MSDOS.SYS/MSDOS.W40 FLASH CARDS

[Paths] provides the location for other Windows 95 files.

[Options] allows you to customize the boot process.

Editing the MSDOS.SYS/MSDOS.W40 file

The MSDOS.SYS is a user configurable file that allows the user various boot options that range from booting to a previous version of an operating system (providing there is one, not always the case in an OEM setup), to setting an optional path to a Windows directory other than the default established during setup.  These options are useful for troubleshooting purposes as well as personal convenience.

MSDOS.SYS also has a dual identity as MSDOS.W40, which is how it will appear from within an earlier version of, say, MS-DOS.  With this in mind, there has been included two different ways of editing this file - from within Windows95 and from the MS-DOS environment.


[Paths]

HostWinBootDrv=<root of boot drive>

WinBootDir=<Windows directory>

WinDir=<Windows directory>

This section allows the user to set the path to an optional directory other than the default established during setup.


         default=C:

Specifies the location for the root of the boot drive.


default=directory specified during setup

Lists the location of the necessary files for bootup.


default=directory specified during setup

Lists the location of the Windows95 directory specified during setup.


                  [Options]

BootDelay=<seconds>	BootWarn=<Boolean>

BootFailSafe=<Boolean>	BootWin=<Boolean>

BootGUI=<Boolean>	DoubleBuffer=<Boolean>

BootKeys=<Boolean>	DBLSpace=<Boolean>

BootMenu=<Boolean>	DRVSpace=<Boolean>

BootMenuDefault=<number> 	LoadTop=<Boolean>

BootMenuDelay=<seconds>	Logo=<Boolean>

BootMulti=<Boolean>	Network=<Boolean>

This section allow the user to customize the boot process.


2=default

Sets the amount of time the "Starting Windows" message remains on the screen before boot continues.


0=default

1=enables

A setting of 1 forces the computer to boot in Safe Mode.  NOTE: This feature was added for OEM installations.


1=default

  0=disables

A setting of 1 enables the loading of the GUI interface; a setting of 0 disables this feature.


1=default

  0=disables

A setting of 1 enables the F-key functionality (F4, F5, F6, F8); a setting of 0 disables this option. NOTE: A setting of 0 overrides the use of BootDelay=n


0=default

1=enables

A setting of 1 enables the startup menu; a setting of 0 disables it and you must use F8 at "Starting Windows" to invoke the startup menu.


    1=if boot ok

4=if hung

Use this setting to set the default menu item on startup. Use 1 if the system is running OK; use 4 if the system hung on the previous boot.


30=default

This will set the number of seconds the system is paused on the startup menu before BootMenuDefault is activated. Intervention cancels countdown.


0=default

  1=enables

A setting of 0 disables the multi-boot option; a setting of 1 allows F4 and F8 functionality. NOTE: This is by design, so that data corruption that can be caused by using disk utilities that don't recognize long file names is prevented by inadvertantly booting to DOS.  A further note:  the multi-boot option is designed to return the computer to the previous operating system.  If there is no previous operating system (as in the case of an OEM setup), this feature provides no useful functionality.


1=default

  0=disables

A setting of 0 disables the Safe Mode boot warning message and the

startup menu.


1=default

  0=disables

A setting of 1 loads Windows95 at startup; a setting of 0 disables Windows95 as default OS. NOTE: F4 inverts the default only if BootMulti=1.


0=default

1=enables

A setting of 1 enables double-buffering for controllers that need it (eg: SCSI).


1=default

  0=disables

A setting of 1 auto-loads the DBLSPACE.BIN; a setting of 0 disables this option.


1=default

  0=disables

A setting of 1 auto-loads the DRVSPACE.BIN; a setting of 0 disables this option.


1=default

  0=disables

A setting of 0 does not allow Windows95 to load COMMAND.COM or DRVSPACE.BIN/DBLSPACE.BIN at the top of 640k. NOTE: Useful for software that makes assumptions about available memory.


1=default

  0=disables

A setting of 1 enables the animated Windows95 logo; a setting of 0 disables this function. NOTE: A setting of 0 also avoids hooking a variety of interrupts that can create incompatibilities with some third-party memory managers.


0=default

1=enables

A setting of 1 means the network was installed and adds "Start Windows, bypassing startup files, with network support" as an option on the Windows95 startup menu.


Editing the MSDOS.SYS/MSDOS.W40

The MSDOS.SYS is a hidden, system, read-only file on the root of the boot drive (on the host if compression is used), and it is only called MSDOS.SYS while in the Windows95 operating system. If booting from the previous operating system, the file will be called MSDOS.W40. This is an important distinction to make in order to edit the correct file!  In either case, the attributes must be removed before editing the file, and replaced after the editing is completed.

EDITING MSDOS.SYS

From within Windows95, exit to the MS-DOS prompt and remove the hidden, system and read-only attributes from MSDOS.SYS.  The file can then be edited in the DOS editor, or in an ASCII text editor in Windows. The attributes must be replaced in the DOS environment, however, as the system attribute option is grayed out in Explorer.  This is by design, to keep the system files from being accidentally deleted or altered by the customer. Shut down Windows95 and restart computer for changes to take effect.

EDITING MSDOS.W40

At the MS-DOS prompt, remove the hidden, read-only, system attributes from MSDOS.W40 with the ATTRIB.EXE command located in C:\Windows\Command.  Using EDIT.COM, open the file and edit accordingly.  Save the file and replace the attributes with the ATTRIB.EXE command.  Reboot computer for changes to take effect.