The versions of MS-DOS supported for installing Windows 95 are versions 3.2 or greater (for partitions that are greater than 32 MB), 4.x, 5.x, and 6.x.
If you install Windows 95 in a different directory from the one containing your previous Windows 3.x version, you can start the computer by using the previous version of MS-DOS. To do this, make sure the entry BootMulti=1 is in the Windows 95 MSDOS.SYS file, and then press F8 during system startup and choose the related option.
This section lists MS-DOS and other files that are deleted by Windows 95 Setup. Notice, however, that these files are deleted from the old MS-DOS directory only if you install Windows 95 in the existing Windows 3.x directory. Otherwise, the old MS-DOS files are all preserved so that you can start the computer using the older version of MS-DOS.
The Windows 95 command-line commands are stored in the COMMAND subdirectory of the Windows directory. Deleting the related MS-DOS command file will not affect your ability to use the command under Windows 95. The versions that are deleted by Setup are known to be incompatible with Windows 95; for example, many of these MS-DOS commands do not support long filenames.
MS-DOS and Windows 3.x Files Deleted by Windows 95 Setup
ansi.sys | d??space.exe1 | keyb.com | ramdrive.sys |
1 DRVSPACE.* or DBLSPACE.*
COMPAQ DOS 5.0 Files Deleted by Windows 95 Setup
cache.exe | dos5help.chd | fsedit.exe | tu.exe |
Non – MS-DOS Operating System Files Deleted by Windows 95 Setup
delpurge.exe | hidos.sys | rendir.exe | touch.exe |
Pre – MS-DOS 5.0 Files Deleted by Windows 95 Setup
append.com | enhdisk.sys | keybfr.exe | print.exe |
Windows 95 supports multiple configurations for the same computer, and it dynamically determines which configuration is being used. If Windows 95 cannot determine the specific configuration used during system startup before processing CONFIG.SYS, then it presents a menu of available configurations as listed in the Registry, and it prompts you to select the configuration you want.
If you have a multiple configuration established in CONFIG.SYS, that menu is presented next. However, if you use a multiple configuration to switch between different versions of Windows, you must edit CONFIG.SYS manually to repair this configuration after Windows 95 is installed. For information about how to create multiple configurations for the same computer under Windows 95, see Chapter 19, "Devices."