Load Windows using swappable drives
Written by: Krystyna

  1. To make the hard drive bootable, startup with a Win98 boot floppy and at A:\> prompt type Format C: /S. If the hard drive is already formatted, type SYS C:
  2. Copy these four files to the C: drive
    • mscdex.exe
    • atapicd.sys
    • config.sys
    • autoexec.bat
If your bootdisk does not contain atapicd.sys you can download one here that does.
  1. AUTOEXEC.BAT needs only this line C:\MSCDEX.EXE /D:MSCD001
  2. CONFIG.SYS needs only this line DEVICE=C:\ATAPICD.SYS /D:MSCD001
  3. Mscdex.exe and atapicd.sys is on the boot disk.
  4. Autoexec.bat and Config.sys can be edited by using Notepad. If you are using a different cdrom driver than atapicd.sys, then edit the Config.sys file accordingly.
  5. When you boot up with the cd rom pack in place, the cd drivers will be accessed from the hard drive and your cd rom will be drive D:
Note: As the computer boots watch carefully to determine the drive letter assigned to the cdrom. It could be D: if a Ramdrive is not loaded by the bootdisk or E: if a Ramdrive is loaded by the bootdisk. Some bootdisk will also assign the cdrom R:.

Here is another method you could use. It is not necessary to perform the method above along with this one.

For those of you not familiar with copying files in DOS or editing the config.sys and autoexec.bat files I have added the information below to further assist you.

  1. Download boot.zip
  2. Unzip the files to a blank floppy.
  3. Restart the computer using the bootdisk.
You will get the following error messages:
The following file is missing or corrupted C:\Cd1.sys There is an error in your config.sys file on line 1 A:\>C:\mscdex.exe /D:Mscd001 Bad command or file name
Do not be concerned with the above errors and continue to step 4.
  1. At the A:\type sys c: Press Enter
You should see the following message:
System Transferred
  1. At the A:\>type install Press Enter
You should see the following:
    1 file(s) copied
    1 file(s) copied
    1 file(s) copied
    1 file(s) copied
  1. Shutdown the computer and swap out the floppy with the cdrom.
  2. Restart the computer without the bootdisk.
  3. Insert the Win98 CD.
  4. At the C:\>type D: Press Enter
  5. At D:\>type setup Press Enter
If you are perfoming this on a Toshiba Laptop use the instructions below.
  1. Download Toshboot.zip
  2. Follow steps 2-10 in the procedure directly above this.
Again, Credit to goes to Krystyna.

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Mesich and The Count