For CD-ROM in DOS you need a CD-ROM driver loaded in CONFIG.SYS (GSCDROM, OAKCDROM or any other; VIDE-CDD.SYS is a popular one with good compatibility and a small footprint), and a CDROM extension application (sometimes called 'redirector') run in AUTOEXEC.BAT (such as MSCDEX or SHSUCDX).

dr_st wrote on 2020-01-11, 20:49:

For CD-ROM in DOS you need a CD-ROM driver loaded in CONFIG.SYS (GSCDROM, OAKCDROM or any other; VIDE-CDD.SYS is a popular one with good compatibility and a small footprint), and a CDROM extension application (sometimes called 'redirector') run in AUTOEXEC.BAT (such as MSCDEX or SHSUCDX).

Alrighty. So what I've tried so far:

- Made sure a working copy of GSCDROM.SYS is in the C:\Windows\System directory.
- Edited CONFIG.SYS

[MSDOS] DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE RAM DEVICEHIGH=C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\GSCDROM.SYS /D:MSCD0001 LASTDR […]
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[MSDOS]
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE RAM
DEVICEHIGH=C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\GSCDROM.SYS /D:MSCD0001
LASTDRIVE=F

-Edited AUTOEXEC.BAT

LH C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\MSCDEX.EXE /D:MSCD0001 /E /L:Q /M:20

Reboot to DOS from Windows: nothing. Doesn't even show up as being entered in the bootup sequence.

Bear in mind, there are other parameters in the CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files preloaded from the PB Master Recovery to get sound and mouse working, so if anyone needs to see the entirety of what's in these files, just let me know!

The only way I've got the AUTOEXEC.BAT entry to show during bootup to DOS is to edit DOSSTART.BAT in the C:\Windows directory. When I do that, it comes up with two errors: not enough extended memory, and can't find a device named MSCD0001. For now though, I have that file back to original, so it doesn't have the MSCDEX.EXE line in it currently.

I see the CONFIG.SYS entries are under a menu called [MSDOS]. Is this menu actually being selected anywhere?

Maybe posting the full contents of the files will help.

dr_st wrote on 2020-01-11, 21:07:

I see the CONFIG.SYS entries are under a menu called [MSDOS]. Is this menu actually being selected anywhere?

Maybe posting the full contents of the files will help.

Alright, here's the full contents of the startup files in their original format:

CONFIG.SYS

[MENU] MenuItem=WIN95,Load Microsoft Windows 95 [Default] MenuItem=MSDOS,Start system in MS-DOS compatibility mode. MenuDefault= […]
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[MENU]
MenuItem=WIN95,Load Microsoft Windows 95 [Default]
MenuItem=MSDOS,Start system in MS-DOS compatibility mode.
MenuDefault=WIN95,0

[WIN95]
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE NOEMS

[MSDOS]
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE RAM

[COMMON]
Break On
BuffersHigh=20,0
DOS=High,UMB
FCBSHigh=1,0
FilesHigh=40
StacksHigh=9,256
Switches=/F

AUTOEXEC.BAT

C:\WINDOWS\AZTPNP.EXE /A:ON /IDE:OFF SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 T4 SET MSINPUT=C:\MSINPUT @ECHO OFF SET PATH=C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\C […]
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C:\WINDOWS\AZTPNP.EXE /A:ON /IDE:OFF
SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 T4
SET MSINPUT=C:\MSINPUT
@ECHO OFF
SET PATH=C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND
SET PROMPT=$P$G
SET WINPMT=[Windows 95] $P$G
GOTO %CONFIG%

:WIN95
CLS
ECHO Windows is now starting...
C:\WINDOWS\WIN.COM
GOTO COMMON

:MSDOS
REM BELOW LINE COMMENTED OUT BY MICROSOFT INTELLIPOINT MOUSE SETUP
REM LH C:\MSINPUT\MOUSE\MOUSE.EXE
IF %CDROM%.==TRUE. LH C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\MSCDEX.EXE /D:MSCD0001 /E /L:Q /M:20
GOTO COMMON

:COMMON

Gonna throw the DOSSTART.BAT file contents here too:

C:\WINDOWS\AZTPNP.EXE /A:ON /IDE:OFF REM DOS MOUSE DRIVER ADDED BY MICROSOFT INTELLIPOINT MOUSE SETUP LH C:\MSINPUT\MOUSE\mouse […]
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C:\WINDOWS\AZTPNP.EXE /A:ON /IDE:OFF
REM DOS MOUSE DRIVER ADDED BY MICROSOFT INTELLIPOINT MOUSE SETUP
LH C:\MSINPUT\MOUSE\mouse.exe
@ECHO OFF
GOTO MSDOS

[MSDOS]
:MSDOS

So, if you put your GSCDROM under [MSDOS], which you never choose, because it defaults to [Win95] after 0 seconds, then it never gets loaded, obviously.
What's the purpose of "IF %CDROM%.==TRUE."?

It looks like you have a mess here, because these files are obviously designed for a situation where Windows does not automatically load itself (BootGUI=0 in MSDOS.SYS), so you have 'pure DOS mode' versus 'Windows'. They are not designed for 'Restart in MS-DOS mode', which is what you seem to be trying (deducing from your comment about DOSSTART.BAT).

If you are going for pure DOS - change the MENUDEFAULT timeout to something non-zero, so you can select between DOS and Windows.
If you are going for 'restart in MS-DOS mode', put GSCDROM under COMMON in CONFIG.SYS and put the MSCDEX in DOSSTART.BAT.

Either way, it seems like the IF %CDROM% check should be removed.

dr_st wrote on 2020-01-11, 21:31:

So, if you put your GSCDROM under [MSDOS], which you never choose, because it defaults to [Win95] after 0 seconds, then it never […]
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So, if you put your GSCDROM under [MSDOS], which you never choose, because it defaults to [Win95] after 0 seconds, then it never gets loaded, obviously.
What's the purpose of "IF %CDROM%.==TRUE."?

It looks like you have a mess here, because these files are obviously designed for a situation where Windows does not automatically load itself (BootGUI=0 in MSDOS.SYS), so you have 'pure DOS mode' versus 'Windows'. They are not designed for 'Restart in MS-DOS mode', which is what you seem to be trying (deducing from your comment about DOSSTART.BAT).

If you are going for pure DOS - change the MENUDEFAULT timeout to something non-zero, so you can select between DOS and Windows.
If you are going for 'restart in MS-DOS mode', put GSCDROM under COMMON in CONFIG.SYS and put the MSCDEX in DOSSTART.BAT.

Either way, it seems like the IF %CDROM% check should be removed.

That was the ticket! CD drive is working in pure DOS and restart to DOS now. Thanks!