Windows 95 Tips  FAT 32 Tips OverClocking Tips

Windows95 Tips

This section contains tips on optimising Windows 95 at StartUp. There are very few people who know about the MSDOS.SYS file in the root directory and its usefulness. Unlike in DOS this is a text file in Windows 95 and it contains a handful of useful startup options. Below is a list of options  that are availabe in for this file.

The file referred tio over here is C:\MSDOS.SYS

MSDOS.SYS is a read-only, hidden and system file in Windows95. To edit it you must first remove the  read-only attributes by typing attrib -h -s -r msdos.sys. Then use a normal text editor.

Don't forget to reset the attributes after editing.

There are 2 sections related to this file they are

1. Path

2. Options

Following are a list of options and their brief description

[Paths]

UninstallDir= Location of Uninstall information eg:UnisnstallDir=C:\
WinDir= Location of the Windows95 Directory eg:WinDir=C:\Windows
WinBootDir= Location of necessary startup files eg:WinBootDir=C:\Windows
HostWinbootDrv= Location of the Boot Drive Root Directory eg: HostWinBootDir=C


[Options]

BootMulti= Allows booting to previous operating system. The default is 0. Setting this to 1 allows you to press F4 to start your previous version of DOS or F8 to use the Windows StartupMenu.
BootDelay=n This sets the initial delay to n seconds before starting Windows95. This is to give you enough time to press the F4 or F8 keys. The default is 2 seconds.
BootMenu=n Enables the automatic display of the Windows95 Startup menu. The default is 0 so that you need to press F8 on bootup to see the Start menu.Changing it to 1 will always bring up the Start menu.
BootMenuDefault=n This sets the default menu item for the Windows95 Startup menu.
BootMenuDelay=n This sets the number of seconds, n to show the Windows95 Startup menu before running the default menu item (see previous item). The default is 30 seconds.
BootKeys= This enables the startup option keys (F5, F6, F8). The default setting is 1.
Setting this to 0 prevents any startup keys from functioning.
BootGUI= This enables the automatic graphical startup into Windows95. The default is 1. Setting this to 0 will boot you to a DOS prompt. You can then type "WIN" to start Windows95.
BootWarn= Enables starting in Safe Mode without a warning. The default is 1.
Logo= Enables display of the Windows95 animated logo. The default setting is 1.
DoubleBuffer= Enables loading of a double-buffering driver for a SCSI controller, if required. The default setting is 0.
Network= Enables Safe Mode with Networking as a menu option. The default is 1 for
computers with networking installed.
AutoScan= For  OSR 2 only.After a bad shutdown, Windows95 will start ScanDisk.
AutoScan=0 will disable this feature AutoScan=1 will stop and prompt you
before starting ScanDisk. After 1 minute it will start automatically. This is the default setting AutoScan=2 will start  ScanDisk if needed automatically
DrvSpace= Enables loading of Drivespace at StartUp. Setting it to 0 will disable loading of Drivespace
DblSpace= Enables loading of DoubleSpace at StartUp. Setting it to 0 will disable loading of DoubleSpace.
LoadTop= Setting option to 1 will allow loading of COMMAND.COM into High Memory

Created by:-Ian Fernandes
Email:-ifern@poboxes.com