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Author Topic:   MSCDEX?

ZergPrime posted 03-18-99 09:55 AM ET
OK, I'm one of those that can't get the game to install. It won't even get to 1% install before it gives the error: Data move error: -113. And, the autorun won't run. I have to run setup.exe directly. I believe the problem to by my CDROM since it is as generic as they come 36x IDE Atapi, model #362D. Now, I can get the game to run if I copy \programs to the harddrive and run terrna.exe, but there is no sound and the most of the windows are "fuzzy" in that the graphic image has all kinds of "interference" in them. But the main game will run. Also, I have gotten the opening movie to play by dragging it onto the player. It runs just fine and the sound is fine too. (For this, though, I had to accept the video driver of DirectX, i.e., had to install it over manufacturer driver. Only then did the movies play. The sound played just fine, though).
Ok, I think that's about it. What I am wondering if it is my MSCDEX. When I REM it out of config.sys and autoexec.bat, Windows95 can't even find my CDROM. So, does anybody have a solution for this? My Windows95 is quite old, copyright 1995. Probably one of the first. Is there an update of MSCDEX anywhere? Please help. I'm excited to get playing.
Computer:
Pentium 200MMX
48Meg Ram
Trident Super VGA card
Soundblast Plug and Play 16
harddrives with over 1 gigabyte
Windows95
Generic CDROM(362D) IDE Atapi 36x
Fiannaidh posted 03-18-99 10:34 AM ET
You, my friend, are out of luck. You can either a) switch to windows 98, or b) buy some new piece of hardware with a win95c stand-alone. You have win95a. b and c use virtual drivers for the cd, and don't require the realmode mscdex and the config.sys driver. You cannot *leagally* get windows95 b or c without purchasing new hardware, but it can be hard drive, ram, cd drive, video card, sound card, modem, you get the idea, when you ask for windows 95, be sure and tell them you want version C, or SR 2.5 they are the same thing. 2.1 and 2.5 both have "with USB support" written under the windows 95 logo on the actual cd, so you can sort of check to see if you were ripped off.
Tyrkas posted 03-18-99 04:02 PM ET
I'm running Win 95a with every service pack and update installed (those that apply anyway) and REMing out MSCDEX has no effect. My system was purchased in April 96.
I do not as yet have the game (waiting for the patches) so maybe there is something? I know for a fact that my system uses virtual mode for drivers. I had a problem one time when it was using real mode.
Fiannaidh posted 03-18-99 05:56 PM ET
hmm, maybe they fixed that in some service pack then, I never bothered with service packs for '95/'98, just for NT. I do know that if you install windows, booting to your hard drive, not a floppy, with your realmode cd drivers loaded, windows will find your cd and automatically rem out your mscdex line, but not your config.sys line. But I never did figure out a way to get your CD to be recognized in device manager, once it disappeared, short of re-installing windows.
ZergPrime posted 03-18-99 06:09 PM ET
Which service pack for Windows is it that you have?
Tyrkas posted 03-18-99 09:28 PM ET
I'm not sure exactly which pack I have (I've installed tons of updates). However, there is neat little program which, believe it or not, comes free from Microsoft and should be on your system now.
First, find out what exact version you by going to Control Panel | System and click the General tab. That will tell you exactly what you are running (and by what I've read, you probably do have version 4.00.95).
Next, try to find the file called QFECHECK.EXE on your system. It was part of Service Pack 1 so if you have that installed you should have it.
Double-click the file and then run it. What it does is check your system to see exactly what updates you have done to your system.
So what's the point to all of this? It gives you a clearer understanding of what you have done to your system. So, for example, if you're not sure if you the update to <insert name here> you can find out.
If you have updated your system correctly you should be able to run your CD in virtual mode. I had the problem once of using real mode drivers but after a few tweaks and a reinstall, everything is in virtual mode now.
Hope this ramble helps (even a little bit).
Hotep posted 03-23-99 01:34 AM ET
If Win95 cannot detect your CD-Rom drive without MSCDEX.EXE loading, an important question is what kind of CD-Rom drive do you have? Is it an IDE, SCSI drive or some older propritary drive? If it is IDE then it *should* be detected and installed by Win95. Otherwise your options (at least as I see them)are
1- Play with it and hope it works
2- Check your Cd-Rom manufacture's web site for a driver for Win95. If this is a propritary interface, you should also check for a driver for the interface card.
3- Try a later version of Win95, as previously stated you must purchase a new system to get a copy of the later versions of Win95 as they are only released through the OEM channel. However the definition of "system" could be argued.
4- Buy Win98 and hope that it has all the driver support you need.
If you are using MSCDEX to gain access to your Cd-rom you are using 16-bit drivers which is very slow since the OS has to switch to 16-bit code everytime you access data on your cd-rom drive, which is costly from a performance perspective.
Hope this helps,
Hotep
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Author	Topic: MSCDEX?
ZergPrime	posted 03-18-99 09:55 AM ET OK, I'm one of those that can't get the game to install. It won't even get to 1% install before it gives the error: Data move error: -113. And, the autorun won't run. I have to run setup.exe directly. I believe the problem to by my CDROM since it is as generic as they come 36x IDE Atapi, model #362D. Now, I can get the game to run if I copy \programs to the harddrive and run terrna.exe, but there is no sound and the most of the windows are "fuzzy" in that the graphic image has all kinds of "interference" in them. But the main game will run. Also, I have gotten the opening movie to play by dragging it onto the player. It runs just fine and the sound is fine too. (For this, though, I had to accept the video driver of DirectX, i.e., had to install it over manufacturer driver. Only then did the movies play. The sound played just fine, though). Ok, I think that's about it. What I am wondering if it is my MSCDEX. When I REM it out of config.sys and autoexec.bat, Windows95 can't even find my CDROM. So, does anybody have a solution for this? My Windows95 is quite old, copyright 1995. Probably one of the first. Is there an update of MSCDEX anywhere? Please help. I'm excited to get playing. Computer: Pentium 200MMX 48Meg Ram Trident Super VGA card Soundblast Plug and Play 16 harddrives with over 1 gigabyte Windows95 Generic CDROM(362D) IDE Atapi 36x
Fiannaidh	posted 03-18-99 10:34 AM ET You, my friend, are out of luck. You can either a) switch to windows 98, or b) buy some new piece of hardware with a win95c stand-alone. You have win95a. b and c use virtual drivers for the cd, and don't require the realmode mscdex and the config.sys driver. You cannot leagally get windows95 b or c without purchasing new hardware, but it can be hard drive, ram, cd drive, video card, sound card, modem, you get the idea, when you ask for windows 95, be sure and tell them you want version C, or SR 2.5 they are the same thing. 2.1 and 2.5 both have "with USB support" written under the windows 95 logo on the actual cd, so you can sort of check to see if you were ripped off.
Tyrkas	posted 03-18-99 04:02 PM ET I'm running Win 95a with every service pack and update installed (those that apply anyway) and REMing out MSCDEX has no effect. My system was purchased in April 96. I do not as yet have the game (waiting for the patches) so maybe there is something? I know for a fact that my system uses virtual mode for drivers. I had a problem one time when it was using real mode.
Fiannaidh	posted 03-18-99 05:56 PM ET hmm, maybe they fixed that in some service pack then, I never bothered with service packs for '95/'98, just for NT. I do know that if you install windows, booting to your hard drive, not a floppy, with your realmode cd drivers loaded, windows will find your cd and automatically rem out your mscdex line, but not your config.sys line. But I never did figure out a way to get your CD to be recognized in device manager, once it disappeared, short of re-installing windows.
ZergPrime	posted 03-18-99 06:09 PM ET Which service pack for Windows is it that you have?
Tyrkas	posted 03-18-99 09:28 PM ET I'm not sure exactly which pack I have (I've installed tons of updates). However, there is neat little program which, believe it or not, comes free from Microsoft and should be on your system now. First, find out what exact version you by going to Control Panel \| System and click the General tab. That will tell you exactly what you are running (and by what I've read, you probably do have version 4.00.95). Next, try to find the file called QFECHECK.EXE on your system. It was part of Service Pack 1 so if you have that installed you should have it. Double-click the file and then run it. What it does is check your system to see exactly what updates you have done to your system. So what's the point to all of this? It gives you a clearer understanding of what you have done to your system. So, for example, if you're not sure if you the update to <insert name here> you can find out. If you have updated your system correctly you should be able to run your CD in virtual mode. I had the problem once of using real mode drivers but after a few tweaks and a reinstall, everything is in virtual mode now. Hope this ramble helps (even a little bit).
Hotep	posted 03-23-99 01:34 AM ET If Win95 cannot detect your CD-Rom drive without MSCDEX.EXE loading, an important question is what kind of CD-Rom drive do you have? Is it an IDE, SCSI drive or some older propritary drive? If it is IDE then it should be detected and installed by Win95. Otherwise your options (at least as I see them)are 1- Play with it and hope it works 2- Check your Cd-Rom manufacture's web site for a driver for Win95. If this is a propritary interface, you should also check for a driver for the interface card. 3- Try a later version of Win95, as previously stated you must purchase a new system to get a copy of the later versions of Win95 as they are only released through the OEM channel. However the definition of "system" could be argued. 4- Buy Win98 and hope that it has all the driver support you need. If you are using MSCDEX to gain access to your Cd-rom you are using 16-bit drivers which is very slow since the OS has to switch to 16-bit code everytime you access data on your cd-rom drive, which is costly from a performance perspective. Hope this helps, Hotep