Ridiculous Problem with DOS 6.22

[TheMuffinMan]

Hello all. I've been trying on and off for the last couple of days to install Windows 3.11 on a 486DX running a fresh install of DOS 6.22 off of an industrial flash memory module. The problem is that the Windows install keeps stopping when the second disk is inserted. After much futzing about, re-imaging floppies and hair pulling I've discovered the true problem.

When a floppy is first inserted and the directory structure probed, everything works fine. When that floppy is then removed and a second put in its place, a DIR command yields the directory structure of the first disk. The same problem occurs no matter what disk is put in after the initial one, the first directory structure is always listed.

Thus far, I have removed SMARTDRV from the autoexec.bat file on the offchance that the drive caching feature was causing the problem. The problem occurs even after going to the C: drive an running various operations, the returning. Even with no disk in the drive, a DIR command will yield the first floppy volume label before throwing a read error.

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Langford]

It's been a while since I did 3.1, but you may be able to copy the contents of all the disks into a temporaty folder (maybe c:\backup\win3.1), and install from there. Considering that it doesn't update the disk contents, several reboots may have to happen.

That disk error is odd. Do you have any TSRs running?

 

[Phoenix86]

Damn I remember this issue. It's on the tip of my tongue... Let me do some searching.

edit: I want to say it's a hardware issue with the cable or drive. May want to replace those in the mean time unless someone can come up with the exact issue.

 

[pxc]

It's not going to help with the install, but hitting CTRL-C from the DOS prompt will usually make the drive read the replaced diskette properly.

If you're using a floppy cable without a twist, you may need to change the drive id from 0 to 1 (or from 1 to 2 if id numbers start at 1) with a jumper on the drive.

I'm pretty sure that you can install Windows 3.11 from a hard drive by copying the diskettes into a separate directory each (i.e. C:\install\disk1, c:\install\disk2, etc). It's been a while but that's how I remember doing it. Just type the path to the next disk when prompted.

 

[TheMuffinMan]

Nothing's been installed yet, just a fresh install of DOS. I've managed to work around it using the suggestion of copying+reboots. I'll crack it open after everything's done to see if it can be solved for good with a different hardware configuration. Thanks for the help, everyone.

 

[bob]

I'm pretty sure that you can install Windows 3.11 from a hard drive by copying the diskettes into a separate directory each (i.e. C:\install\disk1, c:\install\disk2, etc). It's been a while but that's how I remember doing it. Just type the path to the next disk when prompted.

No need for that.

c:\> md win3.1
a:
copy *.* c:\win3.1

Repeat for the rest of the disks

c:
cd win3.1
setup

Done.

 

[pxc]

No need

It's been years since I did it and I forgot whether or not each disk had an ID file. I'm pretty sure other old MS diskette sets had ID files that required separate directories.

 

[Mister Natural]

I have an authentic MS Windows 3.1 CD stashed in my basement somewhere. I'd have to look at it to see how the cd is organized, but Win 3.1 can definitely be installed from CD or as mentioned from a hardrive directory.

 

[tom61]

The problem is that the 'changeline' signal of the drive is not working, so DOS has no idea that you changed floppies.

Here's how to fix it in software:
http://www.webpro.co.za/technote/CHG_LINE.htm

 

[pxc]

Here's how to fix it in software:
http://www.webpro.co.za/technote/CHG_LINE.htm

That's what i said above:

When attempting to display directories at the DOS level which have not been read, a {Ctrl}{C} keyfeed will force the FAT to be purged (all disk buffers are flushed) and the drive will re-read. This causes major problems with (and is usually picked up during) loading programs when the software keeps deducing that you have not put in the next disk; in such operations the {Ctrl}{C} method cannot be used.

The DRIVPARM solution after that is pretty cool.

 

[Phoenix86]

'changeline'

Damn, that's the term that was on the tip of my tongue... Thanks

 

[TheMuffinMan]

DRIVPARM worked for me. A couple of changes, as I have the 3.5" set as A, but it's up and running perfectly now. Thanks again, everyone, for the help.