Using REGFILES.EXE to Configure MS-DOS Applications to Run Under Windows 95

This document contains instructions for creating MS-DOS based icons and using the REGFILES.EXE program to configure MS-DOS applications in Windows 95. This file is available on the Gateway 2000 System CD version 1.1 or by downloading the file from the FTP site.

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Expanding the REGFILES.EXE onto the hard drive

If installing from the Gateway 2000 System CD version 1.1:

1. Insert the Gateway 2000 System CD into the CD-ROM drive. Use the Secondary mouse button, usually the right button, to click the My Computer icon. Click Explore to open the Explorer application.
2. On the left hand side of the screen, locate the CD-ROM drive letter and click on the appropriate drive. On the right hand side of the screen. a directory of the CD appears. Scroll through the directories until you locate the WIN95DRV folder and double click it. Scroll through the directories again and double click the REGFILES directory. On the right hand side of the screen, all of the Regfiles are displayed. Proceed to step four below to continue.

If the file is downloaded from FTP site:

1. Use the Secondary mouse button, usually the right button, and click the My Computer icon in the upper left hand corner of the screen. Click the word Explore to open the Explorer application.
2. On the left hand side of the screen, locate the name of the application directory that you used to download the file and double click it.

   For example: If FaxWorks is used, double click the FAXWORKS folder on the left hand side of the screen. Then double click the DOWNLOAD folder under the FAXWORKS folder to open it. On the right hand side of the screen, REGFILE.EXE will be visible.

3. Double click on the REGFILE.EXE file on the right hand side of the screen. An MS-DOS window appears on the screen displaying a list of files as they are inflated onto the hard drive. When the files finish inflating, click the X in the upper right hand corner of the DOS window to close it. The Explorer is now visible again.
4. At this point, you need to know the type of CD-ROM drive and sound card in the system. To find this information, click the minimize button in the upper right hand corner of the Explorer window. Now secondary click the My Computer icon in the upper left corner of the screen. Click on Properties on the menu that appears.
5. The System Properties window appears. Across the top are four tabs: General, Device Manager, Hardware Profiles, and Performance. Click on the Device Manager tab to open it. A list of the computers components appears on the left hand side of the screen.
6. To find the type of CD-ROM in the computer, click the + symbol beside the word CD-ROM. Write down the drive type that appears under the CD-ROM. To find the type of sound card, click the + symbol beside Sound, Video and Game Controllers. Write down the sound card type. Do not make any changes to either of these settings. Click the OK button on the bottom of this window to return to the Windows 95 desktop.

Installing the appropriate REGFILE entries

1. Click the Explorer icon on the task bar at the bottom of the screen. In the directory that the REGFILES.EXE file was expanded into, several new icons are visible. Double click the appropriate icons for the components installed in the computer. The following list contains the icon name and the Gateway 2000 specific component it refers to:
   • Hitachi for all Hitachi IDE CD-ROM drives
   • Mitsumi for all Mitsumi IDE CD-ROM drives
   • Sanyo for all Sanyo IDE single tray CD-ROM drives
   • Sanyo3d for all Sanyo IDE 3 disc CD-ROM drives
   • Wearnes for all Wearnes 6x and Epson IDE CD-ROM drives
   • Toshiba for all Toshiba SCSI CD-ROM drives
   • Aspidrv for all Toshiba SCSI CD-ROM drives
   • PnP for the Ensoniq Plug & Play and Vibra16 Plug & Play Sound Cards.

     To avoid possible difficulties with the Plug & Play sound card drivers, only use the PnP regfiles for the following sound cards: SNDCRD005AAWW, SNDCRD005ABWW, and SNDCRD006AAWW. These part numbers are located on the invoice sheet that came with the computer or on a sticker on the non-component side of the card.

   • Expmem and Extmem for additional memory configuration options for applications. Always double click both of these icons to load the information into the Registry.
   • Mouse to load the MS-DOS mouse drivers. Always double click this file for DOS mouse support.

2. After double clicking the appropriate files for the computer’s specific configuration, a message appears stating that the file has been successfully added to the registry. Click on the X button in the upper right hand corner of the Explorer window to close it. Now you are ready to create or modify the MS-DOS applications on the computer.

Creating and Modifying the MS-DOS application icon

1. Right click on any open spot on the desktop. Highlight the word New on the menu that appears and another menu appears. Click the word Shortcut to create the DOS icon.
2. The Create Shortcut window appears on the screen. In the Command line box, type:

   command.com

   and click Next > at the bottom of the window.

   The Select a Title for the Program window appears next. In the Select a name for the shortcut box type Run MS-DOS Applications. Click the Finish button on the bottom of the window to create the icon and return to the Windows 95 desktop.

3. Right click the mouse on the new icon you just created on the desktop. To modify the CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT of the shortcut, click the word Properties.
4. The application’s Properties window will appear on the screen. Along the top of the window are six tabs: General, Program, Font, Memory, Screen, and Misc. Click the Programs tab to open that screen. Toward the bottom center of this window, click on the Advanced button to continue
5. The Advanced Program Settings window appears. Click the mouse in the MS-DOS mode box to place a check mark. Click the mouse in the Warn before entering MS-DOS mode box to remove the check mark. Click the mouse in the Specify a new MS-DOS configuration bullet to select these settings. Click the Configuration button in the lower right hand corner of the window.
6. The following message appears on the screen:

   Warning! Any data currently entered for the CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT will be replaced by the new configuration you select. Do you want to continue?

   Click the Yes button to continue.
7. The Select MS-DOS Configuration Options window appears. Click the mouse in the applicable boxes to place a check mark next to the options the application requires to run.

   For example: check the CD-ROM to add the device lines to the CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files if the MS-DOS application needs to run from a CD .

8. Once all necessary selections are made, click the OK button to return to the Advanced Program Settings window. Click OK two more times to return to the Windows 95 desktop.
9. The icon is now configured to run in MS-DOS mode. When the Run MS-DOS Applications icon is double clicked, the computer will exit Windows 95 and reboot into MS-DOS mode.
10. When the computer finishes booting, the C:\WINDOWS> prompt should appear. When finished with the MS-DOS application, type EXIT and press Enter to reboot the system and return to Windows 95.

Limitations of the REGFILES

The REGFILES are constructed to add specific lines to the CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files for MS-DOS mode programs. These REGFILES do not search out the system for the path to the device drivers or type of hardware on the system. The user must know what hardware is on the system and which REGFILE is associated with that hardware. The REGFILES expect the following drivers to be in the specified directories:

• CD-ROM drivers in the C:\CDROM> directory
• Mouse drivers in the C:\MSINPUT\MOUSE> directory
• ASPI8DOS.SYS driver in the C:\SCSI> directory
• HIMEM.SYS and EMM386.EXE in the C:\WINDOWS> directory
• MSCDEX.EXE in the C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND> directory
• Sanyo CD-ROM drive is located on the secondary controller as master

If any of these device drivers or commands are not in the expected directory, the line that the REGFILE places in the CONFIG.SYS or AUTOEXEC.BAT will not work until modified within the application icon.

Special considerations with the Ensoniq sound cards

• The Ensoniq Plug & Play sound cards with part numbers SNDCRD006ABWW and SNDCRD006ACWW do not need the PnP regfile to operate properly.
• Ensoniq sound cards with part numbers SNDCRD006AAWW, SNDCRD006ABWW, and SNDCRD006ACWW must include the SSINIT line in the ‘Run MS-DOS Applications’ icon in order to function properly.
• However, the Windows 95 Application Diskettes for all Ensoniq sound cards need to be loaded on the computer in order for the proper lines to be added to the Run MS-DOS Applications icons.

The information in these articles is provided "as-is" without warranty of any kind, and all warranties are hereby disclaimed, whether express or implied, including, without limitation, the implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose and non-infringement. Gateway 2000 will not be liable for any damages whatsoever, whether direct, special, indirect, incidental, or consequential (including, without limitation, damages for loss of business profits, business interruption, loss of business information, or any other pecuniary loss) arising out of, or related to your use of, or inability to use the information in any such article, even if advised of the possibility of such damages. Because some states and jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or limitation of liability for consequential or incidental damages, the above limitation may not apply to you. You may not further distribute, reproduce, rent, sell, transfer or license these articles.

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