Getting Started (1 of 2)

Before Beginning Setup
Starting Setup
Setup Command-Line Switches
Other Misc. Setup Tips

Before Beginning Windows 95 Setup

1. Check that the computer's hardware is supported and meets the minimum requirements for Windows 95. Close all applications and disable unnecessary TSRs. Check and defragment the hard drive, and back up key files.
   
2. Make sure you meet the following requirements:
   
   
   • Operating System Requirements:
     
     

   • You must install the retail; version of Windows 95 as an upgrade over an existing operation system. You can install Windows 95 over a Number of different operating systems, including MS-DOS, Windows, and Windows for Workgroups. Windows 95 can also be installed over Novell DR DOS (or Novell DOS), PC-DOS, and OS/2 and as a dual-boot operating system with Windows NT.

   • The minimum operating system software required to install Windows 95 is any of the following: MS-DOS version 3.2 or higher, or an equivalent version from the hardware manufacturer that supports partitions greater than 32 MB
     
     

     • Windows 3.x
     • Windows for Workgroups 3.1x
     • Dual-boot OS/2 (with MS-DOS)
     • Dual-boot Windows NT (with MS-DOS)
       
       

   • System Requirements for Windows 95
     
     
     • The follow items are the minimum hardware requirements to run Windows 95:
       
       

       Computer:

       30386 20 MHz (or higher processor)

       For installing Windows 95 to run from a local hard disk, a high-density floppy disk drive and hard disk drive are required.

       For installing Windows 95 as a shared installation, the computer does not Need a hard disk or floppy disk drive.

       You cannot install Windows95 on a 80386 computer that had a B-step processor(that is, with ID 303)

       Peripheral:

       Mouse or equivalent pointing device
       
       

       Memory:

       4 MB of RAM (minimum); 8 MB (recommended)

       8 MB are required for using Microsoft Exchange and the Microsoft Network, or for running multiple Win32-based applications
       
       

       Video Display:

       VGA (minimum); Super VGA (recommended)
       
       

       Disk Space Requirements:

       20 MB of free hard-disk space is required for a local installation. A custom installation requires a minimum of 19 MB. A compact installation requires 10 MB of disk space.

       Windows 95 Setup needs at least 417K of conventional memory to run. The amount of disk space required for Windows 95 Setup varies, due to the types of hardware on the computer, the required drivers, and the optional components installed:

       • New Installation ~ 30 to 40 MB
       • Windows 3.1 upgrade ~ 20 to 30 MB
       • Windows for Workgroups upgrade ~ 10 to 20 MB

       You also need a certain amount free disk space for a swap file, depending on how much RAM the computer has. As a guideline, you need at least 14 MB of memory, which can be divided between RAM and hard disk space. For example, if the computer has 4 MB of RAM, you need at least 10 MB of free disk space for a swap file. If the computer has 16 MB of memory, you will need very little disk space for a swap file.
       
       

       Optional:

       Modem (for The Microsoft Network and other components)

       CD-ROM drive

       Network adapter (required for networking)

       Sound Card

       Other multimedia hardware components
       
       

   • Partition Requirements:
     
     
     • Windows 95 Setup cannot install Windows 95 unless a FAT partition exists on the hard disk. It cannot install Windows 95 on a computer that has only HPFS or Windows NT files systems (NTFS) partitions. Windows 95 Setup reads most partitioning schemes and writes to the master boot record, unless disk partitioning schemes from other vendors are used.
       
       
     • The following table describes how Windows 95 Setup handles different types of disk partitions. For more information, consult the documentation for the related operating system.

      

• Windows 95 Works with disk compression drivers, including those in the following list.
  
  

• Microsoft DriveSpace and DoubleSpace
  
• Stacker versions 3.0 and 4.x
  
• AddStor SuperStor
  
• If you use other disk compression software, see the Windows README file, or contact your product support representation to determine compatibility.

 

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Tips for MS-DOS Versions and Windows 95 Setup:

Windows 95 Setup attempts to install Windows95 on a computer with an operating system version equivalent to MS-DOS 3.2 only if that version can exceed the 32-MB partition limit (such as COMPAQ version 3.31) because the operational disk space requirements for Windows 95 can exceed the 32-MB partition limitation.

The Computer must have MS-DOS version 3.2 or later. Because there are many variations of MS-DOS 3.2, Microsoft recommends that you upgrade to Windows 95 from MS-DOS version 5.0 or later. To check the MS-DOS version, type ver at the command prompt.

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Starting Windows 95 Setup

• Starting the Setup
  
  
  • The Windows 95 Setup program (setup.exe) is found on the Windows 95 installation disks, or it can be stored on a shard network resource. The following information will describes methods for starting Windows 95 Setup on computers that will run Windows 95 from the local hard disk after installation.
    
    
  • To start Windows 95 Setup from Windows 3.1 or Windows for Workgroups
    
    
    1. Start your computer in the usual way, and run Windows.
    2. If you are installing Windows 95 from floppy disks, insert Disk 1 in the drive and make that the active drive in File Manager.

       ~OR~

       If you are installing Windows 95 from CD-ROM, put the compact disc in the drive and make that drive active.

       ~OR~

       If you are installing Windows 95 from source files on a network server, connect to that server and switch to the shared network directory that contains the Windows95 source files.

    3. Activate SETUP.EXE in the directory of the Windows 95 installation files.
       
       
  • To Start Windows 95 Setup from MS-DOS
    
    
    1. Start your computer in the usual way
    2. If you are installing Windows 95 from floppy disks, insert Disk 1 in the drive and make that active drive. For example, type A: if the disk is in the A drive.

       ~OR~

       If you are installing Windows 95 from CD-ROM, put the compact disc in the drive and make that the active drive.

       ~OR~

       If you are installing Windows 95 from source files on a network server and switch to the shared network directory that contains the Windows 95 source files.

  • To start Windows 95 Setup from a network computer using a setup script.
    
    
    1. Log on the network, running the existing network client.
    2. Connect to the server that contains the Windows 95 distribution files.
    3. At the command prompt, run Windows 95 Setup by specifying the batch file that contains the setup script, using this syntax:

       setup msbatch.inf

       For example, type setup \\server1\win95\mybatch.inf to run Setup using a setup script named MYBATCH.INF that is stored in the Windows 95 directory on a server named SERVER1.

Note: If Windows 95 is installed from a sever, the location of that network directory is stored in the Registry. When you add a device or require additional support files to run Windows 95, Setup automatically attempts to retrieve the files from that same location on the server. This eliminates the need to maintain a permanent network connection on the computer and makes it easier to modify the configuration of a computer in a networked environment.

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