On Sun, 24 Dec 2000 01:02:25 -0500 (EST), [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Eric S. Emerson)
wrote:
> Sam,
> Let me try another explanation. If you start with a HD set-up
> with DOS, then install WIN95. On boot-up if you press F5(or is it
> F8?) you will get a menu that allows you to boot-up in the old DOS.
> However, if you then have to re-install WIN95, you will lose that
> menu option and "old DOS" will be gone. WIN95 changes, or hides,
> some of the old DOS utilities by renaming them and inserting some
> batch files named the same IIRC. That's where I ran into trouble!
> The "old DOS" installation discs are programmed to recognize only
> HD setup with DOS. The installation disks for DOS would abort because
> they didn't recognize WIN95.
Thanks Eric. I have come upon a good WIN95 manual (A *good* manual, not
one published by MicroSoft) that explains all that. You are right.
Anyone installing WIN95 should of course install a good version of DOS
first, or he will lose his menu options. It is very difficult to install
a good DOS *after* WIN95 has already been installed. Such can be done,
but it is quite a hassle and it's a hard act to follow and so easy to screw
up. I'm sure that MicroSoft really went far out of their way to make a
seemingly simple task so difficult. They are fighting the concept of
backwards compatibility you know. Probably the best thing for me to do
would be to re-format my HDD then set up everything from scratch. BTW,
the ony reason I might sometimes need to run MicroSoft Winblows is that
it is required to make some of my hardware work, hardware such as scanners
and some printers. They don't make compatible hardware anymore, except
that there are a couple of manufacturers still producing real modems. They
will probably fall by the wayside because quality costs more than what a
monopoly will kick in for free for the purpose of stifling the competition.
That is why industry should strive to be free and competitive and refuse to
tolerate monopolies, and consumers should support free enterprise.
All the best,
Sam Heywood
