MSCDEX.EXE for installing new CD ROM

[Buzzygirl]

Hello--

Trying to install a new CD-ROM on an old Win 3.1 system (P-90 Compaq Presario) so that I can install Win 98. The old CD-ROM was broken, so I got a new one and installed it. When trying to load the drivers off the supplied floppy, I got a message that I needed MSCDEX.EXE version 2.22 or above to continue. I understand that DOS extension is needed to interface the computer with the new CD-ROM drive. I think this computer has an older version of DOS.

First question: where do I get this executable? And second question: how do I install it from DOS, assuming I get the executable on a floppy (sorry, I don't recall the "COPY" commands from DOS!)

Thank you in advance for any help you can give me.

[Vernon Frazee]

MSCDEX.EXE v2.23 is available for download from the following Microsoft KB page: History of Microsoft MS-DOS CD-ROM Extensions (MSCDEX)

As far as the COPY command goes, the DOS command to copy MSCDEX.EXE from say the root directory of drive C: to the root directory of drive would be:

   copy c:\mscdex.exe a:\

And to copy it from A:\ to C:\

   copy a:\mscdex.exe c:\

MS-DOS v6.22 Help: COPY

[Buzzygirl]

Thanks for the speedy reply, Vernon! One more quick question: when I copy the executable from the floppy I downloaded it to, will my computer "automatically" know where to load it into the command.com? Pardon my ignorance, but I'm not terribly familiar with editing command lines or autoexec.bat, as I've really never had to do it before.

You seem very knowledgeable about this stuff! Oh, just one more question: Do you know where I might be able to get an online tutorial about a computer system's booting-up "guts", in terms of learning more about the autoexec.bat, command.com and BIOS settings? I'd love to learn more about it!

Thanks again!

Jackie

[jdc2000]

When you install your DOS CD-ROM drivers, there are two parts. The first is the hardware specific driver. That is loaded by a line in the CONFIG.SYS file. Example:

DEVICE=C:\SAMSUNG\SSCDROM.SYS /D:SSCD000 /V

The second part is the MSCDEX.EXE file. The line to load that goes into the AUTOEXEC.BAT file. Example:

C:\MSCDEX /D:SSCD000

Note the the /D:SSCD000 in the first line must also be specified in the second line, so that MSCDEX.EXE knows the name of the hardware driver.

[Vernon Frazee]

Here are the basic instructions:
[list=1][*]Get on an internet-capable, Windows 9x/Me-based computer.
[*]Download the MSCDX223.EXE file from Microsoft (linked above) to the root directory of drive C:.
[*]When the download is complete insert the bootable diskette you are working on for the Compaq into this computer's drive A:. (Make sure the diskette is not write protected).
[*]Click Start|Run, type c:\mscdx223 a:\ and press [Enter]. This will extract MSCDEX.EXE version 2.23 to A:\.

Note: If you get a prompt about "Overwrite [Y/N]?", answer "Y"es.
[*]Close the DOS Window.
[*]Click Start|Run, type notepad a:\config.sys and press [Enter]. Look for the line that loads your CD-ROM driver. It will look similar to this:

   device=taisatap.sys /d:mscd000 /n:1

The name of your driver will probably be different but, what we're interested in is only that mscd000 portion. This could be almost anything, even banana. It's simply the name we're going to use to refer to this CD-ROM drive in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file. Whatever this "name" is, jot it down.
[*]Close Notepad.
[*]Click Start|Run, type notepad a:\autoexec.bat and press [Enter]. Look for a line that begins with MSCDEX similar to this:

   mscdex.exe /d:mscd000

Note how this mscd000 "name" portion matches the "name" portion that was in the C:\CONFIG.SYS file. Make sure yours matches and then close Notepad. (If you made any changes be sure to File|Save first).
[*]Remove the diskette from A:, take it over to the Compaq and insert it into its drive A:.
[*]Cross your fingers as you power up the Compaq. With any luck you should now have access to the CD-ROM drive.
[*]Let us know how it goes ...[/list=a]Here's a quick run-down of The Computer Boot Process. There's an outline type here. For more like these, click here.

[This message has been edited by Vernon Frazee (edited 04-01-2002).]

[Buzzygirl]

Thanks for your help guys. I'm going to attempt this at some point this evening and I'll let you know how it works out.

[Buzzygirl]

I noticed something above in your instructions that might cause a problem for me regarding having a 'bootable' disk for the Compaq. I did download the MSCDEX.exe 2.23 to a disk. However, this disk is blank. I don't have a boot disk or any other software for the Compaq (you don't get much for free). So, there is no config.sys or autoexec.bat on the disk I've downloaded the executable to, it's just empty otherwise.

The Compaq is actually not at my place (it will eventually belong to my brother), so I don't have another computer handy to make a boot disk on. I could make one from my work computer here, but won't it then have incorrect driver information on it? It appears that much was removed from this old computer; almost as if someone got into the hard drive and started deleting things willy-nilly.

Is it possible for me to copy the executable to the hard drive of the Compaq and reboot, hoping it will be recognized by the system so that I can continue to install the new CD-ROM?

Thanks again- Jackie

[AlaricD]

That sounds like it should work, just put the new MSCDEX.EXE in the same directory that the old version was (rename the old version so you still have it if you want) and when you run the installation diskette that came with the new CDROM, it should detect that you have the new version and finish the installation process.

------------------
Am386DX-40 + Cx387DX-40
32MB, 128KB cache
(2) 540MB HD's
8x CD
2MB Video
SB16 PnP
DR-DOS 7.04
Win3.11 w/ Win32s
--
Just because it's unusual doesn't make it a virus!
Ping is NOT an acronym!

[Buzzygirl]

Hmm... I checked through the directory in DOS and did not find any old versions of MSCDEX.exe. If it loads via autoexec.bat (or wherever) I am not sure how to check and find it in there when I'm in DOS... a message popped up that it could not find the MSCDEX.exe when I was trying to install the new CD-ROM's drivers from the disk that came with it.

I will try that... I will copy the new MSCDEX to the c: drive from the floppy and cross my fingers, hoping the system will recognize it and allow me to finish installing the CD drive. You guys are great... thanks for your help.

[Buzzygirl]

*Sigh*. I could not get this old piece of junk to recognize the new CD-ROM drive, even though I followed the directions, installed the mscdex.exe into the correct directory, got the drivers to install through DOS then... nothing. It still would not recognize a D: drive at all. Not only that, but the floppy drive was having problems reading the disk at times too. I suggested that my brother just bite the bullet and get a new computer, and use the Compaq as a doorstop.

Thanks anyway for your help!

Jackie

[jdc2000]

If your CD-ROM drive is an IDE interface type drive, I could e-mail you a driver that will work with ANY IDE CD-ROM drive, and has an automatic install program. Send me your e-mail address and I'll send the files and instructions to you.

[AlaricD]

Originally posted by jdc2000:
If your CD-ROM drive is an IDE interface type drive, I could e-mail you a driver that will work with ANY IDE CD-ROM drive, and has an automatic install program. Send me your e-mail address and I'll send the files and instructions to you.

Except that the driver she has was provided by the maker of the CDROM drive she's installing, and should have just as good or better a chance of detecting the CDROM drive than that "universal" driver. That, or the driver she has is the same as yours but the filename has been changed. That, and she doesn't have to give up her privacy, or risk getting a trojan. Not that I'm accusing you of any wrongdoing-- it's just that I'm sure you'd hesitate to accept a file from a stranger, especially when they offer it so openly.

Buzzygirl: What specific errors are you getting when booting? Perhaps it's a simple misconfiguration. Some of those CDROM installation programs ask questions about the hardware, like which IDE port you are connecting the CDROM drive to, for example. Surely we can get this to work!


------------------
Am386DX-40 + Cx387DX-40
32MB, 128KB cache
(2) 540MB HD's
8x CD
2MB Video
SB16 PnP
DR-DOS 7.04
Win3.11 w/ Win32s
--
Just because it's unusual doesn't make it a virus!
Ping is NOT an acronym!

[This message has been edited by AlaricD (edited 04-01-2002).]

[Buzzygirl]

The trouble is, I'm not really getting any specific error messages. I know the drive itself is installed correctly. Here's what I'm doing: I am attempting this install through DOS, and I loaded the mscdx.exe like it wanted, and that gets detected, so fine. Now, I pop in the floppy disk, and it asks me where to download the drivers to. The default directory name comes up as "C:\CDROM", so I press "enter".

Then, it tells me it's going to change the config.sys and autoexec.bat to reflect the new settings for the CD-ROM drive. It asks me to say Y/N to change these two items, otherwise I have to do it manually. I say, "Yes", then... nothing. I'm back to the MS-DOS prompt at A:\>.

I go to the C: drive, and I see that there is a directory, C:>CDROM, and in it there appears to be the normal retinue of startup files. On system restart, there is nothing detected... no D: drive in any event. The BIOS does not recognize the drive either.

So, after trying this a number of times, I don't quite know what to do at this point. Several times, I was also getting a "general failure reading drive A:", so perhaps it was not copying all of the files it needed? Though upon checking the floppy disk director, it seemed like it could read it most of the time. I am puzzled!

Jackie

[jdc2000]

When you boot the PC, if the CD-ROM drivers are installed correctly in CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT, you should get two messages, one from each part of the driver, that will tell you the status of the driver load. If you don't get these messages, then the drivers are not installed. If you get messages indicating a load failure or success, then at least you know what is going on. The drivers I was going to e-mail are intended to be installed from a floppy diskette. The procedure is completely automatic, requiring no user knowledge whatsoever, which makes it foolproof. If you are concerned about a virus, simply save them to diskette and scan the diskette before running the installer. As far as e-mail privacy goes, a free e-mail account from any number of services can be setup for a one time use.

[Buzzygirl]

jd and all,

I just got off the phone with my brother-- he tried to put in a floppy disk so that he could print something off it, and now the floppy drive can't be accessed. I concurred with him that the thing should be ditched at this point since he does not want to put another dime into it... so he's buying a new computer this week. Oh well, thanks for the enlightening instructions on CD installation! They may yet come in handy someday!

Jackie