Cannot access CD-ROM drive from MS-DOS command prompt due to drivers not loaded.
Cause:
This problem can occur because the drivers for your CD-ROM are not being fully loaded at DOS level.
Solution:
Consult the CD-ROM drive documentation or contact the manufacturer to obtain, install, or configure the real-mode CD-ROM driver. Configure DOSSTART.BAT or AUTOEXEC.BAT to load the MSCDEX driver.
NOTE: The Windows 95 CD-ROM does not include real-mode CD-ROM drivers. The real-mode CD-ROM driver that comes with the CD-ROM must be loaded in order to access the CD-ROM drive when starting the Windows 95 MS-DOS Prompt, or restarting the computer in MS-DOS mode. Consult the CD-ROM drive documentation or contact the manufacturer of the CD-ROM drive.
Do one of the following:
1) Load the MSCDEX driver in DOSSTART.BAT:
a) Open DOSSTART.BAT:
1] Click the 'Start' button to display the 'Start' menu.
2] Select 'Programs', 'Accessories', and 'Notepad'. (A blank document appears.)
3] Select the 'File' menu and select 'Open...'. (The 'Open' dialog box appears.)
4] In the 'File name' box, type:
C:\WINDOWS\DOSSTART.BAT
5] Click 'Open'. (Dosstart.bat - Notepad opens.)
b) Go to any blank line in DOSSTART.BAT, and add the following entry:
LH C:\<WINDOWS DIRECTORY>\COMMAND\MSCDEX /D:MSCD_000 /<CD-ROM drive>:E
(where <WINDOWS DIRECTORY> is the name of the directory Windows 95 is installed in and <CD-ROM drive> is the drive letter assigned to the CD-ROM drive).
NOTE: If the entry already exists but has a semicolon ';' or 'REM' at the beginning, simply remove the semicolon or 'REM'.
c) Select the 'File' menu and select 'Save', to save the changes.
d) Select the 'File' menu and select 'Exit' to exit Notepad.
2) Load MSCDEX driver in AUTOEXEC.BAT:
a) Open AUTOEXEC.BAT:
1] Click the 'Start' button to display the 'Start' menu.
2] Select 'Programs', 'Accessories', and 'Notepad'. (A blank document appears.)
3] Select the 'File' menu and select 'Open...'. (The 'Open' dialog box appears.)
4] Type the following in the 'File name' box:
C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT
5] Click 'Open'. (Autoexec.bat - Notepad opens.)
b) Go to any blank line in AUTOEXEC.BAT, and add the following entry:
LH C:\<WINDOWS DIRECTORY>\COMMAND\MSCDEX /D:MSCD_000 /<CD-ROM drive>:E
(where <WINDOWS DIRECTORY> is the name of the directory Windows 95 is installed in and <CD-ROM drive> is the drive letter assigned to the CD-ROM drive).
NOTE: If the entry already exists but has a semicolon ';' or 'REM' at the beginning, simply remove the semicolon or 'REM'.
c) Select the 'File' menu and select 'Save', to save the changes.
d) Select the 'File' menu and select 'Exit', to exit Notepad.
