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I need config.sys and autoexec help!

Gwb

Member
Joined
Apr 8, 2009
Messages
39
Unfortunately growing up with Windows 98 did not allow me to experience DOS. I have several books in front of me that pertain to the use of DOS and I have searched the internet but I am still stumped on how complete these files.

The machine is running a fresh copy of Windows 98SE. Now I know that I do not need these files for Windows itself, but for DOS mode. I am going to be using DOS mode for gaming specifically.

A few important things:
-I am looking to get the most memory available for those memory hungry games
-Machine is a P200 Dell GXi with integrated sound and video. Installed are an internal floppy (A), Western Digital HD (C), Zip Drive (Iomega I'm assuming) (D), and a generic CDROM drive (E). I am also using a generic PS/2 mouse.

So far I have the following:
DEVICE=C:\Windows\HIMEM.SYS
DOS=HIGH,UMB
DEVICE=C:\Windows\EMM386.EXE NOEMS

As for the autoexec... well I am clueless on how to configure that :confused:
 
autoexec.bat is the DOS equivilent of Start Menu > Startup. Programs like ACME Screen Saver would be put in here. An autoexec.bat file usually looks like this:

Code:
echo off
prompt $p$g

if you have windows installed, then there's usually a WIN command at the end.
there can also be a whole bunch of odd commands like MS-CDEX drivers, TSRs, ect. Treat autoexec.bat like a DOS command prompt. point it to where the program is (cd x:\dir\name\here) and then the filename and you're good.
 
Last edited:
Okay, I appreciate the help guys.

My config.sys now looks like:

DEVICE=C:\Windows\HIMEM.SYS
DOS=HIGH,UMB
DEVICE=C:\Windows\EMM386.EXE NOEMS
DEVICEHIGH=C:\Windows\COMMAND\EBD\oakcdrom.sys /D:MSCD0001
LASTDRIVE=Z

Autoexec looks like:

@echo off
LH: C:\Windows\COMMAND\MSCDEX.EXE /D:MSCD0001


The CDROM works in Windows and is listed as an NEC drive. DOS however, will not recognize it. Any suggestions?
 
Okay I have made progress! CDROM is now working!

Autoexec now looks like

@echo off
SET SOUND=C:\Windows\System
SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 H5 P330 E620 T6
SET MOUSE=C:\Windows\System
LH: C:\Windows\COMMAND\MSCDEX.EXE /D:MSCD0001

Config.sys is the same

Three problems
-Memory is now down to around 30k instead of 620,000 before I started tampering
-Mouse does not work (I'm guessing I will need the mouse.ini file)
-Games do not auto detect Sound Blaster. I have the manually specify the settings. The computer is running onboard sound.

Thanks again guys
 
Code:
  Name           Total       =   Conventional   +   Upper Memory
  --------  ----------------   ----------------   ----------------
  SYSTEM    18,304   (18K)         10,608   (10K)       7,696    (8K)
  HIMEM      1,104    (1K)            1,104    (1K)         0    (0K)
  EMM386    4,320    (4K)            4,320    (4K)         0    (0K)
  DBLBUFF    2,976    (3K)            2,976    (3K)         0    (0K)
  WIN          3,744    (4K)            3,744    (4K)         0    (0K)
  OAKCDROM 36,064 (35K)            0        (0K)          36,064    (35K)
  IFSHLP      2,864    (3K)             0        (0K)          2,864    (3K)
  MSCDEX    28,032    (27K)         0       (0K)           28,032    (27K)
  COMMAND 7,168    (7K)             0       (0K)           7,168    (7K)
  Free         708,832  (692K)        632,352  (618K)    76,480   (75K)
 
Last edited:
LH: C:\Windows\COMMAND\MSCDEX.EXE /D:MSCD0001

there should be no ":" after LH

-Mouse does not work (I'm guessing I will need the mouse.ini file)

you have to load a DOS mouse driver. get ctmouse. add it to your autoexec.bat:

Code:
LH \DOS\CTMOUSE.EXE


-Games do not auto detect Sound Blaster. I have the manually specify the settings. The computer is running onboard sound.

aside from the SET settings you also need to load the soundcard drivers. get them here if they are SB PCI variant:

easymamecab.mameworld.info/html/snddosdr.htm
easymamecab.mameworld.info/html/sndhelp.htm

in your bios, change "PNP OS" to NO or OFF.
 
the DEVICEHIGH and LOADHIGH statements will not work without UMB/HMA activated. emm386 need the RAM option to make umb/hma avalable.

Code:
device=<path>EMM386.EXE AUTO RAM NOEMS

or use umbpci instead since you don't use EMS (NOEMS in your emm386 line)):

uwe-sieber.de/umbpci_e.html

Code:
DEVICEHIGH=\MSDOS\HIMEM.SYS /NUMHANDLES=128 /TESTMEM:OFF /Q
DEVICEHIGH=\DOS\UMBPCI.SYS
 
Last edited:
Look for some 3rd party stuff.

EMM386 can be replaced with jemmexx (google it), it works better.

Code:
device=c:\sys\0\jemmex.exe NOEMS I=B000-B7FFX

I also use this for my CD-Rom (it came with JEMMEX)

Code:
Config.sys

DEVICEHIGH=c:\APPS\JEMM\JLOAD.EXE c:\APPS\JEMM\XCDROM32.DLL /D:MSCD001

Autoexec.bat
LH c:\apps\shcd\SHSUCDX.com /C /D:mscd001 /L:d

This should boost your free memory by a bit.
 
This is how its looking with the ctmouse and umbpci. I will be trying Jemmex later. Thanks again everyone. I really appreciate the help1

Code:
  Name           Total       =   Conventional   +   Upper Memory
  --------  ----------------   ----------------   ----------------
  SYSTEM    18,304   (18K)         10,608   (10K)       7,696    (8K)
  HIMEM     1,104    (1K)            1,104    (1K)         0    (0K)
  EMM386    4,320    (4K)            4,320    (4K)         0    (0K)
  DBLBUFF   2,976    (3K)            2,976    (3K)         0    (0K)
  WIN       3,744    (4K)            3,744    (4K)         0    (0K)
  OAKCDROM  36,064 (35K)            0        (0K)          36,064    (35K)
  IFSHLP    2,864    (3K)             0        (0K)          2,864    (3K)
  MSCDEX    28,032    (27K)         0       (0K)           28,032    (27K)
  CTMOUSE   3,104    (3K)            0         (0K)        3,104      (3K)
  COMMAND 7,168    (7K)             0       (0K)           7,168    (7K)
  Free         705,776  (689K)        632,400  (618K)    73,376   (72K)


XMS is 32,347,552 total
 
This is how its looking with the ctmouse and umbpci. I will be trying Jemmex later. Thanks again everyone. I really appreciate the help1

XMS is 32,347,552 total

Switch out the CD-Rom stuff I said. Right now your CD-Rom Support is taking up 64kb of memory. With the MSCDEX and OAKCDROM replacements you can drop that by at least 50 or so k.
 
Win95 will not startup correctly- I have to step by step boot it up without loading config.sys and autoexec.bat.

D is not recognized. When I try to manually load jemmex.exe in DOS it says that Jemm is not installed.

Seems like my upper memory is not loading. Is this because there is no Himem in my config.sys file?

I'm really trying my hardest but my limited experience with DOS is holding me back. :( Thanks all

Code:
 MSDOS    18,016   (18K)          18,016  (18K)        0    (0K) 
  HIMEM     1,104    (1K)            1,104    (1K)         0    (0K)
  IFSHLP     2,864     (3K)             0        (0K)         0    (0K)
  SETVER     832      (1K)             0        (0K)          0   (0K)
  WIN         3,504    (3K)            3,504    (3K)         0    (0K)
  COMMAND 7,168    (7K)             0       (0K)           0    (0K)
  Free         621,552  (607K)        621,552  (607K)    0    (0K)

CONFIG.SYS
Code:
DEVICE=C:\DRIVERS\jemmex.exe NOEMS I=B000-B7FXX
DOS=HIGH,UMB
DEVICEHIGH=C:\DRIVERS\JLOAD.EXE C:\DRIVERS\XCDROM32.DLL /D:MSCD0001
LASTDRIVE=Z

AUTOEXEC.BAT
Code:
@echo off
SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 H5 P330 E620 T6
LH C:\DRIVERS\CTMOUSE.EXE
LH C:\DRIVERS\SHSUCDN.EXE
LH C:\DRIVERS\SHSUCDX.EXE /C /D:MSCD0001 /L:D
 
I have no idea if JemmEx will work with Windows 95, and it essentially replaces both himem.sys and emm386.exe

Try REM that line out and adding himem.sys and emm386 back into the config.sys and see if that works. If it does then you may need 2 different config.sys files, one for DOS and one for windows (see here for how to make a menu driven config.sys)

That CD-Rom driver won't work if Jemmex is not loaded, but you should not need a real mode driver for the CD-Rom with Windows 95.

Hope this helps.
 
-Keep in mind the only OS I have installed is Windows 95. I am only rebooting to MS-DOS mode.
-Windows boots up fine now
-I am only going to be using this system for DOS gaming and I want the most memory I can have available

Thanks so much!

mem /c/p in Win95 Dos mode
Code:
NAME	Total		Coventional	Upper Memory
------  -------------	-------------	-------------
SYSTEM	10,048 (18K)	10,512 (10K)	7,536 (7K)
HIMEM	1,104 (1K)	1,104 (1K)	0 (0K)
EMM386	4,320 (4K)	4,320 (4K)	0 (0K)
WIN	3,616 (4K)	3,616 (4K)	0 (0K)
IFSHLP	2,864 (3K)	0 (0K)		2,864 (3K)
SETVER	832   (1K)	0 (0K)		832   (1K)
CTMOUSE	3,104 (3K)	0 (0K)		3,104 (3K)
COMMAND	7,168 (7K)	0 (0K)		7,168 (7K)
FREE    772,400 (754K)	635,584 (621K)	136,816 (134K)

Config.sys
Code:
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS /NUMHANDLES=128 /TESTMEM:OFF /Q
DOS=HIGH,UMB
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE AUTO RAM NOEMS
LASTDRIVE=Z

Autoexec.bat
Code:
@echo off
SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 H5 P330 E620 T6
LH C:\DRIVERS\CTMOUSE.EXE
 
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