aaron
5-23-02, 07:14 PM
You can temporarily disable the auto run on most CDs. Many games, Microsoft CDs, and countless others have this on them. This is what happens when you put the CD in, you don't browse for it, but Windows automatically fires it up. Well you might like it, but there are times you DON'T want it to happen, but you also don't want to permanately disable it. Easy way around it. When you pop in the CD, just hold the left shift down for several seconds. The CD will spin up and the light will come on, BUT the auto run (which loads a splash screen for the software, or something to that effect) will by bypassed. You need to hold it down for several seconds though, not like 2 or 3. If the auto run happens anyway, you didn't hold it down long enough.
Next, when Windows is first starting to boot, and you only have a taskbar, no icons, nothing... if you DON'T want your system tray to load everything (virus scanner, icq, god knows what else), perhaps you are doing some tests that need your system temporarily clear, hold the left shift hold until your computer is completely booted up. The system tray won't load. If it does, something is wrong with the machine. (I rarely use this, but at times it does come in handy)
Lastly, and I do this all the time. Ever get sick and tired of having to find the damn Windows 95/98 CD every time you install new hardware because it needs files off the CD? Me too. Here is a way around that:
1) Find your Windows CD. Create a directory (folder) anywhere on your computer. I usually name mine C:\WIN98, but you can call it anything, it doesn't matter.
2) On your Windows CD is a directory called WIN98 (that's why I create a C:\WIN98, just for consistentcy... again, you don't HAVE to call it that). Find your D: (or E: or whatever) WIN98 directory on the CD and you will see a BUNCH of CAB (cabinet) files. Copy ALL the CAB files from the CD into your new C:\WIN98 (or C:\NAME-YOU-PICKED) directory. If you want, you can copy ALL the files, but I only ever copy the CAB files. I don't recall exactly how much space it takes, but its a few hundred megs.
3) Now you need to tell Windows the new location. This requires some registry editing. Do this:
Start > Run > type in "regedit" without the quotes and hit enter.
Once regedit loads, find these headers in the box on the left and double click them in this order: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, then SOFTWARE, then MICROSOFT, then WINDOWS, then CURRENT VERSION, then find SETUP, but only SINGLE click setup.
With SETUP highlighted, look in the box on the right. You will see a line titled "SourcePath". Double click that and change the D:\WIN98 (or whatever it shows) to C:\WIN98, or C:\CABS, or whatever you named it. Again, I only call the directory I make WIN98 to be consistent. Windows doesn't care what you call it, it just wants to know where it is.
After you have done this, click OK, then go up to Registry and Exit.
Now you won't be prompted again for the Windows CD again unless you delete your C:\WIN98 (or whatever you named it) directory, or if you format your drive.
Just don't toss your CD!
Next, when Windows is first starting to boot, and you only have a taskbar, no icons, nothing... if you DON'T want your system tray to load everything (virus scanner, icq, god knows what else), perhaps you are doing some tests that need your system temporarily clear, hold the left shift hold until your computer is completely booted up. The system tray won't load. If it does, something is wrong with the machine. (I rarely use this, but at times it does come in handy)
Lastly, and I do this all the time. Ever get sick and tired of having to find the damn Windows 95/98 CD every time you install new hardware because it needs files off the CD? Me too. Here is a way around that:
1) Find your Windows CD. Create a directory (folder) anywhere on your computer. I usually name mine C:\WIN98, but you can call it anything, it doesn't matter.
2) On your Windows CD is a directory called WIN98 (that's why I create a C:\WIN98, just for consistentcy... again, you don't HAVE to call it that). Find your D: (or E: or whatever) WIN98 directory on the CD and you will see a BUNCH of CAB (cabinet) files. Copy ALL the CAB files from the CD into your new C:\WIN98 (or C:\NAME-YOU-PICKED) directory. If you want, you can copy ALL the files, but I only ever copy the CAB files. I don't recall exactly how much space it takes, but its a few hundred megs.
3) Now you need to tell Windows the new location. This requires some registry editing. Do this:
Start > Run > type in "regedit" without the quotes and hit enter.
Once regedit loads, find these headers in the box on the left and double click them in this order: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, then SOFTWARE, then MICROSOFT, then WINDOWS, then CURRENT VERSION, then find SETUP, but only SINGLE click setup.
With SETUP highlighted, look in the box on the right. You will see a line titled "SourcePath". Double click that and change the D:\WIN98 (or whatever it shows) to C:\WIN98, or C:\CABS, or whatever you named it. Again, I only call the directory I make WIN98 to be consistent. Windows doesn't care what you call it, it just wants to know where it is.
After you have done this, click OK, then go up to Registry and Exit.
Now you won't be prompted again for the Windows CD again unless you delete your C:\WIN98 (or whatever you named it) directory, or if you format your drive.
Just don't toss your CD!