Command-Line Switches for MSCDEX.EXE

• Microsoft MS-DOS operating system versions 5.x, 6.0, 6.2, 6.21, 6.22
• Microsoft Windows operating system versions 3.0, 3.0a, 3.1, 3.11
• Microsoft Windows for Workgroups versions 3.1, 3.11
• Microsoft Windows 95
• Microsoft Windows 98

SUMMARY

This article describes the command-line switches for Microsoft's CD-ROM Extension, Mscdex.exe, versions 2.21, 2.22, and 2.95.

Mscdex.exe is available from CD-ROM vendors, with the MS-DOS 6 Upgrade, 6.2 Upgrade, and 6.21 Upgrade, and with Windows 95/98.

MORE INFORMATION

Mscdex.exe is a CD-ROM "redirector." It hooks into the MS-DOS or Windows operating system the same way the network redirector does to obtain access to files that are not on local hard or floppy disks. As far as MS-DOS or Windows is concerned, CD-ROM drives look just like network drives. MSCDEX splices itself in front of the network redirector and takes requests belonging to CD-ROM drives and passes the rest to redirectors (such as network redirectors).

Command Line Switches

MSCDEX.EXE: /D:x /M:n /E /V /L:x /S /K

Switch                  Definition

/D:<device name>        - Allows you to specify a name for the device
                          driver. This name must be identical to the
                          device name used in the CONFIG.SYS file.

/M:<n>                  - Specifies the number of sector buffers used
                          to cache the path table of a CD-ROM disk.
                          Typically, each drive should have a minimum
                          of four to five buffers. The larger this
                          number is, the less your computer will have
                          to read directly from the CD-ROM drive.

/E                      - Tells MSCDEX.EXE to use expanded memory if
                          your system is using expanded memory.

/V                      - Displays information on memory usage
                          when you boot your PC.

/L:<drive letter>       - Allows you to specify the letter you want
                          to assign to the first CD-ROM drive.

/S                      - Allows the CD-ROM to be shared on MS-NET
                          based systems.

/K                      - Tells MSCDEX.EXE to use any KANJI (Japanese)
                          file structures, if present, rather than the
                          default of alphanumeric file structures. 

Additional query words: 5.00 5.00a 6.00 6.20 6.21 6.22 3.00 3.00a 3.10 3.11 share
cd rom device parameters delimiters dos win95x

Keywords          : win31 win95 win98 cddrive wfwg 
Version           : 3.00 3.00a 3.10 3.11 95 | 5.x 6.
Platform          : MS-DOS WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbinfo 

Last Reviewed: March 4, 1999