Making a DOS boot disc

[MM007]

I don't know that much yet.

is is basicly like setting a variable as the file name and having a sort of Case Select/If Else statement like in normal programming?

[Unidentified Assilant]

no, check out DOS Commands on google, it should help

[MM007]

Here's what I'm trying to do. It has a problem somewhere though...when I try to run megaman2(option 2), it runs megaman3, and when I try to run megaman3(option 4), it runs kyatto.

Menu.txt is simply a text menu.

Code: Select all

@ECHO OFF
cls
TYPE A:\menu.txt

CHOICE /C:1,2,3,4,d/N/T:1,60 Which game do you wish to run (1,2,3,4)?   
IF ERRORLEVEL 4 GOTO FOUR
IF ERRORLEVEL 3 GOTO THREE
IF ERRORLEVEL 2 GOTO TWO
IF ERRORLEVEL 1 GOTO ONE
GOTO END
:FOUR
A:\nes.exe kyatto.nes
GOTO END
:THREE
A:\nes.exe megaman3.nes
GOTO END
:TWO
A:\nes.exe megaman2.nes
GOTO END
:ONE
A:\nes.exe megaman1.nes
:END

Can anyone see the problem?

P.S. CHOICE is an external command.


EDIT:

After having no luck with the CHOICE command, I opted to chage to the INPUT external command, which now works flawlessly. Here is my new AUTOEXEC.BAT file, while allows me to choose from 4 NES games on one floppy with LoppyNES.

Code: Select all

@ECHO OFF
cls
TYPE A:\menu.txt

INPUT Which game do you wish to run (1,2,3,4)? /b/8 
IF %ANS%==4 GOTO FOUR
IF %ANS%==3 GOTO THREE
IF %ANS%==2 GOTO TWO
IF %ANS%==1 GOTO ONE
GOTO END
:FOUR
A:\nes.exe kyatto.nes
GOTO END
:THREE
A:\nes.exe megaman3.nes
GOTO END
:TWO
A:\nes.exe megaman2.nes
GOTO END
:ONE
A:\nes.exe megaman1.nes
:END

This one works flawlessly, but requires the external INPUT.COM file, which is not available on most boot floppies. It must be obtained online (or from me). CHOICE.COM, which is what I was trying to use, is the same way, but can also be taken off of the original DOS 6 floppy set. You must be using DOS 6 to use CHOICE.COM, and LoopyNES WILL work in DOS 6.

With all 4 games, I still have 170KB free on my floppy. I'mm still looking for another game to throw in. ^^

[Unidentified Assilant]

Will INPUT or CHOICE.COM work on DOS 5.0, thats the only DOS I have

[MM007]

INPUT might, but why risk it when you can download a DOS 6 boot disk at http://www.bootdisk.com? ^^

Also, feel free to use the code I made. It is for the AUTOEXEC.BAT, and loads a menu.txt file to tell the user which games correspond to what numbers. Just replace the filenames with what you are using.

[Unidentified Assilant]

It doesn't matter anyway, I have to make a DOS 6.1 Boot Disk for my Other PC... arghh! Why can't both PC's have the same dos, anwyay, I've implented the INPUT command for mine, now I can have Super Mario Brothers 1, 2 & 3 on one disk, Super Mario Allstars!

[MM007]

I have MegaMan 1, 2, 3, Kyatto Ninden Teyandee, Tetris, and SMB1 on one floppy, with 81K left over for another small game or 2.

[bicostp]

I made one once that had 10 games onit: the Mario trilogy, Pinball, Balloon Fight, DigDug, Joust, and a few others. Unfortunately, the 10-year-old floppy I had it on developed bad sectors.

Hint: if you're making a floppy-based, no-hard-disk emulation machine, make sure you use WinImage to back the disks up to make recovery faster.

[totokan]

Another problem now:
I can't delete some extra files on the floppy. It tells me to exit any programs, but I ended all processes i didn't need, checked (with 3 different programs) for adware,spyware,viruses and trojans, had none, and i even tried with a different computer.

[bicostp]

Which files?

The 3 files that are marked protected, command.com ms-dos.sys, and a third one, cannot be deleted. All the rest are fair game.

If they're others, reboot in dos mode (off the HD) and use the del [filename] command to wipe them out.

[MM007]

Which files?

The 3 files that are marked protected, command.com ms-dos.sys, and a third one, cannot be deleted. All the rest are fair game.

If they're others, reboot in dos mode (off the HD) and use the del [filename] command to wipe them out.

There are more that are hidden potentially, depending on the version.

COMMAND.COM -> Not usually hidden, except in later Windows OSes like XP. This is the Command Interpreter. Necessary File!

IO.SYS -> Always Hidden. Necessary File!

MSDOS.SYS -> Always Hidden. Necessary File!

AUTOEXEC.BAT -> Often, if not Always, Hidden. Handles automatic execution of files. Not always necessary (but lets your emulator and rom load without intervention).

CONFIG.SYS -> Always Hidden. Not always necessary (especially not in this case), except if you want to specify your computer's driver configuration while the floppy is booted, such as a SET BLASTER command for Sound Blaster compatibles(toying with this MIGHT give you sound.).

[totokan]

I'm running XP, and i want to get rid of a file called scandisc.exe, which takes up the most space on the disc. When i try to delete it (or any file on the disc, or format it even) it says "Cannot delete scandisc: It is being used by another person or program. Close any programs that might be using this file and try again."

[MM007]

That is odd...but for a TRUE MS-DOS disk, you can't format one in 2000 or XP. That isn't TRUE DOS. As I keep saying, get a real one at http://www.bootdisk.com.

[nos_slived]

1. Open a command prompt and leave it open. To open a command prompt, go to Start>>Run and type CMD.
2. Hit CTRL+ALT+Del and click the "Processes" tab. Go down to "explorer.exe", and end it. Leave the "Task Manager" open.
3. Go back to the command prompt and type "A:" and press enter. That should set the directory as A:\ (which better be your floppy drive). Now type "DEL scandisc.exe" and press enter.
4. The file should now be deleted. Go ack to the task manager and click the "Applications Tab". Click on "New Task", and type "explorer.exe".

Your life should now be scandisc free.

[totokan]

Thanks! but now, i have a (probably stupid) question:
How do i make sound work? when i tried it in windows, the sound worked, but when i started up the computer with it, it ran the game without sound.