# DOS & Windows for Workgroups 3.11 help please



## ELYON (Oct 17, 2008)

Hi everyone,

I've got an old 386DX 40Mhz PC, I know it's a dinosaur but hey it still goes!!! Firstly, I can't get it to load Windows, secondly, I'm not sure what directory to install a mouse driver and what the line should be in the Config.sys & Autoexec.bat files and last but not least I want to install a generic CD-ROM drive (once I get the first two probs fixed).

Every time I type "*Win*" at the Command Prompt I get "bad command or file name". Someone has said it could be problems with my Config.sys or Autoexec.bat file/s. I've written down what is in each one and hopefully someone can advise me what is wrong with them? So here goes:

Config.sys
Device=C:\Windows\Himem.sys /Testmemff
Dos=High,UMB
Device=C:\Dos\Emm386.exe Noems Highscan Win=F500-F7FF Win=F100-F4FF
Buffers=20
Files=30
Rem Devicehigh C:\Oakcdrom.sys /D:MSCD001
Rem Devicehigh /L:1,12048=C:\Dos\Setver.exe
Rem Devicehigh /L:1,4560=C:\Windows\Ifshlp.sys
Stacks=0,0
Rem Lastdrive=F

Autoexec.bat
C:\Dos\Smartdrv.exe /X
@Echo off
Prompt $p$g
Path C:\Dos
Set temp=C:\Dos

Any help with this would be very much appreciated!!!!!


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## Squashman (Apr 4, 2003)

That path to the Windows executable needs to be listed in your path variable in order to type WIN anywhere at a DOS prompt. Otherwise you need to change to the directory where the executable is and then type WIN.


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## ELYON (Oct 17, 2008)

Thanks for the reply but not sure what you mean by "path". Can you step me through what I have to do and are my config.sys and autoexec.bat files okay as they are or do I need to alter them?


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## Airidh (Nov 17, 2008)

Hi Elyon

Just a few first thoughts. Ignore this if you get a better reply.

path is the second-last command in your autoexec.bat, and should contain the name of the directory(folder) in which is the WIN command. Your path gives C:\DOS so one would assume that that is where it is meant to be. Apparently not.

Forgive me if I assume you're not very familiar with DOS . Mine is pretty rusty.

Can you type in, from the C:\ prompt

DIR \DOS WIN*.* 
(lower case is fine if you prefer).

If you don't find anything, try, again from the C:\ prompt

DIR WIN*.* /S (this will search the whole machine for files beginning with WIN)

Musing: I'm just wondering if Windows is actually installed?

I booted DOS from my W95 machine but find it is completely different (to start with I don't have a C:\DOS), but if you're really stuck I'm sure there is a 3.1 m/c upstairs somewhere, and I'd quite like to see it again - it was the first one I ever owned - sad. It was a good machine - *simple!*

Well, I hope you get a more helpful reply, but if not, come back here and I'll happily rummage in the attic!


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## Squashman (Apr 4, 2003)

ELYON said:


> *Autoexec.bat*
> C:\Dos\Smartdrv.exe /X
> @Echo off
> Prompt $p$g
> ...





Squashman said:


> The *Path* to the Windows executable needs to be listed in your *Path* variable in order to type WIN anywhere at a DOS prompt. Otherwise you need to change to the directory where the executable is and then type WIN.





ELYON said:


> Thanks for the reply but not sure what you mean by "*Path*".


So the path in your Autoexec.bat just says C:\dos but the Win.com file exists in the folder where Windows 3.11 is installed. Mine is in C:\Windows. This folder name could be anything if memory serves me correctly.

So you have 2 options.
1) You do a Change Directory to C:\windows and then type win
2) You edit your path variable to include C:\Windows


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## Airidh (Nov 17, 2008)

Sorry, in all my ramblings I missed the \windows bit in your config.sys. So edit the path command in autoexec.bat to read

path=c:\dos;c:\windows

I'm just adding this because you said earlier "not sure what you mean by path", so I thought you might not know what it should look like. Note the two colons and one semicolon.

Again I apologise. You might know all this.


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## ELYON (Oct 17, 2008)

Thanks guys for all your replies, can't thank you enough, can finally get into Windows!!! One problem down, two to go. Have installed a serial mouse LX-30 that came with this comp which is fully functional as tried it on another computer but can't get it to work.

Have added the line "*LH C:\Mouse\Mouse.com*" to my *Autoexec.bat* file but still unable to use it in Windows. Have tried the "Test" that comes with the Mouse disc when at the Dos prompt and the "Quit" button just keeps blinking. Any ideas????


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## Squashman (Apr 4, 2003)

Airidh said:


> Sorry, in all my ramblings I missed the \windows bit in your config.sys. So edit the path command in autoexec.bat to read
> 
> path=c:\dos;c:\windows
> 
> ...


Ugh! Trying to teach a person to fish! You will not often see me give the answer immediately to a user. I expect them to have:
1) At least Google Search for the answer before they posted their initial question.
2) Use Google, Bing or whatever search to find the answer from the clues I have given them in my responses.
3) Post back here what they do or do not understand from my initial responses.
4) Repeat and rinse until the thread has been solved.


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## ELYON (Oct 17, 2008)

After installing the mouse driver this is what is appearing on the screen after startup:

Mouse driver Version 8.7
Copyright 1993. All Rights Reserved.
Mouse Installed:Mouse Systems Mode
Software Multiple for Dynamic Resolution is Quadruple
C:\>

Can someone please tell me what this means and how to fix it as my mouse is still not working??


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## Squashman (Apr 4, 2003)

Can you stype these two command at the root of your C:\ drive.

dir /s mouse.com
dir /s mouse.sys

Report back which one it finds and what directory it is located in.


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## ELYON (Oct 17, 2008)

Squashman said:


> Can you stype these two command at the root of your C:\ drive.
> 
> dir /s mouse.com
> dir /s mouse.sys
> ...


*dir /s mouse.com*

Directory of C:\Mouse
Mouse Com 21,629 06-12-95
Directory of C:\Windows
Mouse Com 21,629 06-12-95
2 Files found

*dir /s mouse.sys*

Directory of C:\
File not found

Thanks for your help BTW


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## Squashman (Apr 4, 2003)

Don't know what to tell you. Everything looks good as far as I can tell.
Could you re-post your entire Autoexec.bat & config.sys files just for the sake of argument.


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## muffen (Feb 25, 2012)

If I remember myself you didn't need mouse.sys to use the mouse in windows 3.11. If the mouse isn't working in windows then go to the dos prompt and type setup. Verify that your mouse has something listed and it the right driver for your mouse. 

mouse.sys is just used for dos base software only, like Word Perfect v5.1 for dos.


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## muffen (Feb 25, 2012)

Oh, I would create a folder call temp and change in the autoexec.bat 

Set temp=C:\Dos

to

Set temp=C:\temp

This would make it easy to delete the temp files.


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## Airidh (Nov 17, 2008)

Squashman said:


> Ugh! Trying to teach a person to fish!


Yes. Thank you.


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## ELYON (Oct 17, 2008)

Squashman said:


> Don't know what to tell you. Everything looks good as far as I can tell.
> Could you re-post your entire Autoexec.bat & config.sys files just for the sake of argument.


Have tried googling before asking this question and am still none the wiser, I'm still a novice when it comes to mucking around with the autoexec.bat, config.sys and loading drivers. I installed the driver that came with the mouse *"Mouse Driver 8.7"* but when I was in Windows it asked for Win 3.11 Setup Disk 2 and loaded *"Mouse.drv"* so does that mean the first driver is for DOS programs and the second one is for Windows programs??

Also, in Windows Setup the Mouse is set to "Microsoft, or IBM PS/2" should it be changed to "Mouse Systems serial or bus mouse", it's a MOUSE LX-30??

Here are my Autoexec.bat and Config.sys files:

*Autoexec.bat*
C:\Windows\smartdrv.exe /x
@Echo off
Prompt $p$g
Path C:\Windows;C:\Dos
Set Temp=C:\Dos
LH C:\Mouse\Mouse.com

*Config.sys*
Device=C:\Windows\Himem.sys /Testmem:Off
Dos=High, UMB
Device=C:\Windows\Emm386.exe Noems
Files=30
Stacks=0,0
Buffers=20
Device=C:\Windows\Ifshelp.sys


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## Airidh (Nov 17, 2008)

Take a look at this:

http://www.vintage-computer.com/vcforum/showthread.php?16407-Dos-mouse-driver

The last post in this thread gives a definitive answer but the rest are worth reading, I think.


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## ELYON (Oct 17, 2008)

Airidh said:


> Take a look at this:
> 
> http://www.vintage-computer.com/vcforum/showthread.php?16407-Dos-mouse-driver
> 
> The last post in this thread gives a definitive answer but the rest are worth reading, I think.


Thanks Airidh for the link, have tried all this, even "Cutemouse" but still no functioning serial mouse in Windows 3.11!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Squashman (Apr 4, 2003)

ELYON said:


> Also, in Windows Setup the Mouse is set to "Microsoft, or IBM PS/2" should it be changed to "Mouse Systems serial or bus mouse", it's a MOUSE LX-30??


At this point do you think it will hurt to try it?
Considering your not running a PS/2 mouse it may work.


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## ELYON (Oct 17, 2008)

Squashman said:


> Don't know what to tell you. Everything looks good as far as I can tell.
> Could you re-post your entire Autoexec.bat & config.sys files just for the sake of argument.


Hi, 
Back again after trying everything I could possibly find on the Internet but still can't get the mouse to work. Have altered Config.sys & Autoexec.bat files again and again and was wondering if you could tell me where I'm going wrong with these ones please???

*Config.sys*
device=c:\Psound\cdSetup.sys /T:X
device=c:\dos\Oakcdrom.sys /D:mscd001
device=c:\mouse\mouse.com
device=c:\windows\himem.sys /Testmem: off
Dos=High,UMB
device=c:\windows\emm386.exe Noems
Files=30
Stacks=0,0
Buffers=20
device=c:\windows\ifshlp.sys
Lastdrive=F

*Autoexec.bat*
Set Blaster=A220 15 D1 T4
Set Sound=C:\Psound
c:\dos\smartdrv.exe /x
c:\dos\mscdex.exe /D:mscd001
@EchoOff
Prompt$p$g
Path C:\windows;C:\dos
Set Temp=c:\dos

Path C:\Psound;%Path%
C:\Psound\sndinit /b

Any help with this would be much appreciated


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## Airidh (Nov 17, 2008)

You have not been forgotten; my DOS is a bit rusty but I will read up about config.sys and autoexec.bat. In the meantime, I notice that you mention C:\mouse in config.sys but c:\mouse is not in either of your path statements in autoexec.bat - could that be a clue? Just clutching at straws for now.


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## ELYON (Oct 17, 2008)

Airidh said:


> In the meantime, I notice that you mention C:\mouse in config.sys but c:\mouse is not in either of your path statements in autoexec.bat - could that be a clue? Just clutching at straws for now.


Thanks for the reply Airidh. When googling it said that it must be in "one or the other, not both cause Windows loads it when it starts"  so that's why I just had the mouse loading in the autoexec.bat. As I said I'm not real savvy when it comes to these two files, just trying to learn as I go along.


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## Airidh (Nov 17, 2008)

I'm confused too - *what *must be in one or the other .... ? (and who said it? what was the context?)

It doesn't seem to be loading in autoexec.bat, or am I missing something again?

Sorry, I can't give this my attention for a while, but please answer the questions and I'll think about it.

In the meantime, if you want to learn, why not try to get hold of a book on DOS? If you don't want to buy, look at books in a bookstore, or try AMAZON, and when you find a good book, request it from your local library - if you have one of course. Asking you to "try this, try that" doesn't seem to be helping, as you don't seem to understand what the commands are doing.

btw have you tried Squashman's latest suggestion about specifying a serial mouse?

And just looking back at that, I see that the autoexec and config files you listed for him at that time are much less complicated then they seem to be in your latest listing (and the mouse then *was *loaded in autoexec.bat). Where have all these extra statements come from?

I'll be back, but not for a while. Think about getting a book. Please?


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## Airidh (Nov 17, 2008)

PS

You might like to look at this:

www.computerhope.com/ac.htm

It gives an explanation of what each command does, but remember that they are using examples which may not fit your machine.

And you still need a book.

My last word. Goodnight.


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## ELYON (Oct 17, 2008)

Airidh said:


> I'm confused too - *what *must be in one or the other .... ? (and who said it? what was the context?)
> 
> It doesn't seem to be loading in autoexec.bat, or am I missing something again?
> 
> ...


Hi Airidh,

Thanks for your reply and your patience. As you said I don't understand what the commands mean and will definitely get a book on DOS.

The information I found on the Internet was: 
Once the file has been located on the computer, depending upon what file is found, use one of the below examples.
IN AUTOEXEC.BAT:
LH C:\Windows\MOUSE.COM
IN CONFIG.SYS:
DEVICE=C:\Windows\MOUSE.SYS 
I took it to mean you only use "one" of the commands and that's why I only loaded it in config.sys.

Yes, I took Squashman's suggestion and changed the mouse setting in Windows Setup to "Microsoft Serial Mouse".

The latest config.sys and autoexec.bat files are after I installed a sound card, which works perfectly!!

Meanwhile I will do some reading and try to figure this one out, thanks again for your help with this


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