Skip to content Skip to main navigation Skip to footer

Not Enough Space on MS-DOS Startup Diskette to Add Image for DOS

Problem: 

After creating a MS-DOS startup diskette, as explained in the articles How to Create a Windows 95/98/Me Startup Disk and How to Create a Bootable DOS Diskette Under Windows XP, you find that you do not have enough room on the diskette.

Solution: 

You have several options. The first option is to use MakeDisk (included with Image for DOS) to create the bootable floppy. Terabyte OS (TBOS) will be used instead of MS-DOS. TBOS is a small basic real-mode OS that can run most DOS programs.

The second option involves simply making more room on the startup diskette. The third option involves adding a second disk for Image for DOS (and any other files you wish to have available). Both methods are detailed below.

Making More Room On the Startup Disk:

If you created a startup diskette under Windows 95/98/Me, you may safely delete all files on it, except for the following:

AUTOEXEC.BAT 

Edit this file in a text editor and ensure that only the following line(s) exist inside it:

@echo off
image.exe

The image.exe line is optional and serves to launch Image for DOS, when present.
COMMAND.COM This file is required.
CONFIG.SYS

Edit this file in a text editor and ensure that only the following line exists inside it:

device=himem.sys
buffers=20
files=50
HIMEM.SYS This file is required.
IO.SYS This file is required.
MSDOS.SYS This file is required.

If you created a startup diskette under Windows XP, you may safely delete all files on it, except for the following:

</tr style="border: 1px solid black;"></tr style="border: 1px solid black;">

AUTOEXEC.BAT 

Edit this file in a text editor and ensure that only the following line(s) exist inside it:

@echo off
image.exe

The image.exe line is optional and serves to launch Image for DOS, when present.
COMMAND.COM This file is required.
IO.SYS This file is required.
MSDOS.SYS This file is required.


Using a Second Diskette

This method does not require you to remove files from your boot diskette, but it requires having a second diskette available. To use this method:

  1. Create a startup diskette, as explained in the article How to Create a Windows 95/98/Me Startup Disk or How to Create a Bootable DOS Diskette Under Windows XP.

  2.  Insert a second diskette and format it, if necessary, using the format a: command.

  3. Copy the Image for DOS files IMAGE.EXE, CDBOOT.F35, CDBOOT.INS, and IFD.INI (if present) to the second diskette.

To run Image for DOS with the two-diskette configuration, use one of the following methods:

Method 1:

  1. Boot with the startup disk you created in Step 1 above.

  2. When the A:\> prompt appears, type B: and press Enter. You will receive the prompt:
    Insert diskette for drive B: and press any key when ready

  3. Remove the first diskette, insert the second diskette, then press any key. You will be presented with a B:\> prompt.

  4. Type image.exe (or simply image) and press Enter. Image for DOS will load.

  5. If you need access to the DOS command line after finishing with Image for DOS, press Esc or F12 to exit Image for DOS. You will receive the following prompt:
    Insert diskette for drive A: and press any key when ready

  6. Reinsert the first diskette and press any key to continue.

Method 2:

  1. Boot with the startup disk you created in Step 1 above.

  2. When the A:\> prompt appears, remove the first diskette and insert the second diskette.

  3. Type image.exe (or simply image) and press Enter. Image for DOS will load.

  4. If you need access to the DOS command line after finishing with Image for DOS, press Esc or F12 to exit Image for DOS. Depending on the version of DOS you are using, you will receive one of the following prompts:

    Prompt 1:
    Invalid COMMAND.COM
    Insert disk with \COMMAND.COM in drive A
    Press any key to continue . . .

    If you receive this prompt, simply reinsert the first diskette and press any key to continue.

    Prompt 2:
    Invalid COMMAND.COM
    Enter correct name of Command Interpreter (eg, C:\COMMAND.COM)

    If you receive this prompt, reinsert the first diskette and issue the following command:
    A:\command.com

Was This Article Helpful?

0