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Windows ME Dos Problem Real DOS-Mode Patch for Windows ME 1.1 |
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REQUIREMENTS: Windows 9x/NT/2000, 32 MB RAM, P-133 Did you ever wonder why Windows ME, which is based on the Windows 9x kernel, can't access Real DOS-Mode? Did you think that Windows ME architecture doesn't allow it? Well, it seems that Microsoft simply decided to hide this option in Windows ME, for some unknown reason... This patch will modify "IO.SYS", "COMMAND.COM" and "REGENV32.EXE" in order to unhide the Real DOS-Mode on Windows ME systems, resulting in a similar boot process to the one available in Windows 9x. This will allow, for example, to reach DOS directly by pressing "Shift-F8" at boot-up, to use "CONFIG.SYS" and "AUTOEXEC.BAT" before Windows loads, and to set up a startup menu. Note: this patch is applicable only to the Final release of Windows ME (build 4.90.3000). Download it HERE NOW Right click on it and then select either "Save Link As" or "Save Target" to a directory on your hard drive where you'll be able to locate it later. In order to install this patch, follow the instructions below carefully. Note that whenever the instructions that follow refer to "C:\WINDOWS", you should specify the correct directory in which Windows ME is installed. Stage 1: Before applying the patch, complete the following tasks: 1. Create a temp directory and copy into it "C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND.COM", "C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\EBD\IO.SYS" and "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\REGENV32.EXE". 2. Make sure that the three files are writable, by running from the temp directory "ATTRIB -R -H -S *.*". Stage 2: When you complete the tasks above, execute from the temp directory you created the included patch "WINMEDOS.COM". Stage 3: Once the patch completes successfully, perform the following tasks in order to complete the installation: 1. Copy the patched files to their destination, overwriting the original ones: * "IO.SYS" to "C:\". * "COMMAND.COM" to both "C:\WINDOWS\" and "C:\". * "REGENV32.EXE" to "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM". 2. Edit "C:\CONFIG.SYS" and "C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT" changing them as described below: * "Add to "CONFIG.SYS" the line: "DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\IFSHLP.SYS. * "Add to the bottom of "AUTOEXEC.BAT" the line: "C:\WINDOWS\WIN.COM". Once these tasks are completed, DOS will be ready for use on the first reboot. In case you wish to create a startup menu that lets you choose between Windows and DOS at boot-up, it can be done by editing "CONFIG.SYS" and "AUTOEXEC.BAT". The syntax of the startup menu is identical to the syntax on Win 9x systems. Keep in mind that the option configured to launch Win ME has to include the appropriate lines that load "IFSHLP.SYS" and run "WIN.COM" (as shown above). Note that The line stating "Starting Windows Emergency Boot..." that you will see at startup has no effect at all on Windows. It appears because the patch is using the IO.SYS provided with the Windows ME Emergency BootDisk.
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