This doc ver. 1
This file may be also read by a "DOS EDITOR" program.
How to Make a CD boot disk for DOS
You will need 2 things
1. a USB memory pin drive.
2. Download The "PDP_CdBoot03.zip" file
Quick Note: CD ROM booting is not a standard like using a floppy disk. Many
of the older computer BIOS does not support CD-ROM booting. If it does, it
may not support the newer UDF standard. 0lder CD-ROMs have difficulty
reading the newer CD_RW disks. So what can you do. Most old computers have
floppy drives. Use the PDP_03.img file from the PDP download to make a
bootable floppy disk. More on how to do this latter.
If thing go wrong or you just don't under stand. Send Me an E-mail to
"ParaDosPark@yahoo.com" If you are reading this and this is an old file, the
email address above may no longer be available because of to much Spam or
what ever. Go to "ParaDosPark.com" and get the newer email address
Doing the USB memory pin drive
A 256 meg - 1gig drive will do. You might want to start with smallest size
that you already have and one the you are willing to reformat. (erase
everything on the pin drive) The best way to do this, is to do it in windows.
Plug in your USB memory pin drive into the USB port, and let it come up in
windows. Open "My Computer" and find the "removable drive". Right click on the
Icon and select the format option. In the format option, set "file system" to
FAT. Set "volume label" to PARADOSPARK. Check the "quick format" box. Then
click the start button. In a few seconds it will be reformatted. Click the
close button. You can verify that the drive is empty by double clicking on the
"removable drive" Icon. It is important that you format the USB memory pin
drive and inter the volume name of "PAPADOSDARK" before running the ParaDos
download, so that the software can find the pin drive and set it up
automatically.
Note: It possible for "Dos" to do all of the above, but for now we will leave
that to the exports.
Doing the burn
Download the "PDp_CdBootxx.zip" file to a folder (parados) or whatever.
Unzip it with Winzip or what ever . You will have two files. a "TXT" file and
a "ISO" file. You can now safely delete the zip file to save space if you
want.
Do not use the standard CD burn procedure that you use most all of the time. It
most likely won't work. The "ISO" file contains a special boot file that
machetes up with your BIOS when you start up your computer. Instead open your
CD ROM burning program. find the "burn an ISO file to disk" tab. Select it
and burn the ISO file to a CD.
Note: Most CD ROM burning programs are big. So you will have to hunt for the
corrects tab.
I use "ROXIO creator 6". Select "disc creator classic" then "file" then
"record disc from image". Navigate to the "PDP_CdBoot03.iso" file. Open
the file, the burn window will pop up, click OK.
burn the "ISO" file to a CD. leave CD in the computer and reboot.
Check: After burning the CD, open the CD in windows and check that thee is two
files and not one. File 1) "boot.cat" File 2) "PDp_03.img" and you will not
be able to open ether one. If you find only one "ISO" file, you did note do the
burn correctly and the CD will be useless.
Doing "Para Dos Park"
Note: using the ENTER key for all of the defaults for now.
At blue screen press the <ENTER> key. (ENTER is the default command)
At b/w screen press the <ENTER> key. Wait
At b/w screen press the <ENTER> key. Wait
At blue screen use menu select (1) if this is your first time.
a window will pop up telling you if your computer has a real floppy drive,
mouse, and CD ROM drive connected to it. Although none of the above is needed,
they greatly enhance the use of the "new dos" software. If you have a real
floppy drive, you can access it as a B: drive. Click the mouse or any key
to move the next screen. more info. Read it. Click the mouse or any key
to move the next screen. This screen is the important. It list all of your
drives. floppy drive first. The hard drives have green drive letters. and
last is your CD ROM drive. Find the "PARADOSP.ARK" volume label. You can
disregard the period inside the name. If you don't find it is one three
thing.
1. the USB memory pin drive in not plug in.
2. you did not setup the USB memory pin drive as shown above.
3. the USB memory pin drive is bad or not compatible with the Dos drivers.
OK you found it, type in the drive letter that is associated with the
"PARADOSP.ARK" volume label on the prompt line. The next screen will verify
that you have select the correct drive to setup for Dos. type "R" to return
back to the choice menu or N to go to the next screen. final
pressing the "n" key will start installing dos the to the select drive.
note: Just be sure the you are not selecting the C: drive it will more that
likely have windows on it.