Shell switching bootdisk - version 0.1

[EndTwist]

Hey again everyone,

I felt it would be good for me to have a "shell switching" boot disk, so I can switch from my FE as a shell back to explorer, or vice-versa. This way it is easy to administrate my cab. I thought I'd share it. It works pretty nicely, IMHO.

Link: http://www.jbeffects.com/feboot.zip  -- 818 KB

[EndTwist]

No one has a use for it/comment?

[ErikRuud]

I'm not sure I understand what you have set up.

I have menu setup in my config.sys and autoexec.bat so that I have a choice of boting to windows, DOS, or my frontend (the default).  It is standard DOS stuff.  I don't see the need for a seperate boot disk.

[Malachai]

I have menu setup in my config.sys and autoexec.bat so that I have a choice of boting to windows, DOS, or my frontend (the default).  It is standard DOS stuff.  I don't see the need for a seperate boot disk.

If I'm reading this right.  You could eliminate the need to the DOS menu, which IMO isn't very arcade like.  This boot disk actually sounds very usefull to me.  I'm going to try it out.  Thanks EndTwist.  I'll let you know how it turns out.

[Minwah]

Is it for Win9x or 2k/XP (or both)?

[papaschtroumpf]

Good questions. Aren't the XP boot disks different for XP Home, XP Pro and whether SP1 is installed or not?

[EndTwist]

I made this disk using a Windows 98 boot disk, but I'd happily make a 2k/XP disk.* Any requests?

*Or at least try to.

[EndTwist]

I may/should be able to get the ME/2000/XP version up by tomarrow. I'll make a how-to / readme for them too.

[Minwah]

I'd sure give the XP one a go, if you manage it

[EndTwist]

Alrighty, I finished the XP bootdisk, and updated the 95/98 bootdisk with a readme.

http://www.jbeffects.com/xpboot.zip

NOTE: Please read the readme.txt before using it! I take no responsibility for any problems.

This is untested, since I have no XP machine with a FE on it to test with. So if there are any problems, email me/post here.

[EndTwist]

Anyone test it?  

[Homebrew]

I just tested it in XP and it didn't work for me.  After choosing E for changing to internet explorer i got an error that it was the incorrect version of ms-dos.

-Kevin

[EndTwist]

Hmm...at what point exactly? I need to know to repair the problem.

[Homebrew]

Right after i typed in E to change to internet explorer.  I typed E and then enter to choose to change the shell to explorer.  After hitting enter i got that error message.  Meaning i got the message while still in dos.

-Kevin

[Odonadon]

Here's what I got setup - elliminates need for a floppy drive or a DOS menu:

edit msdos.sys and set bootgui=0

edit autoexec and add "win" as a command on the last line.

Make your own batch file to copy/replace the system.ini with the one specifying your mame shell (copy system.mam system.ini), and make one to copy/replace the system.ini to the one with your exporer shell  (copy system.exp system.ini), or what have you.  Reboot.

When PC boots, hit F8.  Choose "confirm each line" option.  His "n" for all.  Boom, you're at the dos prompt.  Type your shell replace batch command, and you're set.  Reboot.  When you're ready to switch back, drop into a dos prompt and type your mame shell replace batch command (or make a shortcut) and reboot.

I also use this batch file to copy an "invisible" mouse cursor over top of the windows standard, so the arrow never shows up whilst the PC is booting, and vice versa when I need to use the mouse.

This way, you will never get a menu, and you won't need to hook up a floppy drive.

OD

[eightbit]

You can enter the boot menu in win2k/xp by pressing f8 while its booting, right before the splash screen. You can edit this boot menu and add your own choices. You could easily add a chance to select which shell would be loaded.