OFF97: Installing Win 95 to New Folder to Tshoot Office Problems

• Microsoft Office 97 for Windows
• Microsoft Windows 95

SUMMARY

This article describes how to install a second copy of Microsoft Windows 95 to a new folder on your computer for troubleshooting problems that arise during installation or usage of the Microsoft Office programs. This is also useful in determining if your current installation of Windows 95 is functioning properly.

Requirements for Installing a Second Copy of Windows 95 to a New Folder

In order to use the instructions listed in this article, you need:

• Approximately 100 megabytes (MB) of free hard drive space for the second copy of Windows 95. If you plan to install Windows programs (such as Office) under the new copy of Windows 95, you will need additional disk space as required by each program.
• The Windows 95 compact disc (CD) or access to the Windows 95 installation files.
• Your Windows 95 CD Key, which is normally located on the Windows 95 CD sleeve. If you are using an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) version of Windows 95, you will need your OEM Product ID, which is located on your Certificate of Authenticity.
• A Windows 95 Startup disk. If you should encounter problems following the instructions below, it may be necessary to use the Windows 95 Startup disk to boot the computer.

MORE INFORMATION

Create a Windows 95 Startup Disk

If you do not have a Windows 95 Startup disk, you will need to create one. To do so, follow these steps:

1. Click the Start button, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.

2. Double-click the Add/Remove Programs icon.

3. Click the Startup Disk tab.

4. Click Create Disk.

How to Install a Second Copy of Windows 95 to a New Folder

  1. Click Start, point to Programs, and then click MS-DOS Prompt.

  2. At the command prompt, type the following lines, pressing ENTER after
     each line:

       cd\
       md w95flat

  3. Insert the Windows 95 CD into the CD-ROM drive.

  4. At the command prompt, type the following line, and then press ENTER:

       copy <drive>:\win95\*.* c:\w95flat

     where <drive> is the drive letter assigned to your CD-ROM drive.

  5. At the command prompt, type "Exit" (without the quotation marks) and
     press ENTER.

  6. On the taskbar, click the Start button, and then click Shutdown. In
     the Shutdown Windows dialog box, click Restart the Computer, and then
     click Yes. When you see the "Starting Windows 95" message, press the
     F8 key, and then choose Command Prompt Only.

  7. Make a backup copy and rename the system files in case you decide to
     return to your original installation of Windows 95 later. To do so,
     type the following lines at the command prompt. Press ENTER after each
     line.

       attrib -s -h -r bootlog.txt
       attrib -s -h -r bootlog.prv
       attrib -s -h -r detlog.txt
       attrib -s -h -r drvspace.bin
       attrib -s -h -r msdos.sys
       attrib -s -h -r setuplog.txt
       attrib -s -h -r system.1st
       copy autoexec.bat *.xxx
       copy config.sys *.xxx
       ren bootlog.txt bootlog.xxx
       ren bootlog.prv bootlog2.xxx
       ren detlog.txt detlog.xxx
       ren drvspace.bin drvspace.xxx
       ren msdos.sys msdos.xxx
       ren setuplog.txt setuplog.xxx
       ren system.1st system.xxx

     NOTE: If you receive a "File not found" error message entering any of
     the above lines, ignore the error message and proceed to the next
     line.

  8. At the command prompt, type the following line, and then press ENTER:

       cd\<directory>

     where <directory> is the name of the folder where the current copy of
     Windows 95 is installed. If your Windows 95 directory is named
     "windows" (the default), the syntax would look like this:

       cd\windows

  9. At the command prompt, type the following lines, pressing ENTER after
     each line:

       attrib -r -h -s system.dat
       attrib -r -h -s system.da0
       attrib -r -h -s user.dat
       attrib -r -h -s user.da0
       ren system.dat system.xxx
       ren system.da0 system2.xxx
       ren system.ini system3.xxx
       ren user.dat user.xxx
       ren user.da0 user2.xxx
       ren win.ini win.xxx

 10. If you are using an upgrade version of Windows 95, proceed to step 11.
     Otherwise, at the command prompt, type the following lines, pressing
     ENTER after each line:

       ren user.exe user3.xxx
       ren win.com win2.xxx
       ren winver.exe winver.xxx

     NOTE: If you receive a "File not found" error message entering any of
     the above lines, ignore the error message and proceed to the next
     line.

 11. Type the following line, and then press ENTER:

       cd\w95flat

 12. To run the Windows 95 setup program, type "Setup" (without the
     quotation marks), and then press ENTER. During the Windows 95 setup,
     specify a new folder for the Windows 95 installation. Make sure not to
     use the folder for your current installation of Windows 95.

     NOTE: When you install Windows 95 to a new folder, you must reinstall
     All Windows-based programs in the new Windows 95 installation.

How to Restore the Previous Copy of Windows 95

Note that if the problem you are troubleshooting still occurs in the new copy of Windows 95, your problem may not be software-related or it may be necessary to format your hard drive in order to resolve your problem.

These steps explain how to restore your original copy of Windows 95 if you determine that the installation of Windows 95 to a new folder did not resolve the problem.

1. On the taskbar, click the Start button, and then click Shutdown. In the Shutdown Windows dialog box, click Restart the Computer, and then click Yes. When you see the "Starting Windows 95" message, press the F8 key, and then choose Command Prompt Only.

2. At the command prompt, type the following lines, pressing ENTER after each line:

         attrib -s -h -r bootlog.txt
         attrib -s -h -r bootlog.prv
         attrib -s -h -r detlog.txt
         attrib -s -h -r drvspace.bin
         attrib -s -h -r msdos.sys
         attrib -s -h -r setuplog.txt
         attrib -s -h -r system.1st
         del autoexec.bat
         del bootlog.txt
         del bootlog.prv
         del config.sys
         del detlog.txt
         del drvspace.bin
         del msdos.sys
         del setuplog.txt
         del system.1st
         ren autoexec.xxx autoexec.bat
         ren bootlog.xxx bootlog.txt
         ren bootlog2.xxx bootlog.prv
         ren config.xxx config.sys
         ren detlog.xxx detlog.txt
         ren drvspace.xxx drvspace.bin
         ren msdos.xxx msdos.sys
         ren setuplog.xxx setuplog.txt
         ren system.xxx system.1st
   

   NOTE: If you receive a "File not found" error message entering any of the above lines, simply ignore the error message and proceed to the next line.

3. At the command prompt, type the following lines, pressing ENTER after each line. Note that you will be asked to confirm each line as you press ENTER.

         deltree w95flat
         deltree <directory>
   

   where <directory> is the name of the folder where the new copy of Windows 95 is installed. If your new Windows 95 directory is called "win95", the syntax would look like this:

         deltree win95
   

4. At the command prompt, type the following line, and then press ENTER:

         cd\<directory>
   

   where <directory> is the name of the folder where the original copy of Windows 95 is installed. If your Windows 95 directory is called "windows" (the default), the syntax would look like this:

         cd\windows
   

5. At the command prompt, type the following lines, pressing ENTER after each line:

         ren system.xxx system.dat
         ren system2.xxx system.da0
         ren system3.xxx system.ini
         ren user.xxx user.dat
         ren user2.xxx user.da0
         ren win.xxx win.ini
   

6. If you are using an upgrade version of Windows 95, proceed to step 7 now. Otherwise, at the command prompt, type the following lines, pressing ENTER after each line:

         ren user3.xxx user.exe
         ren win2.xxx win.com
         ren winver.xxx winver.exe
   

7. Press CTRL+ALT+DEL to reboot the computer. When the computer restarts, your original copy of Windows 95 will be restored.