I recently obtained an old PC that has Win95 installed on it, but is unable to load it. Apparently, the MS-DOS version installed with it is not compatible with Win95 (6.something-or-other).
I've been trying to install a version of MS-DOS that's compatible with Win95, but to no avail.
I went to Bootdisk.com and downloaded the files for Win95's MS-DOS, but I'm having problems copying them in to the computer.
The file giving me the most problems is MSDOS.SYS, which will not copy into the C:\ directory (It always says access denied or Extended error 5).
Keep in mind that I am not very experienced at all with MS-DOS, and most everything I know about MS-DOS has been learned today.

You do NOT go around installing any version of DOS with ANY version of Whambos 9xx series. It is hard to imagine what may be wrong with this system. What you probably need is to find a friend to go over this system locally so you can learn a little about it.

It is POSSIBLE that all you need to do is transfer the "system" files to this machine. What you will need is to go someplace like www.bootdisk.com and make a bootable Whimpos95 disc (floppy) that will boot and has the "sys" command on board. You can then boot the machine with this floppy and at the "A:\" prompt type "sys C:" and hit the "ENTER" key. This may work, and may not

First there are two version of Windows 95 and the DOS portion is a different version, personally would reinstall over the top this will replace system files but leave installed software intactus..........

http://www.computing.net/dos/wwwboard/forum/13877.html

Good luck

x86 is correct. Win95 versions all install over DOS6.XX and it's still done many times daily. Just reinstall 95.

You can just install MS-DOS 7.10 to your HD using the MS-DOS Installer since it takes much more time to install the whole Win95. Win95 GUI works fine on top of MS-DOS 7.10 as well as MS-DOS 7.0.

http://newdos.yginfo.net/msdos71.htm

Wengier, please don't confuse the issue, it sounds like this guy has ENOUGH trouble.

Trying to do what you suggest is using a hacked up, cracked up, and possibly even "illegal" situation. THERE IS NO SUCH THING as an installable DOS that matches what is on Whendows 9 series. If there actually was, it would have been sold by Microshaft, and it wasn't.

As someone else said, probable you need to figure out what version of Whumpows you have, and then find a matching CD (or floppies) and then reinstall it.

name,

Don't you know all versions of Windows from 1.0 to ME(including Win3.x/9x) are just Graphical User Interfaces (GUI) of DOS? However, if you try to start Win95 GUI on top of MS-DOS 6.x, the following messages will be shown:

"This version of Windows does not run on MS-DOS 6.xx or earlier." (Shown by Win95 WIN.COM)

OR:

"Cannot run Windows with the installed version of MS-DOS.
Upgrade MS-DOS to version 7.0 or higher." (Shown by Win95 VMM32.VXD)

So, if you just want to find a version of MS-DOS that is compatible with Win95 GUI, then, what you need is MS-DOS 7.0 or higher. Win95 will work fine on top of MS-DOS 7.0, MS-DOS 7.10, and MS-DOS 8.0.

Since MS-DOS 7.10 is compatible with (almost) all versions of Windows GUI, you can even make the following menu in MS-DOS 7.10 CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT:

CONFIG.SYS:

[MENU]
MENUITEM=DOS71, MS-DOS prompt
MENUITEM=WIN31, Start Windows 3.1 GUI
MENUITEM=WIN95 Start Windows 95 GUI
MENUITEM=WIN98 Start Windows 98 GUI
MENUITEM=WIN98SE Start Windows 98SE GUI

[DOS71]

[WIN31]

[WIN95]

[WIN98]

[WIN98SE]

[COMMON]
DOS=HIGH,UMB,AUTO
...

AUTOEXEC.BAT:

@ECHO OFF
GOTO %CONFIG%

:DOS71
GOTO END

:WIN31
C:\WIN31\WIN

:WIN95
ENVMASTR /l winbootdir=C:\WIN95
C:\WIN95\WIN

:WIN98
ENVMASTR /l winbootdir=D:\WIN98
D:\WIN98\WIN

:WIN98SE
ENVMASTR /l winbootdir=E:\WIN98SE
E:\WIN98\WIN

:END
ECHO Now you are in MS-DOS mode.
ECHO ON

** Note: Don't try to start Windows ME WIN.COM on top of MS-DOS 7.x, otherwise the following error message will be shown:

"This version of Windows runs only on MS-DOS 8.00."

Of course, if you are not familar with this, you can always use the Win95 Installer, which will take a long time to install MS-DOS 7.0 and Win95 altogether.

Wish I never said anything the poor bloke is probably on Prozac by now !

Wengier, PLEAUSSSSEEEEEEEEEEEEEE stop trying to turn this into a hack n crack site. There NEVER was an installer for "DOS 7x" as you call it. It was, and was always meant to be, part of Whamox 9xx series.

STOP TRYING TO CONFUSE THE GUY with a bunch of (&()(*_&^%%(*&&( about reinstalling "DOS"

There IS no dos installer (except some hacked and cracked, aftermarket, illegal, modified, nonsense) that someone dreamed up

IF YOU ARE TRYING TO FIX Microshaft Wimpos 9xx, then do it with the MEDIA that was meant to do so, namely, a set of floppies, or CD, that CONTAINS the Wimpox 9xx series that you are working with.

THERE IS NO separate version of Micorstuff 7xx, there never was, there never will be.

WOW that was some exchange between seemingly knowledgable people. Despite confusing the OP the various suggestions are of interest and I learned quite a bit. Thanks guys/gals

well, they did release a standalone DOS 7.0 Beta...I got it