[RESOLVED] Maybe I'm being thick, but I am confused.....

[KeithFitton]

I could do with re-formatting my H.D. I'm up to speed with boot disks and copying my CD driver etc. I think I understand that everything will be wiped off my c: BUT, (and sorry if this is missing something basic) what happens to DOS? Does that go too? If so (and I think it does) how do I re-install it? Is it on my Windows disk?
I'm nervous enough about screwing this up, this question appears to be the only one not covered in anything I have read!!
Thanks for any help,
Keith.

[houseisland]

If you format your hard drive, your operating system will disappear but the file system will stay.

If you remove the partition using fdisk, there is nothing unitl you repartition it and format it.

------------

It is a good idea to have a bootable floppy; you can make one - format a: /u /s

/u - for unconditional format - any data on disk will be unrecoverable.

/s - to copy system files

When you have made this disk, copy the basic drivers you need to make your system operational in dos - cdrom, mouse, etc.

Also copy useful dos files: fdisk.exe, format.com, sys.com, emm386.exe, smartdrv.exe, mscdex.exe, etc. I'm sure I'm missing a few here, but these are the important ones I think.

Write config.sys and autoexec.bat files for the disk; sometimes you can copy and edit your dos boot files.


This disk can be a basic recovery-diagnostic tool. Very useful!!!!

Don't play with fdisk, though, until you really understand what it does.

______________________


If you are running W9x, some form of dos is built into the OS. Installing the OS will install dos. Just put your W9x installation floppy into drive A, and then have your CD and CD key ready. Boot to the floppy and follow the instructions.

If you are running some form of W3.x, you will need to install some version of dos first, preferably 6.22. Don't use 4.0 if you can help it. DOS has its own installation disks. Then you will have to install W3.x separately.

Hope this helps.

(Other readers: have I missed anything?)

[Grafman]

Houseisland covered the bases well. If you are running Win9x, go to Control Panel\Add & Remove Software, and select the Startup Disk tab. Follow directions and make yourself a startup disk. This will contain everything you need to boot with CD support, etc. Then copy the files listed by Houseisland. If 3x, follow his directions for that. To repeat Houseisland's caution: Don't play with fdisk!

(H.I. I thought the startup disk would be easier for him since it avoids the need for him creating Autoexec.bat & Config,sys, OK?)

------------------
Are we havin' fun yet?

[b_fleury]

Hey Grafman, your buddy playing another trick on you? Only Win98 has the CD driver included on the start-up disk, the Win95 one sucks.

Just thought I'd let you know.

Bill

[KeithFitton]

Thanks for your replies folks. I've been talking in 'real life' with some people who appear to know what they are on about and so I'm now feeling confidant. I'm told it is easy enough and once I've done it once I will wonder what I was worried about! One last thing though, I've an LS 120 drive as well as 3.5 inch floppy. Is there an easy way to copy all of my current version of DOS onto the LS 120? If not I will stick with the files mentioned above.
As I said, thanks for the answers, they have helped improve my confidence in this!!!
Cheers, Keith.

[lysergic]

What do you mean the win95 boot disk sucks? Just choose the acer quad speed. It is either the oak or btc cdrom driver.