Subj : Re: how to detect cdrom?
To   : Brian.Iglesias@xspamp0.f321.n751.z6
From : Outsider
Date : Fri Feb 08 2002 07:51 am

From: Outsider@f3.n342.z1.cereal.mv.com (Outsider)
Subject: Re: how to detect cdrom?

From: Outsider <nonvalid_email@yahoo.com>

Brian.Iglesias@xspamp0.f321.n751.z6.fidonet.org wrote:
>
> hello everyone.
>
> i am looking for a generic batch routine that will detect the cdrom
> and ramdrive. this is for a pcdos 2000 bootdisk. previously,
> i was using msdos 6.22 with 'findramd.exe' (with setramd.bat)
> from the win98se ebd, but when i moved it to pcdos it didn't work.
>
> i traced it and 'xmsdsk.exe' loads fine, but 'findramd.exe' does not
> return the errorlevel like before. i have the feeling it doesn't like
> non-MS dos'es.
>
> can this be done without using external utilities?

Yes. It can even be done without 4DOS <G>. Always assign drive letter Z to your
CD-ROM drive. If you already know it is Z, there is no need to find it. Makes
things a lot easier. Below is a suggested outline, make whatever changes you
require.

[Menu]
menuitem=Windows
menuitem=DOS
menudefault=default,10
menucolor=15,3
numlock=off

[common]
DOS=HIGH,UMB
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\HIMEM.SYS /testmem:off device=C:\WINDOWS\emm386.exe
devicehigh=C:\WINDOWS\ifshlp.sys
devicehigh=C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\ansi.sys /x devicehigh=C:\WINDOWS\ramdrive.sys
8196 /E devicehigh=C:\WINDOWS\EBD\OakCDRom.sys /D:IDECD000 shell=C:\COMMAND.COM
C:\ /f/e:2048/p break=on
files=50
lastdrive=z
device=C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\display.sys con=(ega,,2)
Country=001,850,C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\country.sys
[windows]
[dos]


@ECHO off
verify on
:: next line corrects a bug that sets the path incorrectly
PATH;
SET copycmd=/-Y
SET temp=c:\temp
SET tmp=c:\temp
LH C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\MSCDEX.EXE /D:idecd000 /L:Z >nul LH
C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\doskey /insert /bufsize:1024 C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\MODE CON
RATE=32 DELAY=1 PATH C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND;c:\ mode con codepage
prepare=((850) C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\ega.cpi) >nul mode con codepage select=850
>nul
keyb us,,C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\keyboard.sys
PATH>C:\ORGPATH.BAT
PATH=%PATH%;whatever;whatever
IF not "%config%"=="" GOTO %config% GOTO dos

:windows
SET config=
WIN.com

:dos
SET config=
::


The RAMdrive letter is easy enough to find from a boot disk with a simple batch
file. This method presumes that the RAMdrive has been correctly loaded, so that
responsibility goes to you and your bootdisk. Since a RAMdrive is assigned
after logical drives, the last writeable drive, excluding Z (which is the CD
drive), is the RAMdrive - or the last RAMdrive if more than one is present.


:: bframdrv.bat (Boot - Find RAM DRiVe BAT)
@ECHO off
IF not "%1"=="" GOTO recurs
CTTY nul
%0 c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y
:recurs
ECHO.> %1:\$flag1.tmp
COPY/B/Y %1:\$flag1.tmp+,, %1:\
IF exist %1:\$flag1.tmp SET ram=%1
IF exist %1:\$flag1.tmp DEL %1:\$flag1.tmp SHIFT
IF not "%1"=="" GOTO recurs
CTTY con
::
:: This batch gives you the RAM drive letter w/o pipes.
:: Once you find out where the RAM drive is, the %temp%
:: can then be set to it, afterwhich you may use pipes.


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MS-DOS 6.22, Windows for Workgroups 3.11, Netscape Communicator 4.08
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