Windows, Dos, and Fusion

Example ImageFusion v1.2 will run in Dos only, so it is very important to have the correct drivers load when you restart the computer in DOS mode. What will happen if you don't? Good question. Lets examine some of what won't happen if you don't. First, if you don't load MSCDEX.EXE, you will have no CD - Rom. No sound driver will result in no sound. If the wrong combination of Memory drivers are loaded, Fusion may refuse to start all together. You get the picture, reading the Documentation supplied with Fusion and following it to the letter will save you a lot of time. Now on to the High road and the Low road.


Good Ideas For Start - up

1. I like to create Batch files to load drivers before Windows starts
            to avoid running Windows all together. To do this you must edit
            your MSDOS.SYS file to look something like this:
           [Paths]
                WinDir=C:\WINDOWS
                WinBootDir=C:\WINDOWS
                HostWinBootDrv=C

                [Options]
                BootMulti=0
                BootGUI=0  Rem - This command tells Windows 'No Go'
                  This will allow you to edit your Autoexec.bat file to start a
             program of your choice. Below is an example:
                   @ECHO OFF
                 SET PATH=C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND;C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM
                 PAUSE
                 CLS
                 ECHO To Enter Windows 95 Type "win" Then Press "Enter"
                 REM
                 REM
                 REM LH C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\MSCDEX.EXE /D:MSCD000 /L:E
               This also will allow you to go to the DOS prompt from the
               'It is now safe to shut down your computer' screen by typing
               'mode co80' (Note: You will not be able to see what you type),
              just hit 'Enter' and you will go to the Dos prompt.


Now What ? Do I Type Win ? This Is Ugly !!


2. Time to load your Dos drivers. Take a look at your 'Dosstart.bat' file and your 'Exit to Dos.pif' file. These are the files that Windows start when you choose to 'Restart the Computer in MSDOS Mode?' at the shut down screen. If you want to start Fusion before Windows, you should create a Batch file to do the same thing that the previous two files do at shutdown. What you load here will depend on your own hardware and the drivers it uses to operate. Here is an example from my computer of a file I named 'FS.bat':
 LH C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\MSCDEX.EXE /D:MSCD000 /M:12 /L:F
 LH C:\MOUSE\MOUSE /Q
 SET SNDSCAPE=C:\WINDOWS
 SET BLASTER=A220 Ix Dx T1
 LH c:\Sndscape\SSINIT.COM
 smartdrv.exe
Don't copy and paste this file to your computer, it is only an example. This works with my Toshiba CD-Rom, mouse and Soundscape card. Once you get this to work, you will be ready to start Fusion's Setup program. Note: This should be exactly the same as  your Dosstart.bat and Exit to Dos.pif files. I added Smartdrv to speed Fusion and the Mac OS, which you will to once you try running whithout Smartdrv.

Some Words Of Caution

What have you installed lately ? If you have your 'Temp' or 'tmp' directories in any kind of compressed format, Dos won't be able to use them. Have you tried restarting in Dos in a while ? The above Batch File, FS.bat, will load a file called ssinit.bat on my computer which resides in my Sndscape directory. This file over - writes the system.ini file in the Windows directory and sends the original to c:\temp until Windows runs again. If Dos can't use the Temp directory it is the same as Kirk and Spock agreeing to use the Auto Destruct codes on the Enterprise. The next time you start Windows you won't be in Kansas anymore! None of the usual Win95 drivers are loaded now and if you don't have a backup of System.ini, well you see what I'm getting at ? Take a good look around the homestead before tampering with important files and always keep backups!!

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