows or in any DOS memory configuration)
will have enough memory to run.
Network=1 gives the PC network
support (and adds the option of Safe-mode with network support to the
boot menu).
DblSpace=0
DrvSpace=0 disables the ability
to view files on drives compressed with DriveSpace
(or the earlier DoubleSpace). Changing the values to 1 enables
DriveSpace
and compressed drives will then be recognised.
DoubleBuffer=1 will enable double
buffering for SCSI hard drives.
The following lines are to be
found under the [Paths] section:
WinDir=C:\WIN95 specifies which
folder Windows resides in.
WinBootDir=C:\WIN95 specifies which
folder Windows resides in.
HostWinBootDrv=C tells the PC on
which drive Windows is to be found.
Edit these lines if you wish to move Windows
to another drive, or wish to reboot into another installation. You could
use this feature to boot off system image CD-ROMs (as long as appropriate
drivers are loaded at startup - your PC has to recognise the fact that
you have a CD drive, which is a task left to Windows these days).
