Install Floppies (Was: Compaq Deskpro boards/hard drives from

[Doc Shipley]

On 7/23/21 18:35, Grant Taylor via cctalk wrote:
> On 7/23/21 2:11 PM, Fred Cisin via cctalk wrote:
>> Some further questions BELOW to complete the distribution media database:
> 
> }:-)
> 
>> 1) Which ones were available on 5.25"?  (and how many disks?)
>>      A) "360K"?
>>      B) "1.2M"?
>>      C) "1.4M"?
>>      D) Microsoft non-standard crammed 3.5" HD? (1.7M?)
> 
> Ugh ... I don't know and I don't have a good way to differentiate my 
> disk images.
> 
>> First CD-ROM install media that I got was Windows 3.00, but it was an 
>> inclusion on a "tools" collection CD-ROM  (not quite a shovel-ware). 
>> Then a Multi-Language 3.00 CD-ROM from Microsoft (for international 
>> market)
> 
> I would like to know more about, or better find a copy, of such a CD-ROM.
> 
> I do wish that I could do an install of MS-DOS 6.22, CD-ROM driver + 
> MSCDExec, DOSidle, and Windows 3.x on a CD-ROM for simplifying 
> installations in virtual machines.
> 
> I've not yet figured out how to put all of the install files for MS-DOS 
> 6.22 in one directory, boot and do the install.  My minimal passes at 
> doing so don't work as well as I want or get stuck wanting to change the 
> disk based on the disk label. >
>> 3.10 Windows CD-ROM from Microsoft
> 
> Interesting.
> 
>> When did MS-DOS come on CD-ROM?  Or did it?

I have an ISO image labeled "OEM Adaptation Kit" that contains v6.22 (I 
think? 6.x at any rate).  As far as I know the OAKs are the only 
Microsoft DOS CDs, and I expect that's your best bet for making a 
single-directory install image.

The "wildman" v6.22 CD-ROM boots and installs MS-DOS, iirc with some 
options like installing mscdexe, etc.  Totally off the MS reservation, 
but it was pretty well documented, and all the MS files passed checksum 
testing.  It ought to be simple enough to add Windows to that.

I have a Dell CD with DOS 6 and Windows 3.1 on it, but I don't think 
it's bootable.  I also don't remember the directory structure.

Windows 95 on 3.5" 1.44M floppy is 28 disks.  I had 98 on 3.5" floppy 
but I don't remember disk count or format.  Pretty sure I still have my 
backup copy of 95, and pretty sure I don't have 98 anymore.  They were 
both MS releases, not OEM.


And finally, slightly OT, I remember buying an IBM-branded box set of 
PC-DOS 6.0 and Windows 3-something *on CD* with a boot floppy.

   I was very new with non-OEM hardware and clean installs, so when my 
computer freaked out about a "virus is trying to alter the boot 
sectors!!!!" *I* freaked out, took it back to the store and chewed them 
out for selling malware.  I still occasionally kick myself for letting 
that go, and chuckle at myself over the tirade I delivered.


Doc