Windows 95 version "OSR2" users should note that "OSR2" as distributed does not support dual booting older DOS (without an "unofficial" patch-available from the OSR2 FAQ Pages noted below) like the original version of Windows 95. Windows 98 does support booting "old DOS." Note: With either Windows 95 OSR2.x or Windows 98-if any of your harddrives are "FAT32" formatted, "old DOS" will not be able to access them. The unofficial "fix" for this dual boot problem can be downloaded via the OSR2 FAQ Pages.
Also, some European versions of Windows 95 OSR2 have a BUG that causes HIMEM.SYS to occupy 45KB of conventional memory instead of less than 5KB. Read the Microsoft technote (Q170456) and download the fixes from Microsoft's Knowledge Base.

From observing numerous recent DOS user postings on numerous USENET newsgroups, I would like to offer some alternate ways of running "problem" DOS programs (Usually games) with/within Windows 95/98.

Things you should try to get those "problem" DOS applications to work with Windows 95 or 98:

Note: Many users advocate booting your Win95/98 system to "old DOS" OR from a special boot floppy disk to solve problems with DOS applications. Windows 95 version OSR2 does not support dual booting old DOS as noted above. I contend that you should be able to set up your Windows 95 or 98 system to handle those DOS applications with Windows 95 or 98 succssfully as noted in the following paragraphs. If you follow these tips you should be able to "ditch" your "old DOS" files.

• First-Try adjusting the DOS app's properties to run in a full screen "DOS Box": Go to the Properties for the DOS app-"Memory" and run it "Full Screen." Note: Depending on your system setup, Win95 may only provide 550-600KB of free conventional memory to DOS apps without tweaking around with it. If that is not enough, I suggest that you optimize your AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS as noted below to provide max DOS conventional memory. If this techniquedoes not help-try checking "Protected" in the DOS app's memory properties. Note: It has been my experience that DOS apps that use a mouse suffer poor mouse responsiveness running in a full screen or windowed "DOS Box."
• Second-Try running the DOS app in "MSDOS Mode" by adjusting the "Advanced" (Check "MSDOS Mode/"Use current MSDOS configuration") properties but only if you also optimize your AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS files as noted below to maximize your free DOS conventional memory in the MSDOS Mode. If you have solid system startup files, you do not need to create custom autoexec.bat and config.sys files for each and every DOS app. Also, make sure nothing is loading in your C:\Windows\Dosstart.bat file.
• Third-Try running your DOS apps from a bootup Win95/98 DOS Prompt: When all else fails, the "last ditch" method to run DOS programs that do not like being run in Windows 95 via any of the above methods is to simply boot your Windows 95 to a DOS 7.x prompt after tweaking your AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS as noted below to attempt to maximize your free DOS conventional memory and solve any other strange video, memory or other problems. You then run the DOS programs from this bootup prompt, never actually going into the Win95/98 GUI.

I have found that if I run my "problem" DOS applications (especially games) from a bootup "DOS 7.x" prompt (That is what is under Windows 95) I have better performance and less problems largely because it gives the DOS app or game the entire machine by itself. I still frequently use many DOS applications and utilities and sometimes simply do not want to automatically enter the Windows 95 Graphical User Interface (GUI) every time I boot up my system. I realize that by pressing the F8 key when you reboot and see "Starting Windows 95...." this will cause the "Boot Menu" to pop up and you can select your choice (In this case it would be "Command Prompt Only") from there each time. My intent is to show you how to automate that process.

NOTE for advanced users only: To further optimize your free DOS conventional memory you could try to use MSDOS 6.xx MEMMAKER with Windows 95 to try to automate the optimization of your startup (autoexec.bat and config.sys) files if your main problem is a shortage of free DOS memory. Make backup copies of your startup files first. Then get copies of the following files (They can be found on the original Win95 CDROM in the "Other\OldMSDOS folder) and copy them into your \WINDOWS directory: Memmaker.exe, Memmaker.hlp, Memmaker.inf, Sizer.exe, and Chkstate.sys. In order for this to work you must ONLY let your Win95 system boot to a DOS prompt. The easiest way to do this is to edit your MSDOS.SYS file (See how below) and temporarily change the parameter "BootGUI=1" to BootGUI=0" then reboot, run Memmaker and see if it helps. I've gotten up to 625KB free conventional DOS memory this way at times with Win95a and OSR2.

• In order to make your system boot up to a real DOS 7.x prompt as I described above, you have to modify your Windows 95 MSDOS.SYS file.
• To maximize your free DOS Conventional memory we need to modify your Windows 95 AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS files. If you just want to maximize your free DOS conventional memory skip the next section.

Here are the procedures step by step:

• STEP1: Reboot your Win95/98 system. When you see "Starting Windows 95..." on the screen, hit the F8 key. This will cause the Boot Menu to pop up. Select "Command Prompt Only" and hit Enter. You will soon end up at the C>prompt.
• STEP2: Modify your MSDOS.SYS file. It is a read only, hidden, system file. To remove those attributes type: attrib -r -h -s msdos.sys<Enter>

• STEP3: Make a backup copy of your MSDOS.SYS file by typing: copy msdos.sys msdos.old <Enter>
• STEP4: Edit MSDOS.SYS. Now type: edit msdos.sys<Enter> You will see a section labeled [Options]. Modify the [Options] section and add the lines you do not have as follows (The order does not matter):
  • BootGUI=0 (This line alone will cause Win95 to boot to DOS prompt only) (Or try these next three or four lines):
  • BootMenu=1 (This will cause boot menu to always appear on bootup)
  • BootMenuDelay= 10 (Default is 30 seconds)
  • BootMenuDefault= Whatever number choice on the Boot Menu you want.
  • BootMulti= 1 (Add this line if you installed Win 95 over an older DOS (-it will allow you to boot up with the older DOS. It adds an additional boot menu choice)
  • Logo=0 or 1 (Turns the splash graphic off or on)
  • Network= 0 or 1 (Again, it depends on your system)
  • AutoScan=0 OSR2 USERS ONLY-add this command here to stop your machine from running Scandisk on a reboot after a lockup or power outage.

• STEP5: Reboot and test it. If it's what you want, put the attributes back on MSDOS.SYS by typing: attrib +r +s +h msdos.sys<Enter>

Note: The above startup configuration also allows you to susequently enter the Windows 95 Graphical User Interface or GUI by simply typing "win"<Enter> at the C> prompt.

Note: If the above does not work, you may have a hidden, system text file named "Winboot.ini" or "Winstart.ini" in your root C> drive directory that is read, on startup, instead of MSDOS.SYS. Rename either and reboot. It should then read MSDOS.SYS and do what we changed it to. So, now we are either booting up to a DOS 7.0 prompt automatically or by selecting it off the Boot Menu. Let's continue by tweaking your startup files to maximize your DOS free conventional memory.

Many of you may find that your Windows 95 startup files AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS are rather barren compared to your earlier DOS versions. This is because Windows 95 installs itself assuming you want to always boot directly into the Graphical User Interface (GUI) and run all your programs from there. Well, that's not what we're after here!

Note 1: Windows 95 will load these drivers HIMEM.SYS, SETVER.EXE and IFSHLP.SYS into your upper memory upon bootup even if corresponding DEVICE or DEVICEHIGH= lines are NOT in your CONFIG.SYS file! We will load them the old fashioned way below, just in case the memory manager needs to "see" the lines.

Note 2: Win95 also has built in defaults for the PATH statement (the default path is c:\windows;c:\windows\command) and other DOS parameters like LASTDRIVE, FILES, etc.

• STEP1: Check file C:\WINDOWS\DOSSTART.BAT. This file is run anytime your "Reboot in MSDOS Mode" or enter "MSDOS Mode" via other means. We DO NOT want DOS CDROM or Mouse drivers (or anything else) loading via this file. REM out or delete any lines that load any device or other drivers in this file and save it.
• STEP2: Make backup copies of your system startup files by typing:copy autoexec.bat *.old<Enter> and copy config.sys *.old<Enter>
• STEP3: Edit your Win95 CONFIG.SYS by typing: edit config.sys<Enter> The CONFIG.SYS file should contain AT LEAST these lines-preferably in this order:

DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS /M:1 (This gives you Extended memory-XMS) If you do not load it Win95 will automatically-it must loaded for Win95 to start!
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE RAM HIGHSCAN I=B700-B7FF D=64 H=255
The "RAM" parameter enables Expanded Memory (EMS) which uses 64KB of Upper Memory for something called a "page frame." The RAM parameter is needed for many DOS games. If not needed, you can regain the 64KB of Upper Memory by using the "NOEMS" parameter instead.
(Note: if you run into problems with above-try first removing the "HIGHSCAN" then try removing the I=B700-B7FF)
DOS=HIGH,UMB Loads part of DOS in the HMA, allows access to upper memory blocks.
FILES=100
BUFFERS=20
LASTDRIVE= Z (Optional-whatever letter you need)
SHELL=C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND.COM C:\WINDOWS /E:1024 /P The /E parameter increases the size of your DOS "Environment" to 1024 bytes from the 256 byte default.
DEVICEHIGH=C:\CDROM\CDDRV.SYS /D:xxxxxxx (Must agree with /D: in MSCDEX below! The ;D parameter IS NOT the CDROM drive letter but a device name like "MSCD0001" or "OEMCD001")
DEVICEHIGH= (Your real mode, DOS sound card driver if needed)
DEVICEHIGH=C:\WINDOWS\SETVER.EXE Win95 will autoload this too.
DEVICEHIGH=C:\WINDOWS\IFSHLP.SYS Win95 autoloads this too.
DEVICEHIGH=C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\ANSI.SYS (If you need it)
Save it with Alt-F, Exit, Yes.

• STEP5: Edit your AUTOEXEC.BAT by typing: edit autoexec.bat<Enter> AUTOEXEC.BAT needs most of the below lines, again preferably in this order:

@ECHO OFF
PROMPT $p$g
SET BLASTER=
SET PATH=C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND; plus whatever else you need.
SET (any other needed SET commands)
LH C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\MSCDEX.EXE /D:xxxxx /E <--The /D: must agree with CDROM driver parameter in config.sys-the /D: here IS NOT the CDROM drive letter it is a device name like "MSCD001" or "OEMCD001." The /E command loads the CDROM in/out buffers in EMS memory and should ONLY be used if you use the "RAM" switch with EMM386.EXE in config.sys above. If you want to force the CDROM drive Letter try /L:<Drive letter>.
LH (Sound card program if needed)
REM LH C:\WINDOWS\SMARTDRV.EXE /X It is not recommended that you use this DOS level disk caching program with Windows 95 or 98. SMARTDRV fences off a large block (2MB or more) of RAM on startup that Windows can't access for non DOS applications once you enter the GUI. Loading it can cause other problems including reduced performance. I only show it here (REM'd out/disabled) because some DOS users who use it now might ask why I did not mention or use it.
LH C:\MOUSE\MOUSE.COM or EXE This allows your mouse to work with any DOS apps in MSDOS Mode or if you boot to a DOS prompt.
Save it with Alt-F, Exit, Yes.

• STEP6: Again it's time to test what we've done. Reboot. At any DOS prompt type MEM/C/P and see how much memory we've gained. Also try running DOS programs from the C> prompt or via the "MSDOS Mode"and see what happens. If problems occur, restore the backup files we made each time and reboot to get your system back to its original configuration.

Final Notes:

• Using the above setup, once you are in the GUI and have the occasion to enter the "MSDOS Mode" or run programs from a "DOS box" you will have your DOS level, real mode CDROM, Sound Card, and mouse available because you already loaded them above.
• I get 620KB free conventional memory and 50-100KB free upper memory with the above startup files even after loading my CDROM and PAS16 DOS soundcard drivers. I get 604KB free conventional memory in a Windows 95 "DOS Box."
• When you install Windows 95 on a system that was to upgrade from Windows 3.x, it leaves copies of your old DOS startup files in your root directory as AUTOEXEC.DOS and CONFIG.DOS. Sometimes these can be copied and modified for use with Win95 as noted above. Save these and your Win95 startup files on a floppy.

This article was originally published in Volume 1 Issue 3 of Computer Pilot Magazine (Aus).

Special thanks to Robert Ferraro of CP for permission to post.

If the information on this page was useful-check out my Main Help Page at this site!!