I have a new PC that comes with NT already installed. The boot loader menu shows 2 entries: NT 4 or MS-DOS. Is it possible starting from this point to boot MS-DOS in order to install W95 (e.g. on disk D:)? At www.support.microsoft.com I found some directions about that but it's not clear if my present PC configuration is ready for W95 installation or not. Actually I tried booting MS-DOS and installing W95 but the system can't see the CD-ROM disk G: Any help? Thank you.

If the windows NT installation is FAT16 (which it should be if it was pre installed) then you should be able to boot the machine with a Win95 boot disk with CDROM support, and start the installation of win95 making sure that you install to D:\windows and not C:\. If the NT install is NTFS then you cannot do it. IF this is the case and you dont mind starting again with the NT install have a look at www.jalepino.com I have instructions for dual booting NT and win9X using NTFS and FAT32. Justink

If you have a C: system (active primary) partition that is FAT16 (i.e. your C: drive is FAT16) and it more than likely is (in fact it has to be to get NT/DOS installed correctly...) then you can install '95 into a separate partition/logical drive with no problem. You will need either DOS boot-disk with CDROM support, as it sounds as though your DOS installation is lacking CDROM support(?) or a '95 or '98 boot disk - preferably stay with '95 version - fewer possible mis-haps with it (in terms of invoking large disk support by mstake...). If your BIOS allows then you could boot from the '95 CD (as long as it's a full version) and install that way. Also you could, from within NT, copy the '95 folder to the HD (to the C: system/DOS partition if it's large enough) and run '95 set-up from there, via a conventional DOS boot - preferably via a DOS boot-disk.(Tere would be no need for CDROM access this way; you would just boot to A: and then change to C: , then the '95 Folder and run set-up...) Before you start out - MAKE the ERD for your current NT installation. Installing '95 from a DOS boot doesn't usually destroy/overwrite the NT boot-loader; running it from a '95 boot-disk may/usually does... Running set-up from the C: drive shouldn't destroy NT boot-loader either, but regardless of which route you go - MAKE the ERD first... When '95 set-up is complet, if you can only boot to '95, then run the NT install sequence (off the 3 floppppies or the CD) and choose the Repair option; use the ERD you will have made at this point... This will restore the NT boot-loader. The reason for the C: system partition (Active Primary) being FAT16 for dual/multi-boot NT/'9x/DOS is that the only common file format is FAT16. Since all M$ OS's install their boot/start-up files into the system (active primary) partition, that area has to be FAT16, and remain inviolate/secure. Assorted boot-disks (all flavours/mixes) can be found via: http://www.bootdisk.com

Addendum to my above response... You could also copy the '95 Folder to the D: partition/drive and install from there; or to some other area (besides C: ) as long as it's accessible from a DOS boot, and space enough. It's just 'better' to have it in a space other than where the '95 actual installation is to be (but not essential).